The Career Flight Instructor - A Dying Breed?

[justanotherflyer]

It's a truism that the supply of long term flight instructors (especially CPL/ME/IR/FI instructors) is in a crisis. How are FTOs coping with this?

- Are there any useful strategies FTOs could all share?

- How is a would-be ME/IR instructor expected to progress in his/her career with the daunting prospect of gaining all that expensive multi and IR time at huge expense?

- Was there any input from the training industry when these requirements were being drawn up into JAR-FCL? Or did the industry just meekly roll over and accept it?

- Is there any scope for change, for reducing the requirements, at this stage?

- Will EASA make the situation better, or worse?

- Is any voice being heard, or for that matter uttered, in official circles regarding these questions?

[finals24]

In my opinion it is a matter of economics. At currents rates of pay coupled with training costs it is a very unattractive career option. I believe that most people now go into instructing as a means of hours building. This has worked well for the employers in times of excess supply but the balance is starting to change and we are hearing the first demands to reduce the qualification requirements particularly for PPL instructors.

At the end of the day, if instructing is to become a viable career option then employers (and the end customer) will have to improve pay and contribute to training costs. My belief is that basic economic principles of supply and demand will dictate. We can therefore expect career instructing to become a viable once more.

[RVR800]

Why is it in crisis?

I dont see many jobs out there...?

The salaries are derisory so there cant be much demand yet. It is not a career everone can do - it suits someone who has just retired - and there is no pensions on offer.

You'll need the pension to survive. The ab-initio training to IRR is getting too expensive for an instructor wage to service the debt/investment...

How does one make it attractive for an ex-airline pilot - that is one issue..and then if they have being flying glass cockpit for years it will all seem very 'complicated' for many of them....

.. They may prefer just to sit at home and enjoy life... instread of flying round and round NDBs in the fog teaching Bloggs to pass through a check ride...

[FlyingForFun]

A relevant thread (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=178668) here which I started in the Instructor forum (where this thread will no doubt be moved to soon) a month or so ago.

FFF
--------------

[nick14]

Well if it is the breed is going to be replenished soon by ME!!!


I have always wanted to fly for a large airline since i was a wee nipper but recently discovered i realy enjoy teaching people!!

So im off to do a CPL,FI(R) next summer and start on the road to become a career flight instructor hopefully getting into commercial instructing!!

Anyway good luck guys

Buckle up
Nick

[African Drunk]

It is going to become a problem. We are upgrading instructors ourselves and school's are poaching off each other.

Many of the problems that JAR caused were identified by both members of the CAA and industry and in 2001 a senior CAA bod told me an instructor shortage was due(put off by 11/09/01).

The salaries are keep low because there is not the margin in flight training to pay sensible rates. There are too many FTO's on the market, some only around for a couple of years, so the price of training is too low. Good for customers but not the FTO's. A restriction in number of providers would allow a more sensible pricing structure and would probably benefit pilots long term with and reduction in the numbers going into the industry.

Another problem is the low opion the airlines take of instructing. This is true for IR instructors as well as PPL. they no longer see the experience as worth anything.

Will EASA make things better probably not. The bigger problem is in 2007 when training is open to the charges that the airlines particually BA would like to level on GA, which if applied will see most FTO's cease. Is BA worried about losing a supply of UK trained pilots? Not a bit as apparently they could recruit from Eastern Europe.

Is training's voice being heard not really.

[clear prop!!!]

RVR800

'Why is it in crisis?

I dont see many jobs out there...?'............................

Are your eyes wide shut my friend???

There is a huge shortage at the moment. ....Just have a look at the FI forum!

Fact is, there are NO quality instructors out there looking for work. The cowboy FTO's find that they can no longer eploit hourbuilders...'cos there ain't none and, the quality schools are coming round to the simple understanding that they need long term quality people to survive, and pay will, (has to) go up for commited CPL + instructors.

Perhaps the time has come for the career instructor to be more than a second class pawn in the FTO's business plan.

[George Semel]

I had a very large Flight School offer me a job a couple of weeks ago, with over 3000 hours dual given They offered up $ 10.00 a flight hour. I'm sure they are billing students for flight intruction at a rate of at least $45 an hour. No ground Instruction pay. Its geared for 200 hour flight instructors, while may have technical skill, they really don't have any kind of experince to pass on. They know the young guys need the flight time, and well the pay reflects what that Flight School thinks of Instructor Pilots in general. I sure they were able to get somebody to take the job.

[mazzy1026]

In short - I would love to be a career instructor, but due to the high costs involved in getting qualified, then the low return in wages - it's just not possible.

[clear prop!!!]

Mazzy

High cost in obtaining FI rating???

It has got to be the cheapest rating you can obtain at commercial level!!! And...the way things are, unless you are a complete numpty it will get you a job.

If you have half an idea to progress and can show commitment to long term instruction, good FTO's will help you move up the ladder.

Commited career intructors at last have a chance to make a living. Take the chance whilst it's there.
YOUR INDUSTRY NEEDS YOU!... for the moment anyway

[Luke SkyToddler]

There's never enough people who want to go instructing when airlines are hiring, and there's always thousands of them when the industry cycle is in the trough. Twas ever thus :(

[mazzy1026]

I mean the cost of getting the CPL, then the FI and at least an IMC..........