Instructor Updates

May 2025 Instructor Updates

Pricing Variations, Travel Tags, Blog Highlights, and What's Coming Next

As we line up on the runway for a busy training season, we’ve got a few key updates, some helpful new resources, and an exclusive offer for our instructors to keep your schedule and student success on course.

May 10, 2025

1. New Updates & Features Now Live 🔧

💲Pricing Variations Now Available
We know many of you offer multiple instruction services—now, you can reflect that in your listing without creating separate ones.

You can now add different price tiers under one listing and manage it all within the same calendar view.
Examples:

Flight Instruction – $85/hr
Ground Instruction – $60/hr
Flight Review (FAR 61.56) $120/hr, or IPC $100/hr

This simplifies scheduling, keeps availability consistent, and gives students more clarity.

See how it works →

🌍 “Open to Traveling” Tag
Some instructors mentioned they'd consider traveling to teach students in other states—especially those ferrying new aircraft or planning dual-time cross-country adventures.

We’ve now added an optional tag/field—“Open to traveling across the country.” It’ll display prominently on your page, and students can filter for it during their search. One student already found their match this way!

2. Upcoming Features in Progress ⭐

🕔 Post-Flight Adjustments
For in-person training, sometimes what’s planned isn’t what actually happens. Weather changes, extended flights, or a student may need extra instruction.

We’re beginning work on a way to allow instructors to adjust the final charge after the session ends—so you can keep things accurate, transparent, and fair for both sides.

🔍 Enhanced Search + Multi-Location Listings
Soon, you’ll be able to add multiple training locations under one profile listing— and help students find the right instructor more efficiently with an enhanced search experience.

3. Fresh Intel from the Skyfarer Blog 📚

Check out our latest debriefs to support your students (and sharpen your own toolkit):

How Much Does It Cost to Become a Pilot in 2025: Helps students break down what it costs to become a private pilot in 2025 - including aircraft rental, instructor rates, supplies, exam fees, and smart ways to cut expenses without compromising safety or quality.
Comparing Flight Instruction Options: Covers the difference between independent CFIs, flying clubs, and Part 61 vs. 141 schools—including how to explain this to students.
For CFIs: Secrets of a Successful Flight Instructor: We summarized Greg Brown’s "The Savvy Flight Instructor" with key takeaways on how to build a thriving student base, improve retention, and think like an aviation entrepreneur.

4. Partner Spotlight: AIROS – Smarter Digital Logbook for Pilots ✈️

We recently connected with David Spektor the founder of AIROS, a current major airline captain who along with his team, has developed an intelligent digital logbook designed to make flight logging easier, faster, and more insightful for pilots and CFIs alike:

Smarter, faster logging: Enter a tail number or flight number, and AIROS autofills the rest—including flight details, simulator time, and more. You can also import past logs and receive a free regulatory compliance check.
Visual debriefing & tracking: View 3D flight paths, track currency at a glance, and keep everything synced across your devices.
Built for instructors: Quickly backlog flights, organize student records more effectively, and reduce the hassle of recordkeeping. You can try 20 hours of premium features for free (*no credit card required). If you decide to continue, AIROS is offering all Skyfarer users $25 off the first year (regular price $169/year): https://airos360.com/soar/skyfarer/

We’re proud to have you in our instructor fleet. Your feedback, time, and dedication are helping us build a platform that puts quality instruction front and center.

Here’s to blue skies and smooth air this month—see you in the pattern!

Onward and upward,
The Skyfarer Academy Team