I've mentioned in the past how badly that comparison looks for skiing.
Recent grads from a flight mill ("0 time to ATP in 6 months") or aviation college tend to ask $30 - $40/hr.
The grizzled oldtimers, the guys maybe with some military, airline, corporate, can fly anything anywhere in the world, any conditions, seem to still charge $15 - $20 hr. Many don't charge or barely charge for groundwork.
Last Fall for my BFR ("Biennnial Flight Revue"= mandated 2 yr currency review with an instructor) i approached a retired military (20+ yrs direct left seat military flight ops)/current major-airline captain) who was working on his fast experimental at the airport. I told him i had not flown since my last BFR 2 years prior, was rusty, and did not want the statutory 2 hrs ground/1 hour flight & sign off. I wanted to learn to fly again and i wanted him to put me through the ringer. At least "several" sessions over multiple days over perhaps a couple weeks or so weather permitting. He put me off for a bit, then called and said "Look, i'll do it. But it won't be free. People get more out of anything if they have to buy in" I said that was exactly what i expected especially since we did not know each other. "OK, $15/hr, then" He made sure i had it every lesson, too.
Others i know have gotten the same deal, and it is not unusual across the country. Though as mentioned, the girls trying to pay off recent aviation college and build time to the airlines trend toward $40/hr.
What level ski or golf instructor would compare with that?
Famous WC champ with additional multiple Olympic podiums?
Who has been willing to do the regular reviews, federal clinics, and pay the fees to keep his teaching license current, and often as a matter of their regular employment, taught everyone from beginners to top experts throughout their professional career?
Skiing and GA flying don't really have a lot in common. Skiing is a very kinesthetic activity. Flying is more mental, and by the numbers. They are similar in that they are reality based/reality bites scenarios. If you don't have a good relationship with what is possible vs what you wish would be, there's going to be prompt and often painful or even deadly reminder. But there are a lot of very accomplished, genius pilots, who are completely out of shape. Fitness is an advantage in any activity, but flying is not much about coaching athletic ability. So there's a plus on the ski instructor side. OTOH, when looking at credentials & accomplishments, even a famous WC champ with multiple Olympic podiums is hard to compare with many older flight instructors, who are a lot less expensive.
There are "expensive" schools by champions is some disciplines, such as Patty Wagstaff's aerobatic classes. Even those don't seem unreasonably priced compared to skiing, though.
I think the comparison would be how little the instructor gets.
Aviation is relentlessly costly, but most of it is the equipment & maintenance.
A friend of mine owns this flight school:
If you notice, the total instructor cost for an avid, disciplined, & apt student is $800 for 20 hrs.
Total estimated cost for the private ticket being $6,210.
That is admittedly a low-ball figure - most people today will have on the order of 60 hrs by the check ride. The solo sign-off can happen in as little as 7 hrs dual instruction starting with the introductory flight. Usually under 10. Then the student builds time in the aircraft alone, accomplishing & consolidating per assignments. Then a flight with the instructor, review of the practice, and new assignments for solo work, etc to accomplish capability with all the standard practices for the FAA check ride. The main reason it usually takes longer than 40 hrs today is learning to use the airplane capably within the ever-more complex system and developing safe habits to do so.
Another random point: You can engage any CFI from anywhere, and work out of any airport. The airport cannot prevent a (licensed) instructor from giving lessons even if it cannibalizes from their own flight school.
smt
