2016 Flight School Association of North American Flight Instructor Compensation Survey presented by Jason Blair

1. 2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
presented by Jason Blair

2. 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

3. 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

4. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

5. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

6. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

7. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

8. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

9. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

10. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

11. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

12. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

13. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

14. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

15. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

16. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

17. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey

18. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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....”

19. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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.”

20. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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.”

21. The Data Results
2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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.”

22. 2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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)

23. 2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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

24. 2016 FSANA Flight Instruction Compensation Survey
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