I'm responding because you seem to be pretty down on the financial side of being a part-time CFI and I want to pose the other side of it, because I do make a decent bit of money, especially considering it's a part-time job where I have complete control of my schedule. There aren't a whole lot of part-time jobs that pay this well with this flexibility, and of course are as enjoyable. But it doesn't happen overnight.
>>That's only if you don't meet the "activity" requirement of having 4 out of 5 students pass some kind of checkride in the last 2 years.<<
Hi.
Yes, there are at least 10 different ways to renew your CFI, but most people will not do 5 Primary students, with 80% pass rate, especially as Free lance,
Oh sure, I don't hit that goal every two years, but I have certainly done it in the past. Many part-time CFIs may not, but it's certainly not an impossible feat. Remember, it's not 5 Primary students (that would be really hard as an independent CFI without an airplane) - it's any checkride. Instrument, Commercial, etc. Heck, an initial Commercial can be done start to finish easily in 2 weeks. A Commercial add-on with a well-prepared student takes days. So it's not that hard to achieve.
I guess there might be some terminology involved here. When I think of part-time, I'm talking flying 2-3-4 times a week or more. A CFI who only flies a couple times a month isn't really "part-time", that's more like a "hobby". I fly 30-40 hours per month, which is a good amount for me.
and most will Not get $50-100.00 /hr., unless you have your own plane and have complete control over the operation.
That really depends on your marketing, experience, reputation and location. I live in Oklahoma City, which is certainly not rural, but isn't usually considered a major metropolis either. All the independent CFIs I know charge $50-100 an hour, and most do not have their own airplane. We work exclusively with aircraft owners or members of a local flying club. Are we overcharging? Well, we routinely refer clients to each other because our schedules are full, so I don't think so.
At $50/hr. to make 50K you need to spend 1,000 active / charge hrs. Add to that To / From / Idle and it's likely to double. When all is said and done you are looking at about $25.00 / hr. and that is actually fairly good, most CFIs don't make that. In most FBOs / schools they may get 40-50% or around $20-25/hr. no idle / off time included.
That's why I don't work at a flight school. And where did the $50k number come from? I'd think most people's expectation of a part-time job isn't to make $50k a year.
I am not arguing the point, I am just being realistic, if others are doing better good for them, but if one thinks that CFIs are making a lot of money may be disappointed.
Sure, I'm not "getting rich" by being a CFI, but I am definitely making a substantial and worthwhile addition to my full-time job. But it's like anything else - you don't become a CFI and instantly start making good money. You have to gain experience, and that's usually done at a flight school. Then how much you make really depends on you - again, your marketing, specialization, reputation, referrals, etc. It's most definitely possible to make decent money as a part-time CFI.
