5 Reasons to Work with an Independent Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)

Whether you're looking for a commercial pilots license or a private pilot for recreational purposes there’s multiple ways to get there. Here are five reasons to choose an independent certified flight instructor over a traditional flight school. 

1. Quality of Training

Typically speaking, independent CFIs are people who have a passion for teaching. Their life's work is teaching others how to fly. Many flight schools use instructors who are trying to reach the airlines and need hours to get there. Being a CFI is a great way to build hours. However it’s not their true passion. 

Independent CFIs are the ones who will take the time to teach what really needs to be taught. Whether it be a briefing or debriefing to tips and tricks in the air they usually have a wealth of knowledge. Just something that brand new pilots working as a CFI to build hours just won’t have. Time usually means experience. Experience can save lives. 

2.Curriculum Choice

Some flight schools (not all) are a part 141 school. There can be several advantages to a part 141 school, there are several disadvantages. Part 141 schools submit a curriculum to the FAA. They have to use that curriculum even if it doesn’t work well with a student pilot. They can not deviate from the curriculum under the part 141 restrictions. This can be a problem especially if a student pilot needs to spend more time working on a specific skill. 

In contrast independent CFIs can choose what works best for their student pilot. This could include an online ground school to go with flight training. 

3. Freedom with training timeline

Working with an independent CFI gives student pilots a lot of flexibility. Student pilots should absolutely work with their CFI to establish a reasonable schedule. This flexibility also includes speeding up or slowing down certain parts of training. If it’s needed to slow down and take more time there is freedom to do so. If a student pilot excels at an area there is flexibility to speed through it. 

4. Scheduling Flexibility

A lot of flight schools are busy. Availability of aircraft and of a flight instructor both come into play really quickly. It can be difficult to schedule. Furthermore, some flight schools have a hierarchy of who gets priority over aircraft and the time frame in which they can be flown. If it interferes with the availability of someone further down the hierarchy it can get very tricky if not impossible to get a spot.

5. Cost of training

Flight training is expensive no matter where you go. However, using an independent flight instructor can significantly reduce your cost. First the cost of the CFI. Most flight schools in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area area well over $100 per hour. In contrast most independent CFIs are much closer to $50 to $70 per hour. The cost of the airplane usually comes in close to half or a third of most flight schools in the metropolitan area.

An independent flight instructor doesn’t have to financially support an FBO, management, support staff, and more. Which means they don’t need to charge student pilots as much to have the same or even higher profit margins. The perk of a lean business model.

Summary

There are perks and pitfalls to both traditional flight or independent flight instructors. What’s important is to figure out what’s a priority before starting flight training. 

Here at Myotis Aviation we have financing options for student pilots from just private pilot or zero to commercial license programs. We are firm believers in mentorship and support through your specific goals. 

For more information contact Myotis Aviation at info@myotisaviation.com 

Fly Safe