CFI rate per hour

[M016576]

I’m wondering what most people pay per hour for their CFI, and if they use a mooney specific CFI?  Also, if they get a flat rate for a BFR or not.  

[Bob_Belville]

I got both a FR and an IPC this weekend. Fixed rate, cost ~ $1600 including gas and hotel. 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Bob_Belville

[KLRDMD]

1 hour ago, M016576 said:

I’m wondering what most people pay per hour for their CFI, and if they use a mooney specific CFI?  Also, if they get a flat rate for a BFR or not.  

I don't charge for flight instruction . . . exactly. I ask the pilot to make a donation to the Flying Samaritans, a 501(c3) so the pilot gets a tax write off and the Flying Samaritans gets a bit of money.

http://www.flyingsamaritansaz.org/Tucson/index.html

[gsxrpilot]

I don't pay my brother for FR's or IPC's... I do let him fly my Mooney ;-)

[McMooney]

9 minutes ago, gsxrpilot said:

I don't pay my brother for FR's or IPC's... I do let him fly my Mooney ;-)

WHAT !!!! i'd rather pay then let someone fly Birdy 8).  just kidding  I'm paying $40/hr for my instrument

[jetdriven]

$50-$60 an hour generally. Varies widely. 

[M016576]

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

I got both a FR and an IPC this weekend. Fixed rate, cost ~ $1600 including gas and hotel. 

How much flight time was that?  I’m assuming a mooney specific CFI- as you travelled to go do it?

the only place where I can think of that it would cost that much to stay and get fuel would be the Bay Area.... Don K perhaps?

Edited February 3, 2019 by M016576

[Vance Harral]

I bill $45/hour, but I don't always bill "handshake to handshake".  In particular, on the very rare occasion a real-life diversion is prudent for safety, I never bill for the extra time.  I'm interested in making diversions for safety as easy and painless as possible for the student.

I bill $100 flat for a BFR (1 hour ground review of part 91 plus "about" 1 hour of flight).  But I make it clear up front I'm not promising to sign off on the review for that price.  Additional training may be necessary, billed at standard rate.

[ilovecornfields]

I don’t know how much I pay, but after spending a long time finding good Mooney instructors I have to say that I don’t mind writing the check for quality instruction. I consider it cheap life insurance. If you’re really getting good instruction it’s worth way more than the $50-100/hr the instructor is charging you.

If you’re worried about what your paying, you may want to find an instructor that is worth your time and money. Saving money by getting a cheap instructor seems like it would end up costing more in the long run.

[kpaul]

8 hours ago, M016576 said:

How much flight time was that?  I’m assuming a mooney specific CFI- as you travelled to go do it?

the only place where I can think of that it would cost that much to stay and get fuel would be the Bay Area.... Don K perhaps?

LOL, No @Bob_Belville attended one of MAPAs Pilot Proficiency Programs (PPP).   I am assuming that cost included: Registration, Hotel, Food and Fuel for the weekend.  Not a bad price for Mooney specific ground and flight training.

[midlifeflyer]

I vary a bit, but it's generally $40-50 per hour with a 2 hour minimum based on Hobbs rounded up to the next half hour. Hobbs because it's easy. My rate accounts for the fact there will be pre and post-flight briefings. Extended sessions with lots of ground are subject to specific negotiation.

Type-specific instructors are a special breed. I did a few IPCs with a Cirrus pilot. He'd rotate instructors to get different perspectives, and of course at least one was a CSIP. He would complain I wasn't charging enough

Edited February 3, 2019 by midlifeflyer

[Yetti]

My last FR cost a bag of vegetables from the garden.   I highly recommend simulated engine failure in take off configuration up high.   You really need to be conditioned to push down without delay and forcefully.

[mike_elliott]

Flight instructors are all over the map on prices, from a bag of garden vegetables to well over 4K per day of Flight Safety, Inc. type specific. Expect to pay a few $ for Mooney Specific Master instructors. They are like a Mooney Service center for you. You are the most critical system of a flight and need more "service" work than your plane. It is only prudent to spend as much on yourself training as you do on your plane maintaining. Taking shortcuts on either can be deadly.

[FlyWalt]

2 minutes ago, mike_elliott said:

 You are the most critical system of a flight and need more "service" work than your plane. It is only prudent to spend as much on yourself training as you do on your plane maintaining. Taking shortcuts on either can be deadly.

Mike is TOTALLY CORRECT on this. Now I have a question for the group. How long should your BFR last. How many hours of flight and ground work do you feel is necessary to bring your skills back up to par. 

And FWIW I do not think any good CFI should charge less than what a good mechanic will charge for his/her services.

[Bob_Belville]

10 hours ago, M016576 said:

How much flight time was that?  I’m assuming a mooney specific CFI- as you travelled to go do it?

the only place where I can think of that it would cost that much to stay and get fuel would be the Bay Area.... Don K perhaps?

MAPA Foundation PPP. 2 days of ground school plus at least  4 hours flight time with some of the most experienced Mooney specific CFIIs assembled. Night currency as well as FR and IPC. The flying is customized to what you'd like to work on. Several of the "students" were retired military/ retired major airline captains who attend a clinic every year. One commented that he had received regular training in his professional flying life and even though he might have 10,000 or more hours he needs to continue that best practices routine. http://www.mooneypilots.com/services.htm

Edited February 3, 2019 by Bob_Belville

[RLCarter]

$35~$50 if you can find a CFI, FR’s are a flat fee of 2hrs and IPC’s are based on actual, generally an hour on the ground and 2 in the air. 

[KLRDMD]

1 hour ago, Yetti said:

I highly recommend simulated engine failure in take off configuration up high.   You really need to be conditioned to push down without delay and forcefully.

This is an excellent recommendation. On my MEI check ride the DPE simulated an engine failure about 800 AGL on takeoff. My first instinct was not to push the nose down to maintain blue line. Just like in a single you're conditioned to pull up (to best glide speed in a single or to blue line in a multi).  It only took a half a second delay but then again I was in "training/testing mode" not "everyday flight mode".

Edited February 3, 2019 by KLRDMD

[Danb]

Absolutely awesome Ken. 

[jetdriven]

1 hour ago, FlyWalt said:

Mike is TOTALLY CORRECT on this. Now I have a question for the group. How long should your BFR last. How many hours of flight and ground work do you feel is necessary to bring your skills back up to par. 

And FWIW I do not think any good CFI should charge less than what a good mechanic will charge for his/her services.

I charge a little more for maintenance work than instruction.  I don’t get as dirty or get as many cuts on my hands as flying them. 

[Danb]

Hey Bob who was your instructor this time..

[Yetti]

1 hour ago, FlyWalt said:

Mike is TOTALLY CORRECT on this. Now I have a question for the group. How long should your BFR last. How many hours of flight and ground work do you feel is necessary to bring your skills back up to par. 

 

A good instructor should use the FR as a evaluation to tell you how much more time you are going to need.   I flew to the instructor, so the evaluation started on the first landing before he was in the plane. I got a "Someone must have taught you how to land a Mooney"  He did. So I figured an hour should do it.   Once I nailed the centerline with him in the plane, I figured we were going to just do some flying.   It was still a good workout.  he told me 3 times to slow down  :-)   I will work on my 60 degree bank turns prior to the next one.  That's his other thing.

[Bob_Belville]

1 hour ago, Danb said:

Hey Bob who was your instructor this time..

Dan it was Luca Bencini-Tibo from Ft. Lauderdale. Really knowledgeable about GTNs. I've had a 750 for over 6 years and he showed me several nice features I had not discovered. Luca has articles in IFR magazine about every issue. Jan. 2019 was "Garmin GTN Updates", March is "Overlay Approaches". 

[DXB]

In the last 5 years, I've paid $75-80/ hr to two different seasoned MAPA instructors, first for transition training and later for IR - I wouldn't have batted an eye at paying either $100/hr given the quality of instruction I received. They are a scarce resource, but I suspect most of these folks love doing it and don't really need the money, which keeps a lid on the rates. It seems like the market supports a minimum of  $50/hr now for the young inexperienced CFI trying to build hours. The pilot shortage has both increased the need for their services and depleted their ranks. 

Edited February 3, 2019 by DXB

[midlifeflyer]

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

Dan it was Luca Bencini-Tibo from Ft. Lauderdale. Really knowledgeable about GTNs. I've had a 750 for over 6 years and he showed me several nice features I had not discovered. Luca has articles in IFR magazine about every issue. Jan. 2019 was "Garmin GTN Updates", March is "Overlay Approaches". 

Hope you don't mind passing the compliment on to Luca..

[Bob_Belville]

3 hours ago, midlifeflyer said:

Hope you don't mind passing the compliment on to Luca..

Well I did send Luca a message but I'd be happy for him to know I praised him here. We all appreciate at-a-boys.