Class 4 instructor hourly rate

[marakii]

With today's demand for instructors what would be a realistic request for a class 4 hourly rate?

What are class 4s getting today?

Thanks

[photofly]

$17/hr

[Blueontop]

As a newly minted class 4, I was making $30/hour.

[photofly]

Wages have gone down since 1989.

[Blueontop]

Wages have gone down since 1989.

Or since 2012-2013...

[praveen4143]

Depends on location really. I've seen schools pay anywhere between $15 to $25 per flight hour. Almost no one pays for you to sit in the office. Ground is usually about 5-10 dollars lower than flight pay.

I've seen some schools offer a flat salary like McMurray Aviation for instructors starting at $3400 per month, but Fort Mac is also pretty expensive to live in and these are more exceptions than the norm.

[Bede]

Sorry but why would anyone instruct for $17/hr? Jobs are plentiful these days and I don't know why anyone would debase them self by working for such a low wage.

[Cat Driver]

That is shocking.

[photofly]

Sorry but why would anyone instruct for $17/hr? Jobs are plentiful these days and I don't know why anyone would debase them self by working for such a low wage.

I was exaggerating. But only slightly.

Why? Because the children know they're not going to be there very long so it doesn't really matter. It's a novelty enough not to be paying to fly, and most of them would probably work for free.

[Cat Driver]

What does a class 11 or a class 1 make?

And what is the maximum hours per day they normally fly?

I paid $25.00 for a class 11 and $30.00 per hour for a class 1 in 1986 to 1990 and there was an automatic .2 of an hour added for pre. and post flight briefings.

[marakii]

What would you pay a class 4 today realistically with the movement and shortage?

[Cat Driver]

What would you pay a class 4 today realistically with the movement and shortage?

Hi marakii , I have not been associated with ab-initio flight training in Canada since I sold my school in 1991, however if I were operating a school today I would pay significantly more than the other schools.

Paying more does not in and of it's self guarantee an employee will be suitable, but it is a good start because if the employee does not produce it is easier to replace him/ her.

I am going to try and give you some good advice and trust you will at least think about what I am about to say.

Flying for a living can be difficult when you first start out but if you make good decisions as to what and who you fly for and make sure you treat your employer fairly you can make a good living in aviation and have the life style you want.

Now to flight instruction.

It is a very good way to start a flying career and an even better way to end your career.

I did several years at a flight school early in my career and then went into specialized flying early in my career.

Specialized as in:

Aerial application for seven years.

Water bombing captain for fifteen years.

Air display pilot for eight years.

I also flew bush flying and Arctic flying for many years.

And Scheduled Airline flying for many years.

And Corporate flying for many years.

In the last ten or so years of my career I operated an advanced flying training business which paid very well and allowed me to choose when and where I worked.

I did not work in Canada from 1996 until I retired in 2005.

Now I want you to look at the above flying jobs and you will see that flying training is a very desirable occupation if you plan your career right.

In fact I personally think being a teacher of flying is the highest endeavor a pilot can aspire to.

Remember....your family is way more important than a piece of metal...never forget that.

Good luck

. ..

[marakii]

What would you pay a class 4 today realistically with the movement and shortage?

Hi marakii , I have not been associated with ab-initio flight training in Canada since I sold my school in 1991, however if I were operating a school today I would pay significantly more than the other schools.

Paying more does not in and of it's self guarantee an employee will be suitable, but it is a good start because if the employee does not produce it is easier to replace him/ her.

I am going to try and give you some good advice and trust you will at least think about what I am about to say.

Flying for a living can be difficult when you first start out but if you make good decisions as to what and who you fly for and make sure you treat your employer fairly you can make a good living in aviation and have the life style you want.

Now to flight instruction.

It is a very good way to start a flying career and an even better way to end your career.

I did several years at a flight school early in my career and then went into specialized flying early in my career.

Specialized as in:

Aerial application for seven years.

Water bombing captain for fifteen years.

Air display pilot for eight years.

I also flew bush flying and Arctic flying for many years.

And Scheduled Airline flying for many years.

And Corporate flying for many years.

In the last ten or so years of my career I operated an advanced flying training business which paid very well and allowed me to choose when and where I worked.

I did not work in Canada from 1996 until I retired in 2005.

Now I want you to look at the above flying jobs and you will see that flying training is a very desirable occupation if you plan your career right.

In fact I personally think being a teacher of flying is the highest endeavor a pilot can aspire to.

Remember....your family is way more important than a piece of metal...never forget that.

Good luck

. ..

Thank you as always for the valuable input and your suggestions and stories.

I am employed as a flight instructor and I barely make more than the $17 an hour to boot.

My concern is I have been employed almost a year and don't have any regular students yet and barely fly .

Suggestions for me?

Thanks again .

[Cat Driver]

There is a need for instructors in the industry now, if your present employer will or can not give you more flying find another employer.

The problem is you need to get to a class three and then you can free lance.

[maturepilot83]

UAV operators make $50,000 CAD starting ...

[marakii]

There is a need for instructors in the industry now, if your present employer will or can not give you more flying find another employer.

The problem is you need to get to a class three and then you can free lance.

I made myself available as much as I can but it's not seven days a week as I have a family at home and another part time job but they still won't give me any students , don't know what to do I have a dilemma . Even though I am available to fly they won't give me the student but to the other instructors.

frustrating!

[rookiepilot]

There is a need for instructors in the industry now, if your present employer will or can not give you more flying find another employer.

The problem is you need to get to a class three and then you can free lance.

I made myself available as much as I can but it's not seven days a week as I have a family at home and another part time job but they still won't give me any students , don't know what to do I have a dilemma . Even though I am available to fly they won't give me the student but to the other instructors.

frustrating!

Here's my advice, from a long period both as an employee, in sales, , and now 20 years as a non aviation business owner.

Simply this: You are an employee but think of yourself as a general contractor working within your business, which is really a sales business. To your prospective students, and to your own company.

Read that twice.

Which means, you need to prospect, network and build your own book. All the time.

If I was instructing, I'd go to the GM -- not the CFI, but someone with authority -- and say look. I will network like crazy, in any way I could, and bring in new business. But for every student I bring in who starts training, I want to be given 2 or 3 walk ins. Maybe more. Sure others will comment.

I was very agressive as a negotiator when I was an employee, and could be, because I was always near or the top producer in any company I was in. I busted my butt too, always, and did work not expected of me, which isn't a popular concept in communist Canada these days.

Trolls to that comment, don't bother. That attitude is why I am a company owner now, work when and how I please. But few want to work really hard. It's a dirty word in Canada.

Anyway...

Sell yourself to your company, too, that you're different. Clean the planes. Sweep floors. Never sit idle. But make it clear you expect students in return. If it doesn't happen, walk and find someone who will appreciate a driven, hard worker that betters the company. They aren't your enemy, they are a tool.

My $02. For any young person.

[marakii]

There is a need for instructors in the industry now, if your present employer will or can not give you more flying find another employer.

The problem is you need to get to a class three and then you can free lance.

I made myself available as much as I can but it's not seven days a week as I have a family at home and another part time job but they still won't give me any students , don't know what to do I have a dilemma . Even though I am available to fly they won't give me the student but to the other instructors.

frustrating!

Here's my advice, from a long period both as an employee, in sales, , and now 20 years as a non aviation business owner.

Simply this: You are an employee but think of yourself as a general contractor working within your business, which is really a sales business. To your prospective students, and to your own company.

Read that twice.

Which means, you need to prospect, network and build your own book. All the time.

If I was instructing, I'd go to the GM -- not the CFI, but someone with authority -- and say look. I will network like crazy, in any way I could, and bring in new business. But for every student I bring in who starts training, I want to be given 2 or 3 walk ins. Maybe more. Sure others will comment.

I was very agressive as a negotiator when I was an employee, and could be, because I was always near or the top producer in any company I was in. I busted my butt too, always, and did work not expected of me, which isn't a popular concept in communist Canada these days.

Trolls to that comment, don't bother. That attitude is why I am a company owner now, work when and how I please. But few want to work really hard. It's a dirty word in Canada.

Anyway...

Sell yourself to your company, too, that you're different. Clean the planes. Sweep floors. Never sit idle. But make it clear you expect students in return. If it doesn't happen, walk and find someone who will appreciate a driven, hard worker that betters the company. They aren't your enemy, they are a tool.

My $02. For any young person.

Thank you for the great advice

[rookiepilot]

M, et all,

One more thought from the business owner side. Maybe it's helpful, cause this is how we think.....

If not? Discard.

I would pay more if I operated a flight school or 705 operation than most anyone, strive for great employees and no turnover. That's a path to success. I'd make it a great place to work.

However.

I would expect a lot in return for offering a great job. No "that's not my job" Bs, which is a popular attitude. Do what needs to be done to help the operation, without complaint.

And -- for troublemakers -- I'd blacklist you. And I'd tell my flight school / 705 friends, too. Harsh? Yep. But that's how it works. It's a small community, from my understanding.

EDITED -- A TROUBLEMAKER DEFINITION.

This is common sense to me, but is defined by someone who is so willfully negligent they are outright stealing from the company, or willfully creating a serious safety hazard -- like concealing dangerous aircraft damage.

[photofly]

It takes a "special" kind of person to threaten to blacklist someone that they've never employed, that they've never even met, and in an industry in which they don't even operate!