FWIW, I think it is a fair question to ask, why is the charging done the way it is and also to question whether you are getting value for money if you spend a lot of time held on the ground awaiting clearances.
My comments would be firstly - busy airports will have delays on the ground. You book an hour flight at one of those you are not going to get as much airtime in that session as you would at a less busy airport.
That is a downside of training at schools at busy aerodromes. (There can be upsides as well - you get exposed to a busier traffic environment and may have access to organisations with a wider variety of more advanced aircraft).
Originally Posted by
Okihara
Again: not and never against instructors making a living, quite the opposite: go for it and get fat.
just for reference, instructors are the lowest paid pilots in the industry. They are at the bottom of the heap. It is not a way to make a good living.
Originally Posted by
Okihara
Just wondering if there's a better way to use those meters that will earn schools equally as much financially and maximise students actual flight time for their money.
You want schools to make the same money. You want to pay less because you are not getting enough air time.
The only way that can happen is how? The only way I can see is they pay instructors less. Ask an instructor what their average annual income is and if they would be happy taking a rate cut.
If you want to get more airtime for logged hour I would think you should consider training at a less busy aerodrome.
Like I said, legitimate to ask the questions, worth looking at how aircraft are charged when hiring aircraft later on.
When training, worth shopping around schools to see what they offer - a smaller school at a less busy aerodrome can give you potentially great training and individualised service but may not have the glitz and glamour.