Six Figure CFI

Hell, 7-figures - 2,000,000 cents/yr.
 
Can it be done? Sure. Is it easy to do? Hell no.

You need to become an expert in something that people are willing to pay a lot of money for. You will never get there just doing private pilot certificates and instrument ratings like every other CFI does for $30/hr.

Instructors that are insurance approved in expensive types (think big twins, turbines, etc) can make some damn good money doing training in them..but it's incredibly difficult to get yourself into that position and takes a long road.

I'd keep the day job :)
 
All it takes is no fear of students trying to kill you, and several years or more to build experience in multiple aircraft classes. And a client base. And thoroughly learn several autopilot / navigation systems. It will help to publish articles regularly, and an occasional book. Then work hard and get a few breaks.
 
CFI's in NY/LA area bill $50-70 per hour.

Only problem is that you have to MAKE 6 figures to afford to live there... :)
 
For specialized training on expensive equipment sure.

You'll need some experience on said equipment before anyone will want your instruction.
 
Just makes me respect the true CFI's more. The ones who aren't CFI's only to build hours for the airline job.
 
Yes you can. But it won't be teaching an endless stream of primary students how to land. You'll have to be doing something different and specialized.
 
evapilotaz said:
Oh and My day job I have medical, dental, PTO, 401K, Stock Options, Life Insurance, EIB, and a couple others I may forgot. I need those.
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And you walked into that as a wet behind the ears greenhorn desk dude?
 
What does Riddle, ND, and the like pay Professors of Airplaneness? Some of those guys are CFIs, not sure that counts
 
evapilotaz said:
Its been a long time since I been wet behind the years in my field of work.

After 90 days employed those benefits kicks in the company I'm at.
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I can do a few things with dream weaver and do most hardware work, you going to pay me six figures??


Same with aviation,

You're not going to find a rookie level job with senior level pay and bennies
 
James331 said:
I can do a few things with dream weaver and do most hardware work, you going to pay me six figures??


Same with aviation,

You're not going to find a rookie level job with senior level pay and bennies
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Most Likely Not. The Lowest starting Tech Job pay is at $30K Per Year but you must have 2 years experience with associate Degree and/or Certifications in my department.
 
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evapilotaz said:
Most Likely Not. The Lowest starting Tech Job pay is at $30K Per Year but you must have 2 years experience with associate Degree and/or Certifications in my department.
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Funny, that's about what I made in my first job as a pilot, 2 year degree CPL/CFI.
 
You may not make 6 figures but you get to tell chicks that you fly sexy, high performance birds like Cessnas! I mean come on, right! :thumbsup:
 
Yes, if two are to the right of the decimal point.

Nauga,
and his significant figure
 
local guys charge 40-45/hr which is good money when you have 1) a student with money and 2) weather that is agreeable to the training.

private pilot students get frustrated when lessons get scrubbed. how do you think the cfi feels? I don't know how a cfi makes 6 figures doing the "regular" stuff without putting in a lot of time and living at the fbo.

edit:

I did the math. at 45/hour, a cfi would have to work 42 hours/week, 52 weeks/year. I don't see it happening unless they charge a lot more.
 
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rbridges said:
private pilot students get frustrated when lessons get scrubbed. how do you think the cfi feels? I don't know how a cfi makes 6 figures doing the "regular" stuff without putting in a lot of time and living at the fbo.
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Who said they were making six figures?

Unless you have a specialized training service to sell, and people either come to you or you go to them you're going to be doing other tasks around an FBO in order to make decent money. If you're at one of the many small town airports that are out there you'd probably be best off owning the FBO and being able to do the flight instruction, maintenance, and sell the fuel. Anything less probably isn't going to get you too far.
 
rbridges said:
local guys charge 40-45/hr which is good money when you have 1) a student with money and 2) weather that is agreeable to the training.

private pilot students get frustrated when lessons get scrubbed. how do you think the cfi feels? I don't know how a cfi makes 6 figures doing the "regular" stuff without putting in a lot of time and living at the fbo.

edit:

I did the math. at 45/hour, a cfi would have to work 42 hours/week, 52 weeks/year. I don't see it happening unless they charge a lot more.
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Billable hours are also substantially lower than the time the CFI actually spends.
 
There are likely a few handful CFI that make six figures at it, add a dozen more if you include the SF Bay Area, but the cost of living nullifies it. Those CFIs will usually have an advanced specialty to be able to provide insurance required training. Mid to high five figures are not quite as difficult to attain if you stay busy.

Most places a CFI who makes six figures also owns the flight school, the planes, the maintenance shop, the fuel farm....
 
jesse said:
Billable hours are also substantially lower than the time the CFI actually spends.
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This.

Im no CFI but my CFI while getting my private only billed me for the time the prop was spinning. Pre flight briefing, pre flight, post flight briefing, phone calls, text messages, were not billed. And he only charged $35 an hour.
 
ClimbnSink said:
What does Riddle, ND, and the like pay Professors of Airplaneness? Some of those guys are CFIs, not sure that counts
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Regular professor pay I believe. If they choose to take on flight students they get paid the same as all the other CFI's per hour.
 
jesse said:
Billable hours are also substantially lower than the time the CFI actually spends.
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There are exceptions like the ones that bill $70hr to sit there while you fill out inane applications and take a PP written for an application quiz for 2 hrs for a 172 check out in airspace I used to live in.:mad2::mad:
 
I imagine the best way to be a 6 figure CFI is to keep your day job and teach students in your spare time.
 
My CFI flies for an airline 3-4 days a week and teaches on the others. I doubt he's makin 6 figures, but that's the only way I see it being done.
 
You would need to find paradise where you can fly 365 days a year and not have any bad weather.
 
On these lines, has anybody seen the Sportys Academy instructor rates?

From http://sportysacademy.com/price-list/

Flight Instructor – $41
Gold Seal Instructor – $50
Master/Multi Instructor – $60
Senior Flight Instructor – $100

Now, the first 3 are pretty much in line with other places that have a tiered structure. But the 4th one, I am wondering what that CFI provides that is worth that much more than what the other CFIs provide. As I am a CFI also, my opinion is that if the person can charge $100 an hour and get the business, good for them, they have obviously worked out a good niche.

But as a student (at any level), I'd be wondering what makes that CFI so much better and worth it than the others - especially since as far as can be determined from the website, we're not talking about specialized training like aerobatics or something. The training is in conducted in pretty "normal" aircraft - 172s, 182s, etc.

And what's more, as a CFI I want to know what they offer that can command that rate, so that maybe I can start providing similar services. "Learning from the competition" in other words.

Anybody flown with them? Did you hire the "Senior Flight Instructor"?
 
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