Fsana pp 216 flight instruction compensation survey results

2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey presented by Jason Blair

2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey• Survey was sent to FSANA contacts directly, and placed in NAFI and SAFE publications soliciting information about current flight instruction compensation practices within the flight training industry.

• 104 Responses were obtained over a week ending with a survey close date of February 6, 2016

2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey• The survey sought to ask questions about compensation levels, benefits received, how instructors are paid, and what environments (FBOs, Independent Instructors, Collegiate/University Training, etc) the training was provided in, and how instructors were paid (as staff or as independent contractors).

• Respondents included instructors, business managers, and owners in the flight training industry

The Data Results

2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


The Data Results


Some Interesting Comments from the Survey• “Instruction rate is increased by $10 for multi engine training. That increase is not reflected in the instructor's pay.”• “$60/hr ground and single engine, $70/hr multi engine /CFI CFII training, $100/hr Cirrus training”• When asked about profit sharing, “Are you kidding?”• When asked about doing “other ancillary” responsibilities beyond instruction, “Not compensated. The instructors are treated like slaves. They are required to do anything assigned from cleaning, windows, landscaping, snow removal, run desk, office work, etc....”

The Data Results


Some Interesting Comments from the Survey• When asked about other benefits they receive, “Staff apparel, occasional bonuses”• When asked about other benefits they receive, “Checkride bonuses”• When asking about if it is hard to get instructors, “No wonder, not enough compensation to pay the bills, requirements for free work and no steady income. Instructors leave as soon as they make ATP requirements.”

The Data Results


Some Interesting Comments from the Survey• “25% increase in compensation and turn over has increased. We use to keep instructors for 2-3 years. Now 6 months - 1 year is common.”

• “It is extremely difficult to find instructors at this time. We are not a 141 school and when we contact other schools to see if they have an employment or career office that can refer some of their graduating CFI's there is either no employment assistance through the school, or the school itself is retaining the instructors.”

The Data Results


Some Interesting Comments from the Survey• “I get paid 75% of the revenue I generate. I won't work for less than 75% because I'm doing nearly all the work. I have to do the billing as well as the instruction. I often have to get the airplane in and out of the hangar, and I often have to fuel it. Some years ago I left an operation that was paying me only 50% of revenue.”

• “We are personally responsible for most of the costs of maintaining our currency and ongoing education such as FIRCs.”


General Flight Instructor Employment Trends• Little overall change has happened in flight instructor compensation over the past 5 years or in the billing of instruction to customers

• Keeping instructors has gotten harder and turnover faster as airlines have aggressively hired instructors with lower flight times

• Number of instructor certificates are being issued per year has been roughly stable since 2005 but is less than historically prior to that time (about 1000 less knowledge tests per year though over last decade)


General Flight Instructor Compensation Trends• Some employers are offering more benefits, typically with service contracts

• A few employers are hiring flight instructors and paying for their advanced ratings (CFI-I, MEI, etc.) A few are even paying for initial CFI training for students who will commit to work for their operations


General Flight Instructor Compensation Trends• Many instructors who are airline bound are getting savvy and purposefully seeking employment that “gets the most number of hours per year” (making it more competitive for southern schools to attract instructors; at the same time this speeds up the staff turnover

• High turnover and scarcity of instructors will drive employers to become more competitive with their compensation packages; CFIs are less desperate for jobs than previous periods in our industry

Business

Fsana pp 216 flight instruction compensation survey results