Flight Instructor (Full Time) at iFLY Miami

About iFLY Miami
iFLY Indoor Skydiving is preparing to open in Miami and is hiring an enthusiastic, customer-centric team. iFLY pioneered the body-flying 'indoor skydiving' experience and is the world leader in vertical wind tunnel technology.

Each day we’re inspired by all types of people who choose to fly. We celebrate when we watch athletes win competitions. We cheer when youth who are part of our Flight School program learn to fly. We’re moved emotionally any time our All Abilities program helps anyone with physical and cognitive challenges spread their wings.

While everyone at iFLY Miami comes from different walks of life, we challenge ourselves to learn, to grow and to progress together – both as flyers and people. We don’t just believe in the dream of flying. We live it every day.

Join us. Choose to fly.

About the Role
As a flight instructor, you’re part superhero, part daredevil, and 100% awesome. You’re one of an elite group of people qualified to teach others how to fly. You’ll get to spend time with guests of all ages and abilities as you walk them through a briefing, help them don safety gear, and finally introduce them to the wind. After flying, you’ll celebrate everyone’s achievements and debrief with them, outlining the steps they can take to continue to level up.

You thrive on the satisfaction you get from teaching others to fly. You are a patient and supportive coach who celebrates your student’s achievements in the wind tunnel, no matter how small. You help people of all ages realize their dream of flight and use your charm and sales abilities to ensure they’ll come back for more.

Sounds cool, right? That’s because it is! Don’t worry if you aren’t already a skydiving or wind tunnel pro. If you’re passionate about people, athletic, adventurous, and a team player who always shows up with a positive attitude, we can probably teach you the rest. We employ Flight Instructors with a wide range of experience and recognize that everyone has to start somewhere. If this role is a good fit for you, go ahead and apply – Flight Instructor experience or not!

Physical Fitness Test and Flight Instructor Training Program

Once the candidate is conditionally hired, they are required to pass a physical fitness test. The test is based on the physical demands placed on flight instructors and tests the applicant’s ability to manage the functional movements and forces experienced in the wind tunnel. Passing this test is a prerequisite for admission to the Flight Instructor Training Program (FITP) described below.

Completion of a company-sponsored FITP is required for this role. The FITP takes place over four weeks and is a physically and mentally demanding wind tunnel safety course. Candidates will be paid for the time spent training during this course. The course may occur outside of the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, in which case travel, accommodations, and a per diem for meals will be provided. Candidates who do not complete the FITP will become ineligible for the Flight Instructor position and will be offered non-Flight Instructor roles if possible, based on their qualifications and business needs.

Daily Responsibilities

No two days are alike, but here’s how you can expect to spend your time in this role:

• Taking the safety of our guests and team seriously at all times, adhering to all safety policies and best practices.
• Inspecting wind tunnel mechanical areas to ensure all equipment is maintained and functioning as designed.
• Making a great first impression with your students, gaining their trust within moments.
• Using your presentation skills to teach small groups of people the skills required to safely fly in the wind tunnel.
• Helping guests “gear up” by determining the safety gear that best fits them and ensuring they wear it correctly.
• Using your sales skills to enhance the guest’s experience with add-on products including High Flights, upgraded helmets, and additional flight time.
• Taking your class of students into the wind tunnel and flying/coaching/spotting them in rotation, one student at a time.
• Inspiring your students and spectators with a brief demonstration of your flight skills.
• Debriefing with your students after everyone has flown, using your sales skills to recommend return flyer packages.
• Acting as the wind speed controller for other instructors’ classes, staying focused on their safety and that of their guests.
• Assisting other team members by checking in guests, confirming flyer reservations, and answering incoming phone calls.
• Performing various cleaning and facility maintenance tasks.
• Attending safety meetings and workshops.
• Participating in ongoing training to refine your flight and coaching skills, enabling you to assist guests with more advanced skills.
• Attending off-site promotional events on occasion to explain what iFLY is like and to make new reservations.
• Additional duties based on business needs. The primary responsibility of all iFLY team members is to prioritize their activities based on the needs of the business, coupled with leadership direction. As iFLY continues to grow and evolve, so will the duties of our team members.

Preferred Attributes

• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.
• A multi-tasker who can teach small groups and multiple guests simultaneously.
• A team player, always ready to pitch in as needed to ensure an excellent experience for all guests.
• Self-motivated; can adhere to a tightly structured daily schedule.
• Focused on prioritizing needs of the person in front of you over performing other tasks.
• Excellent sales and customer service skills.

Physical Requirements

• Physically hold and support in the wind tunnel persons who weigh up to 300 lbs.
• Maintain and support a flyer’s weight by physically gripping flyer’s torso and/or legs to move flyer in a three-dimensional space and rotate about the central axis.
• Endurance to physically withstand wind speeds up to 160 mph for extended periods of time.
• Ability to withstand impacts caused by flyers descending rapidly, flyers contacting walls, flyers contacting other flyers, and flyers impacting your torso and limbs.
• Ability to safely control a flyer’s movement and position in the wind tunnel while also flying with the student.
• Perform all of the above for up to 13 people, 30 minutes at a time, up to five times a day, up to five days a week.
• Travel up and down stairs and ladders several times per day.
• Spend multiple hours in confined maintenance spaces.

Additional Requirements

• Willingness to work a flexible schedule that may include mornings, evenings, weekends, nights, and holidays.
• Ability to stand for about eight hours a day while interacting with guests.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and a safety mindset throughout each shift.
• Ability to occasionally work outdoors in various climates for special events.

Pay and Benefits
Base pay for each position falls within a range and is determined based on your skills, qualifications, and experience. For this position, the base pay range is between $18.00 and $23.00/hr., and most new hires start at $18.00. Commissions may be earned in this role.

We also offer eligible employees other benefits ranging from comprehensive medical and dental coverage to a company-matched 401(k), employee discounts, free flight time, and more.

It is not typical for an individual to be hired at the high end of the range for their role. Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.