Alaskan CFI
Opening doors to the Last Frontier
Chris Palmer
Flight instructor in Alaska
Qualifications: CFI certificate
Work/life balance: “Definitely a difficult one because I have to work around student work schedules.”
Favorite part of the job: “To be a part of someone achieving their dream is just really cool and fulfilling.”
Least favorite part of the job: “I have little tolerance for people who are wishy-washy. You’re either in it and ready to do it or you’re not. If you keep canceling lessons or you show up to the lesson unprepared, that’s really frustrating.”
Pay: $50 to 60 per hour, depending on experience. Palmer charges $100/hour for his time, which he notes is low for his experience level.
Chris Palmer, proprietor of the flight training business Angle of Attack, helps people live that dream year-round instructing in his Cessna 172 out of Homer Airport (PAHO). While the principles of flight instruction remain the same no matter where you teach, the reality of flying in Alaska demands extra focus in several areas.
“Every territory has its challenges,” says Palmer. “Up here it’s a heavy focus on cross-country flight planning because you’re in the middle of nowhere. Weather becomes a huge thing because of that, and good decision making as well. If a student doesn’t really have a well-rounded understanding of it all by the time they have a private pilot certificate, they could really get in trouble right away. I work hard to make sure they have a good head on their shoulders, which all CFIs should do no matter where they instruct. There’s even the survival aspect if you needed to stop somewhere. [Flying in Alaska] has a lot of little gotchas.”
Palmer gladly shares his expertise on how to avoid these gotchas with his students. Pilots flying in Alaska contend with steep terrain, the often rapidly changing weather, limited radar services, canyon flying, and off-pavement operations—all factors that are normal there but much rarer in the Lower 48. Diversions because of changing weather will likely take pilots to a remote strip rather than a cozy FBO with a waiting crew car.
Those with fresh private pilot certificates in Alaska are more likely to use aviation as a tool rather than a hobby, and they might fly into a private gravel airfield before they go to a pancake breakfast in a hangar or at an FBO.
Palmer is somewhat unusual in the instructor world in that he is a career CFI rather than the typical time builder. And while instructing is just part of his Angle of Attack business, he says he always goes back to instructing because he loves it.
“You can be in it for the money or hours, but you have to also be in it for the people.…It’s a very emotionally complex endeavor. Lots of psychology involved. And I still just really enjoy having breakthroughs with people and I really thrive on the fundamentals and the law of primacy, especially when it comes to stick and rudder stuff. I really enjoy still teaching landings.”
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