True cost of instructor track

[intern_mike]

Has anyone recently gone throught FSA's instructor track? I received some info in the mail but the totals were for the direct track. On average how much does the instructor track cost? Also, how much do new instructors earn on average? I am planning on starting there in January. Thanks

[rausda27]

If you break your 800 hour contract you will be charged a pro-rated share of yor "standardization" costs. For me it was $1300.00 give or take a few dollars.

So..I completed the entire ab-initio program, CFI, CFII, interviewed and got hired. Unfortunately although I was hired, I had to wait almost two years to get a instructor slot. I came back, instructed for over a year and a half and was finally hired by a regional airline. During my resignation process they handed me my bill. If you are going to be an instructor there, I would recommend completing your contract, especially if ytou use Key to finance your training, as I have found out, the repayment on a regional salary can be difficult with the variable rate loans. (On the positive, they dont charge you interest on the pro-rated amount you owe if you break your contract)

FSA was a great place to train and instruct, however, don't let the cost put you in a financial bind during the CFI years and earnings at a Regional.

[CLR4ILS]

Originally Posted by intern_mike

Has anyone recently gone throught FSA's instructor track? I received some info in the mail but the totals were for the direct track. On average how much does the instructor track cost? Also, how much do new instructors earn on average? I am planning on starting there in January. Thanks

They used to have their pricing on the web site. I am not sure if it is still there..

ILS

[intern_mike]

Originally Posted by rausda27

FSA was a great place to train and instruct, however, don't let the cost put you in a financial bind during the CFI years and earnings at a Regional.

Would I have a choice? I'm planning on going from zero time to CFI. Was the situation with you getting hired late just for you? On average how long does it take to work off the 800 hour instructor contract?

[rausda27]

The choice of waiting for a instructor slot wasn't by choice. At the time there was very little enrollement and the airlines were not hiring many instructors. Don't get me wrong, going back was probably the best thing I could do at the time. I got some experience there I couldnt of gotten at the pat 61 FBO I taught at nor the collegiate 141 program I instructed for either.

[launchpad]

Originally Posted by rausda27

The choice of waiting for a instructor slot wasn't by choice. At the time there was very little enrollement and the airlines were not hiring many instructors. Don't get me wrong, going back was probably the best thing I could do at the time. I got some experience there I couldnt of gotten at the pat 61 FBO I taught at nor the collegiate 141 program I instructed for either.

I was instructing there at the same time..I waited 10 months to start working...there was very little movement and very little business at the time right after 9/11...the first year after I started working was very very slow..i.e. 1 or 2 students for most of the year. 2004 picked up quite a bit though.....

as for the pricing, call them up and instead of asking for the "track" just tell them you want to start from scratch and work through your instructor licenses (all of them...cfi, cfii, mei)..and they'll send you some new paperwork. The school is very devoted to this direct track crap, so they'll either confuse what you're saying if you say "track", or just try to push it on you...call 'em back and see what they say...

[launchpad]

oh ya...instructors make 14 bucks an hour...and if times are pretty good, you can plan for 30 or more hours of pay per week......sometimes it's less, sometimes it's more......you get full benefits, and pay very little for health insurance. If you get your CFI there and get hired, they pay for your CFII and MEI (at least they did a couple years ago.....)...good luck

[bLizZuE]

Actually it's 16 per hour, and you get a .50 raise when you're MEI standardized. I think you get a raise for a certain percentage student pass rate, and if you're a check air-man.

[launchpad]

Originally Posted by bLizZuE

Actually it's 16 per hour, and you get a .50 raise when you're MEI standardized. I think you get a raise for a certain percentage student pass rate, and if you're a check air-man.

wow...that's new....good for the newer instructors.......

[intern_mike]

On average how long does it take to work off the 800 hour instructor contract?

[n2o2diver]

Really depends on the current student load and number of instructors. When I was teaching, I had between 5-8 students and finished my contract in 13 months, average about 60-70 hrs a flying a month.

There were times when I was a student that the instructors had only 1-2 students which will of course took longer to build time. Some took up to 2 yrs, then again no one was hiring anyway so it really didn't matter, hence the backlog Rasuda mentioned. I only had to wait 4 months to get called back. Today they can't fill the openings fast enough.

Thing to remember is that it is 800 hrs of Dual given IN THE AIRPLANE. Frasca trainer and ground instruction (briefing) doesn't count. There are 30 hrs of Frasca and 100 hrs of briefing in the syllabus for each student. So to still average 60 hrs of flying you are working your ass off 10-12 hr days, 6 days a week. I was making about $24k yr. They have since increased instructor pay. I don't think that taking a year flight instructing over the course of an aviation career is going to kill you.

When I finished there I left with 1200 hrs total time of which 700 was Multi engine and the rest exceeded ATP minimums with the exception of the TT.

Overall it was a great experience and excellent training, but yes pricey!!! I came in about $5k under what they quoted me. I'm not going to claim it was the be all end all of flight training. It was right for ME, thats what counts in the end.

Something to keep in mind is that there are alternatives to going to airlines when you finish.

I happened to like instructing and still teach at a center, fly 60 hrs a month and make a comfortable living, something I feared I would not be able to do for some time with an airline.

There are of course Corprate/Fractional/Cargo/On demamnd/Private owners ... in other words lots of choices not just the traditional Airline route. Keep an open mind. I often see people focus on only one thing and put other options out of their mind and they all to often end up in disappointment when it turns out it "wasn't what I thought it was going to be like", and I'm not talking just aviation, something to consider.

[intern_mike]

Thanks for the info n2o2diver. That's the plan.

[latemodel100]

SO that is only $16/ FLight Hour or any hour that you are preforming the duties of an Instructor?????????????

[intern_mike]

Originally Posted by latemodel100

SO that is only $16/ FLight Hour or any hour that you are preforming the duties of an Instructor?????????????

I'm pretty sure it's per flight hour. When I visited the school I was told that most of the instructors make between 28K-32K. And with the 800 hour contract they pay for your CFII and MEI.

edit: Actually, now that I think about it, I believe the instructors are paid for ground lessons. You also get paid more depending on which aircraft you are instructing in.

[surreal1221]

So you guys averaged 30 flight hours. . . how much did you guys average billed?

[bLizZuE]

Originally Posted by latemodel100

SO that is only $16/ FLight Hour or any hour that you are preforming the duties of an Instructor?????????????

no you bill for management time when you're doing paperwork, or briefing with a student. not just flight hours. however- you can be at the flight line from 6 am till 10 pm and get paid for 5 hours that day.

[ananoman]

Originally Posted by latemodel100

SO that is only $16/ FLight Hour or any hour that you are preforming the duties of an Instructor?????????????

You get paid for the time you are with a student. At the end of a lesson, go to dispatch and they print out a 'tag' that has hobbs time for the aircraft and any brief time (you decide what this is). Then you and the student both sign it. If you go to meetings or do certain other thing you can get a tag for management time.

You can still be at work for many hours and not bill that much, it just depends on what is going on. Weather is one factor. I usually did not stick it to my students for briefing time, but it depended on the student. If they were not prepared, then I had no mercy. Same with no shows. If it was a good student I would let a few slide. But if they made it a habit, I would let them have it. After they paid FSI a few hundred bucks for not showing up, most would get the message.

[Crockrocket94]

i wonder what the average income among FSA's CFI's (not including check airmen) are?

I know you said 28-32, but im just curious.

[Asta]

Anyone have a price for the CFI, double I, and MEI programs at FSA? I mean the cost for just those programs, for those already possessing their other tickets. I can't seem the find the $ on their site.

[bLizZuE]

this is just shooting from the hip, but CFI is around 8000, CFII is around 3000, and MEI i think is like 11.

completely generic numbers, call FSA and you can get exact numbers.

[thestaton]

Is FSA a part 141 school?

[TP_Express]

Originally Posted by thestaton

Is FSA a part 141 school?

Yes

[SuperStarFlyer]

Originally Posted by Asta

Anyone have a price for the CFI, double I, and MEI programs at FSA? I mean the cost for just those programs, for those already possessing their other tickets. I can't seem the find the $ on their site.

Actually the current price for CFI is right around $9500 including extras like books and such, CFII is just over $4000, and MEI is about $6400. Just keep in mind that if you plan on instructing at the school, if you get hired after you finish CFI, you will get the employee prices for CFII and MEI. You will have to call the academy for exact prices on that though.

They don't post the prices on the website beacuse they want you to call and ask so you are sure to get the correct price for the program you want. Everyone's situation is different, so that's why.

Hope that helps!