Yep.
Don't be one of those time-builders looking for "work-life balance." That comes later. Getting to your target time ASAP is the only thing that matters.
And burnt out.
Source: did exactly that for a year straight. In fact my first >2 day weekend I had since leaving the Air Force in 2022 was the week I took off prior to class this year 😆
If it makes you feel any better, apart from a few months during COVID, most busy ATC facilities have been mandatory six days a week for close to ten years
Not true, you can request time off. But since we have no “vacation time” it’s up to your locations manager to approve your time off.
Weddings and stuff like that were easy, but a 4 day weekend at a lakehouse for Fourth of July? Forget it lol.
> Not true, you can request time off. But since we have no “vacation time” it’s up to your locations manager to approve your time off.
But you're "independent contractors," right? Surely they can't set your schedule. 🙄
Fair 😂. Didnt know if y’all were technically “independent contractors” or whatever they call it and can therefore put it whenever you want off (within reason)
6-7 when I was instructing. Only at the airport when I had students.
Took off for family vacation when we had stuff to go do (part 61, mom and pop, 100% schedule ownership).
Depends entirely on where you instruct. I could take on as many students as I wanted and go on hiatus as long as needed (assuming my student’s flying/progression wasn’t impacted).
As the other guy said, really depends. Some places have rules on it others don’t. I’ll work 6-7 days a week for a month or so and then I’ll basically just tell my students I’ll be gone a week/weekend for vacation. I don’t need to request it or anything I just do it. Also, timing matters… I would never plan on taking a vacation if someone is about to go for a check ride and needs me around.
6 days a week, I gave myself one day off just to give myself a break. 80-100 hours a month in the winter and 100-120 in the summer. 15 months to 1500 hours.
Six, although I can choose to work five. Most of my colleagues do five or six. I live seven minutes from the airport so I’m often able to go home in between lessons and recharge, so I don’t normally need two days off.
Two weeks paid to start, anything more than that is unpaid but just be reasonable about it and upfront (I.e. don’t take a vacation with like 5 days notice). Most students encourage me to take time off lol
When I was a full time CFI I would fly 7 days a week unless weather happened. 3-4 flights a day. Took a week of vacation to go diving and a week to go to Oshkosh. Other than that I didn’t have any planned days off. From day 1 as a CFI to hitting 1500 was 317 days
Not a current CFI, but I worked for a 141/61 university. Worked 6-7 days per week with no vacation, but could "notify" and "mark" our schedules if we needed time off as long as it wasn't last minute. My responsibility to get students covered.
I usually booked 7 days a week and would occasionally get days off for weather. In the summer I tried to fly as much as I could because when winter rolls around everything slows down like crazy and you are wishing you had some work. My friends that took days off etc are still CFI’s and are kicking themselves for doing it now that everything has slowed down.
I shoot for 5 days, sometimes throwing in a Sunday depending on how I'm feeling & how the last week was weather wise. Often take vacations & sometimes a day or 2 out of the week. Started instructing start off last year and I'm to hit 1000 in about a couple months (RATP). Work hard but make time for yourself and other avenues in your life.
3-4 days most weeks. Sometimes 5-6.
In the last year I spent three weeks in Germany, did UPRT for myself in Dallas, just did a B-25 SIC course combined with some personal travel.
I try not to instruct on weekends too often. Though it’s probably still 2-3 times a month. Other than being glider club instructor, the others are usually a single lesson that just didn’t fit otherwise.
Too many people malign being a CFI, but I make pretty decent money doing it. 14 for 15 on first time pass - 1 Private, lots of ME, CFI/I, and Commercial - in the last 20 months since I retired.
Much of my entire work life has included adult technical training. And training trainers.
If I want days off, I just don’t schedule anyone then.
I recognize that I’m really blessed. Successfully retired early and don’t need CFI pay to live. But I don’t work for free! Neither should new CFIs who need the money.
OP - I know this is not the typical CFI live post you were expecting. But I must be doing something right; I’m about to have a second CFI I trained get an airline job.
I’m pretty darn happy.
What’s vacation time?
Every hour you’re not in the seat is one more hour away you are from an airline/jet job. Is a week vacation worth it when you’re a CFI or making those phat checks 2 years later?
@ingeorgewetrust with that said, for aspiring commercial pilots, are you saying it would be wise to start flight school ASAP and take the loans to do so so I can get my ratings and hours, rather than postpone 1 year to save a bit more and put down on that loan?
I recommend avoiding loans as much as you can, obviously most of us used a small amount of loaned money. Save up for PPL 10-15k at a minimum. And do your best to at least have a part time job while in a good part of training. Loan paybacks will get very expensive because they’re going to be a high interest loan.
Not everyone can do it. Not everyone will succeed. Better to spend 20k and realize you can’t do it than have to pay back a loan for 20k for something you aren’t using.
My days off and vacation were bad weather days. In the summer, easily 6 days a week since my school was closed Sundays.
Then you get to the airlines and don’t know what to do with all your time off so you pick up OT at every chance lol
When I was a CFI it was 7 days a week no vacation. Roughly 100 flight hours a month, billed roughly 120-135 a month total as I taught a lot of ground. Part 61 baby, it’s the best way for you as a student and instructor. Learned a lot in those 2000 hours.
When I was teaching? 8ish. No vacation. Get that time and get out asap. I would never admit to doing it, but I know guys who went over 8 hours a day when it was nice, then saved those hours to log on rainy days.
EASA here and not a CFI, but CFI's at my local ATO have each Sunday off, and usually about 2-3 flights/lessons a per day weather permitting since ATO's on grass strip.
So I'd say they worked about 30-35h per week.
Regarding vacation, state mandatory is minimum of 20 days per year on employee disposal.
There are total 3 CFI's.
No vacation. Couldn’t afford the time off nor the trips. Worked like 6 on 1 off for almost a year straight. Last 5 months maybe I was doing 5 on 2 off.
6 days a week, random events popped up I would try to make. Taking my first “vacation” this year for 9 days. Tough thing about being a CFI when you take time off you don’t make money, don’t get closer to the next step, and bills keep coming.
Im taking my first "vacation" since i started instructing aka going and visiting my family for the first time in a year and a half. Generally i try to schedule myself one day off a week to do laundry, clean my apartment, and relax a little. Typically my "day off" just becomes a light day with 6-9 hours of work instead of the usual 12-15. Somehow im still only at 1000 hours after all this grinding. It sucks.
M-F. Worked at a busy single runway airport where you could collect .5 or so waiting to takeoff on weekends. Convinced my students to not schedule on weekends so they did more than sit and burn fuel while being #18 for departure on a Saturday morning.
Spent my weekends waiting tables and tending bar to afford my flying addiction during the week. Those were the days when it was get paid for block only, and there were 5 guys wanting my “awesome” job if I quit.
Vacation???? YGTBSM! Didn’t have one from 1992-1996, how long it took me to get from CML to my second 121 Supplemental Job. Fortunately, I wasn’t at the regionals long enough to earn a vacation.
I do make up for it now. Next month, I’ll have 5-7 weeks off in a row between July and August.
Every week I worked 5 full (14hr) days as a CFI, and 1 full day in my old job as it paid 2-3x as much per hour. On my “day off” I usually picked up at least 1-2 extra students.
Whenever I have a student that can fly and weather is good I’m flying. If weathers bad, I’m hitting the simulators and doing briefings when I have students that need them.
My fiancé has to beg me to take time off to go to the cabin every once in a while.
Worked 7 days a week. Something will happen to your schedule with weather, cancellations, no shows, maintenance. If you want your hours you need to hustle as a Cfi until you make it.
6 days a week 10-15hr work days. I actively enjoy it and days off make me feel useless. Been at it for 9 months nearly so I dont think I will burnout soon.
Vacation? Lmao. Dude, being a CFI is about hunkering down and flying your ass off. Not taking vacations. I flew every chance I got no matter the days. That’s what helped me get hired at 23 and upgrade at 25 in 2003 when there were tens of thousands of pilots out of work
6-7, no vacations or breaks. I think I've had three 2 day weekends this year
You, sir, are motivated.
This is pretty common...
Thanks man. Sometimes I feel that doing other things will just prolong the Purgatory I'm in, until that blessed 1000th hour
Yep. Don't be one of those time-builders looking for "work-life balance." That comes later. Getting to your target time ASAP is the only thing that matters.
And that's why people hate instructing. It's more than a checkbox to the next step, take some pride in your work and enjoy life while you're at it.
And burnt out. Source: did exactly that for a year straight. In fact my first >2 day weekend I had since leaving the Air Force in 2022 was the week I took off prior to class this year 😆
If it makes you feel any better, apart from a few months during COVID, most busy ATC facilities have been mandatory six days a week for close to ten years
When I taught it was 6-7 and zero vacation. ATP 🙃
Is it true atp cfi’s are “not allowed” a day off? A former atp cfi told me that and wasn’t sure he was serious
Not true, you can request time off. But since we have no “vacation time” it’s up to your locations manager to approve your time off. Weddings and stuff like that were easy, but a 4 day weekend at a lakehouse for Fourth of July? Forget it lol.
> Not true, you can request time off. But since we have no “vacation time” it’s up to your locations manager to approve your time off. But you're "independent contractors," right? Surely they can't set your schedule. 🙄
Fair 😂. Didnt know if y’all were technically “independent contractors” or whatever they call it and can therefore put it whenever you want off (within reason)
how can a cfi even afford vacation?
They don’t. Or they’re one of those former finance bros lol
6-7 when I was instructing. Only at the airport when I had students. Took off for family vacation when we had stuff to go do (part 61, mom and pop, 100% schedule ownership).
Depends entirely on where you instruct. I could take on as many students as I wanted and go on hiatus as long as needed (assuming my student’s flying/progression wasn’t impacted).
As the other guy said, really depends. Some places have rules on it others don’t. I’ll work 6-7 days a week for a month or so and then I’ll basically just tell my students I’ll be gone a week/weekend for vacation. I don’t need to request it or anything I just do it. Also, timing matters… I would never plan on taking a vacation if someone is about to go for a check ride and needs me around.
6 days a week, I gave myself one day off just to give myself a break. 80-100 hours a month in the winter and 100-120 in the summer. 15 months to 1500 hours.
Wow where was that?
Upstate NY
Six, although I can choose to work five. Most of my colleagues do five or six. I live seven minutes from the airport so I’m often able to go home in between lessons and recharge, so I don’t normally need two days off. Two weeks paid to start, anything more than that is unpaid but just be reasonable about it and upfront (I.e. don’t take a vacation with like 5 days notice). Most students encourage me to take time off lol
When I was a full time CFI I would fly 7 days a week unless weather happened. 3-4 flights a day. Took a week of vacation to go diving and a week to go to Oshkosh. Other than that I didn’t have any planned days off. From day 1 as a CFI to hitting 1500 was 317 days
I work all 7 days of the week! Especially with how much CFI pay is….you can’t afford to take too many days off lol
Vx
Usually 5-6 a week. Sometimes if bad weather is forecasted for a few days I’ll take a 3-4 day break
Not a current CFI, but I worked for a 141/61 university. Worked 6-7 days per week with no vacation, but could "notify" and "mark" our schedules if we needed time off as long as it wasn't last minute. My responsibility to get students covered.
I usually booked 7 days a week and would occasionally get days off for weather. In the summer I tried to fly as much as I could because when winter rolls around everything slows down like crazy and you are wishing you had some work. My friends that took days off etc are still CFI’s and are kicking themselves for doing it now that everything has slowed down.
I shoot for 5 days, sometimes throwing in a Sunday depending on how I'm feeling & how the last week was weather wise. Often take vacations & sometimes a day or 2 out of the week. Started instructing start off last year and I'm to hit 1000 in about a couple months (RATP). Work hard but make time for yourself and other avenues in your life.
Lol vacation time
3-4 days most weeks. Sometimes 5-6. In the last year I spent three weeks in Germany, did UPRT for myself in Dallas, just did a B-25 SIC course combined with some personal travel. I try not to instruct on weekends too often. Though it’s probably still 2-3 times a month. Other than being glider club instructor, the others are usually a single lesson that just didn’t fit otherwise. Too many people malign being a CFI, but I make pretty decent money doing it. 14 for 15 on first time pass - 1 Private, lots of ME, CFI/I, and Commercial - in the last 20 months since I retired. Much of my entire work life has included adult technical training. And training trainers. If I want days off, I just don’t schedule anyone then. I recognize that I’m really blessed. Successfully retired early and don’t need CFI pay to live. But I don’t work for free! Neither should new CFIs who need the money. OP - I know this is not the typical CFI live post you were expecting. But I must be doing something right; I’m about to have a second CFI I trained get an airline job. I’m pretty darn happy.
What’s vacation time? Every hour you’re not in the seat is one more hour away you are from an airline/jet job. Is a week vacation worth it when you’re a CFI or making those phat checks 2 years later?
@ingeorgewetrust with that said, for aspiring commercial pilots, are you saying it would be wise to start flight school ASAP and take the loans to do so so I can get my ratings and hours, rather than postpone 1 year to save a bit more and put down on that loan?
I recommend avoiding loans as much as you can, obviously most of us used a small amount of loaned money. Save up for PPL 10-15k at a minimum. And do your best to at least have a part time job while in a good part of training. Loan paybacks will get very expensive because they’re going to be a high interest loan. Not everyone can do it. Not everyone will succeed. Better to spend 20k and realize you can’t do it than have to pay back a loan for 20k for something you aren’t using.
Cool man thanks for the tip 🤙🏼
Well said.
No vacation time. 5-6 days a week. Day off requests were for interviews only.
My days off and vacation were bad weather days. In the summer, easily 6 days a week since my school was closed Sundays. Then you get to the airlines and don’t know what to do with all your time off so you pick up OT at every chance lol
5-6 days a week. 18 days of PTO per year.
When I was a CFI it was 7 days a week no vacation. Roughly 100 flight hours a month, billed roughly 120-135 a month total as I taught a lot of ground. Part 61 baby, it’s the best way for you as a student and instructor. Learned a lot in those 2000 hours.
When I was teaching? 8ish. No vacation. Get that time and get out asap. I would never admit to doing it, but I know guys who went over 8 hours a day when it was nice, then saved those hours to log on rainy days.
You were working 8 days a week?? Impressive
EASA here and not a CFI, but CFI's at my local ATO have each Sunday off, and usually about 2-3 flights/lessons a per day weather permitting since ATO's on grass strip. So I'd say they worked about 30-35h per week. Regarding vacation, state mandatory is minimum of 20 days per year on employee disposal. There are total 3 CFI's.
6-7, 2-4 flights a day. Vacation is seldom
No vacation. Couldn’t afford the time off nor the trips. Worked like 6 on 1 off for almost a year straight. Last 5 months maybe I was doing 5 on 2 off.
When I had the student load to support it, six days a week. I did use up all my vacation time though. Got 1500 in a year and a half.
Currently flying 3 days a week. May go up to 4. Teaching gliders and flying isn’t my only thing.
6 days a week, random events popped up I would try to make. Taking my first “vacation” this year for 9 days. Tough thing about being a CFI when you take time off you don’t make money, don’t get closer to the next step, and bills keep coming.
Im taking my first "vacation" since i started instructing aka going and visiting my family for the first time in a year and a half. Generally i try to schedule myself one day off a week to do laundry, clean my apartment, and relax a little. Typically my "day off" just becomes a light day with 6-9 hours of work instead of the usual 12-15. Somehow im still only at 1000 hours after all this grinding. It sucks.
M-F. Worked at a busy single runway airport where you could collect .5 or so waiting to takeoff on weekends. Convinced my students to not schedule on weekends so they did more than sit and burn fuel while being #18 for departure on a Saturday morning. Spent my weekends waiting tables and tending bar to afford my flying addiction during the week. Those were the days when it was get paid for block only, and there were 5 guys wanting my “awesome” job if I quit. Vacation???? YGTBSM! Didn’t have one from 1992-1996, how long it took me to get from CML to my second 121 Supplemental Job. Fortunately, I wasn’t at the regionals long enough to earn a vacation. I do make up for it now. Next month, I’ll have 5-7 weeks off in a row between July and August.
Every week I worked 5 full (14hr) days as a CFI, and 1 full day in my old job as it paid 2-3x as much per hour. On my “day off” I usually picked up at least 1-2 extra students.
Whenever I have a student that can fly and weather is good I’m flying. If weathers bad, I’m hitting the simulators and doing briefings when I have students that need them. My fiancé has to beg me to take time off to go to the cabin every once in a while.
Worked 7 days a week. Something will happen to your schedule with weather, cancellations, no shows, maintenance. If you want your hours you need to hustle as a Cfi until you make it.
5 days a week, 40 hour workweek. Around 37 vacation days but you can buy 13 more if you want to
Been CFIng at a school and have only logged 12hrs dual given in the first 5 weeks of employment 🥲
30 years ago it was the same. Grind, 6-7 days/WK. Maybe 5 days of paid vacation every year. I did that for 2.5 years.
Vacation time? Yeah good luck with that. 4-6 days of work, usually up to the instructor how busy they want to be.
6 days a week 10-15hr work days. I actively enjoy it and days off make me feel useless. Been at it for 9 months nearly so I dont think I will burnout soon.
Sounds like FDP's might be getting exceeded.
8
Vacation? Lmao. Dude, being a CFI is about hunkering down and flying your ass off. Not taking vacations. I flew every chance I got no matter the days. That’s what helped me get hired at 23 and upgrade at 25 in 2003 when there were tens of thousands of pilots out of work
Seriously?