CFI Care

Flight instructors can help you learn, but you have to do some of it yourself

I just read Ken Ibold’s article, “Pick Your Potion” [Training, April]. I started flying in 1986 and can appreciate a lot of the arguments made by people regarding CFIs. However, I’ve been a CFI for seven months now and can appreciate what it’s like on the other side of the fence also.

I now realize how hard, tiring, stressful and sometimes tedious it can be instructing. I work part time at the local airport and can attest to the low pay received. As Mr. Ibold pointed out, it’s only received when instructing – not for paperwork or waiting for the student to do their pre-flight inspection.

When asked how much I get paid to instruct, I’m embarrassed to say. Still, there is no excuse for...