Income for a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) generally ranges from $30,000 to $60,000 per year ($15 to $30 per hour). The greatest factor in compensation is hours able to fly. Most certified flight instructors make between $25 and $50 per hour, receiving less than 50 percent of the billable costs paid by students.
Teaching Limitations and Additional Earnings
Just one or two instructors usually can’t teach enough students to cover all ongoing expenses and earn a decent profit. Exceptional instructors can gain the FAA gold seal, indicating their high standards for pilot education. The average salary will depend on location and how much instructors fly. Basically, the more instructors fly, the more money potentially made.
Career Potential and Benefits
Flight instruction can be a stepping stone to other aviation careers. Many instructors gain experience and move on to become commercial pilots, corporate pilots, or even airline pilots. These career transitions often come with higher earning potential and additional benefits.
Becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) provides pilots with an opportunity to gain experience and build flight hours while reinforcing their own knowledge and skills by teaching others how to safely and effectively operate aircraft.
Flight Instructor Certification Process
The FAA issues a Certified Flight Instructor Certificate (CFI) and a Certified Flight Instructor – Instrument (CFII or CFI-I) add-on certificate. For your initial flight instructor certificate, the check ride is done with an FAA examiner.
Qualities of a Good Flight Instructor
A good Flight Instructor won’t necessarily have many hours of flight, but they should be able to transmit their knowledge effectively, be motivated to teach, and listen to their students’ concerns and doubts. Attitude and passion are the crucial ingredients.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at flight instructor pay per hour, including the key factors that impact earnings, pay ranges in different U.S. regions, tips for earning more as a CFI, and 2022 salary survey data from top aviation schools. Being a flight instructor is not only a rewarding career but also an opportunity to share one’s passion for aviation with others.