The International Cessna^® 170 Association

Just wondering, after adding my last years bills up, I just raised my tail wheel instructor prices up from 45.00 to 50.00 Am I over charging? or is this right? Need input! (not you guys that say I should give my time away....HA)

Brad,

First I must say I don't instruct to make a living. I do it to help out folks who might need my particular experties ie tail wheel, that they can not find elsewhere. I do it at my convenience. I also give a lot of my time away.

From my standpoint the fact I happen to be an instructor who is tail wheel qualified, doesn't mean my time is worth more (or less) than another guy in my area who is not. It does mean I may be the only game in town if you need or want a tail wheel instructor but I wouldn't charge more for my time.

Don't know what the going rate is in your area but in my area of PA $45-$50 an hour is the going rate.

Thanks, Bruce...I just wondered. I've been doing this for my whole life, I would do it for nothing....I love it that much...Yet I do have to eat... I see that I'm in tune now...

delete

$50/hr is about the going rate these days....unfortunately for the good CFI's. (The computer gurus charge more than that for teaching operators, PLUS the service call. Maybe that's because of the danger of electrical shock..?? )
(The GM auto-dealers down here get $105/hr for mx work, and the airport FBOs only get $45-$85.... I guess that's because
airplane guys love their work...???)

I charge a lot less than that, but I'm free-lance. Instructors at FBOs cost more because they've got overhead that I don't have.

My son is paying $45/hr to freelance instructor, using my plane, at Cartersville, GA. He has full time job with Delta but loves the Cessna 170's and is highly qualified in tail wheel planes. The local FBO is charging $50/hr in Cessna 172's.

jlwild wrote:My son is paying $45/hr to freelance instructor, using my plane, at Cartersville, GA. He has full time job with Delta but loves the Cessna 170's and is highly qualified in tail wheel planes. The local FBO is charging $50/hr in Cessna 172's.

Does that instructor know his client is the son of the rich, past-Prez of our association? (He might raise his fees if he did!)

gahorn wrote:$50/hr is about the going rate these days....unfortunately for the good CFI's. (The computer gurus charge more than that for teaching operators, PLUS the service call. Maybe that's because of the danger of electrical shock..?? )
(The GM auto-dealers down here get $105/hr for mx work, and the airport FBOs only get $45-$85.... I guess that's because
airplane guys love their work...???)

Yep George, our local dealers charge $110.00 Per hour. The car shops are charging $98.00 I just raised my shop rate from $75.00 to $80.00 Just because I cant pay my bills for less....I relay don't make that much in the end. and am sending a kid to the U of I this year. If I go out and get a real job....so I can send the kid to collage....everyone in the area is going to loose my work on their aircraft. One of my mentors said "people don't need their aircraft.....They need their cars.... that's why you can't charge what a car shop charges!

Brad Brady wrote:

gahorn wrote:$50/hr is about the going rate these days....unfortunately for the good CFI's. (The computer gurus charge more than that for teaching operators, PLUS the service call. Maybe that's because of the danger of electrical shock..?? )
(The GM auto-dealers down here get $105/hr for mx work, and the airport FBOs only get $45-$85.... I guess that's because
airplane guys love their work...???)

Yep George, our local dealers charge $110.00 Per hour. The car shops are charging $98.00 I just raised my shop rate from $75.00 to $80.00 Just because I cant pay my bills for less....I relay don't make that much in the end. and am sending a kid to the U of I this year. If I go out and get a real job....so I can send the kid to collage....everyone in the area is going to loose my work on their aircraft. One of my mentors said "people don't need their aircraft.....They need their cars.... that's why you can't charge what a car shop charges!

Actally Brad, The federal government does not recoginize an A&P as a trained professional. That is the problem in the airline industry as well. Airlines hire mechanics for $15/hr. An auto mechanic is recognized as a trained professional. Doug

I pay $60/hour for guitar lessons. I have never paid for lessons attaining my private single engine land, TW endorsement or Bi-annual Flight reviews. However I would find $50 to $55/ hour acceptable. I do give away a lot of maintenance hours however I charge $75/ hour when I work on non fellow flyers machines. Although all of my customers are my friends.

A couple of years ago a doctor, a hangar neighbor, that has a very nice turbo Bonanza asked me if I would be able to do an oil change on his airplane. I allowed as I could likely fit it in to my schedule, so he asked about the cost. I quoted him $100/ hr. plus parts.
He paled visibly, and wanted to know why I had such a high rate. I simply asked him what rate he paid to have the oil changed at the dealer on his wifes Lexus.
He found someone else.

blueldr wrote:A couple of years ago a doctor, a hangar neighbor, that has a very nice turbo Bonanza asked me if I would be able to do an oil change on his airplane. I allowed as I could likely fit it in to my schedule, so he asked about the cost. I quoted him $100/ hr. plus parts.
He paled visibly, and wanted to know why I had such a high rate. I simply asked him what rate he paid to have the oil changed at the dealer on his wifes Lexus.
He found someone else.

Yep and that's just the type of person I don't like, or need. I just picked up a 55 170 at an owners place, left my 172 in his hanger (how many people will do that for a client) it is standard practice for me!

Here in southern Maryland the going rate is $25/hr. That is what the Flight School charges, therefore the rate I charge when freelancing. There is pressure on instruction rates due to the close proximity of a military flying club that charges even less.

The rate is $53/hr here at Freeway (Maryland, near Annapolis) for instruction but, you get the added bonus of SFRA and LOTS of radio communication training on every flight

Regarding mechanic prices, my car mechanic charges $90/hr and the shop on the field charges $90/hr as well.
$90 for a car is steep for me cuz I can do the work. $90 for the airplane is steep for me cuz everything seems to be a 10 hour job ...but I'm not allowed to do the work

That being said, I think the A&P should be able to charge more due to the certification and liability.

I really need to get my A&P so I can start signing my own logbook.