The CFI checkrides are not really hard, but they are unlike any of the other rides because the examiner is much more interested in checking how much you know and if you can communicate the concepts well enough rather than checking to see how well you fly.
The pilot who had never failed a checkride faces the thought of failure since this is the hardest certificate to get. Unfortunately the stats back up some of the fear. In one FSDO area, initial CFI applicants succeed only 18% of the time. The pass rate is low for a few reasons.
Income for a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) generally ranges from $30,000 to $60,000 per year ($15 to $30 per hour), but this depends greatly on experience, location, weather, hours flown, and demand. The greatest factor in compensation is how many hours you are able to fly.
The median annual salary for the pilot of a large jet is an impressive $121,408. For a small jet, the median annual salary is $104,219. Non-jet aircraft pilots make significantly less. The pilot of a large non-jet aircraft earns a median annual salary of just $79,106.
However, with the current shortage of flight instructors, pay and benefits for flight instructors are rapidly going up. If you charge appropriately and are good at your job, you can make a very decent living as a full-time flight instructor.
Fees were a little heftier for initial CFI practical tests, and spread across a broader range. The largest percentage of respondents (16 percent) said the cost was between $551 and $650, whereas nearly 15 percent said they paid between $751 and $850.
(a) Hours of training. In any 24-consecutive-hour period, a flight instructor may not conduct more than 8 hours of flight training.
The average cost of flying lessons is between $155 and $170 per hour. This price includes the average airplane rental cost and the typical cost of a flight instructor of $45 per hour. Completing flight school and earning your pilots license costs $5,100 to $16,100.
If you're employed full time and flying frequently, it could take you anywhere from 12 to 30 months to build the 1,000 to 1,500 total hours of flight time necessary for the next step. Turbine PIC time is a requirement at most major airlines.
Cost to Get A Pilot License
| Pilot License | Approximate Cost |
|---|
| Private Pilot License | $10,000-$20,000 |
| Instrument Rating | $10,000-$15,000 |
| Commercial Pilot License | $25,000-$35,000 |
| Commercial Multi Engine Add On | $5,000-$10,000 |
While flight attendants in the US earn on average about $50,938, the pay can vary depending on whether they work for Alaska Airlines, Southwest, or Spirit.
Private Pilot License Requirements
Be 17 years of age. Read, speak, write and understand the English language. Hold a U.S. student pilot certificate, sport pilot certificate, or recreational pilot certificate. Receive flight training and a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor.Working ConditionsFlight Instructors may work as many as 80 hours a week during the summer and can expect to work every weekend having good flying weather anytime during the year. The ground school classes may be scheduled during evening hours. Instruction duties rarely require being far from home base.
Full time students will fly at least 2-3 hours a day, 5-6 days a week. To fly an hour students are expected to prepare for at least 2 hours to maximize the benefit of the lesson. Students are expected to study for at least 4 hours for every hour in the classroom.
Currently, it's less than 40 hours a year for the average general aviation pilot. and has been that way for years. Cost of aircraft maintenance and rental, cost of avgas, availability of time, all serve as impediments to more casual flying.
