Enough student pilots for instructors?

[Pilot-To-Be]

A question I’ve wondered for awhile. The flight schools seem to have a lot people wanting to learn to fly and I know a lot of it is economy related, but how do some of y’all see the student pilot population going in the next few years? At what hourly cost do people say “it’s just not worth it, becoming a pilot is too expensive!”

I’m working on my CFI now and I can only hope the demand for flight training remains strong for several years to come. Thoughts?

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

Our local flight training facility has grown from three instructors to seven over the past few years. The student roster is very large. Future? Who knows? I have been instructing since 2001 and never saw it as busy as it is right now.

The cost of learning to fly has steadily increased but does not seem to be much of an obstacle.

 

[Dave Palacios]

A question I’ve wondered for awhile. The flight schools seem to have a lot people wanting to learn to fly and I know a lot of it is economy related, but how do some of y’all see the student pilot population going in the next few years? At what hourly cost do people say “it’s just not worth it, becoming a pilot is too expensive!”

I’m working on my CFI now and I can only hope the demand for flight training remains strong for several years to come. Thoughts?

Become an instructor and focus on being a good instructor with good people skills and don't be a time builder in a hurry to move up to a flying job. I am not an instructor but have flown with several over the years and can tell the instructors that are interested in turning out good pilots and those more concerned about how fast they can accumulate 1500 hours for the airline resume. Be a good instructor and you will have more than enough of a clientele

 

[ateamer]

Become an instructor and focus on being a good instructor with good people skills and don't be a time builder in a hurry to move up to a flying job. I am not an instructor but have flown with several over the years and can tell the instructors that are interested in turning out good pilots and those more concerned about how fast they can accumulate 1500 hours for the airline resume. Be a good instructor and you will have more than enough of a clientele

No reason why someone can’t do both.

 

[Pilot-To-Be]

Become an instructor and focus on being a good instructor with good people skills and don't be a time builder in a hurry to move up to a flying job. I am not an instructor but have flown with several over the years and can tell the instructors that are interested in turning out good pilots and those more concerned about how fast they can accumulate 1500 hours for the airline resume. Be a good instructor and you will have more than enough of a clientele

I agree, my plan is to be that. I am not in a huge rush to get to 1500, but I am getting my CFI as I really want to teach and plan to be in it for the right reasons.

 

[Clip4]

A question I’ve wondered for awhile. The flight schools seem to have a lot people wanting to learn to fly and I know a lot of it is economy related, but how do some of y’all see the student pilot population going in the next few years? At what hourly cost do people say “it’s just not worth it, becoming a pilot is too expensive!”

I’m working on my CFI now and I can only hope the demand for flight training remains strong for several years to come. Thoughts?

I have learned over my life to concern myself with the things I can control and not to worry over the things I can’t.

Once you finish your CFI training, there will be work for you. All the idiots who think the pilot hiring boom is never ending today will be the ones struggling for jobs in a few years. You will be taking their money.

Going forward, concern yourself with the career and training you will need in 20 years. AI will be flying those planes long before you are old enough to retire.