Where have all the instructors gone??
I have posted a few times on this forum including on the thread entitled "the worst decision", I thought I would start a new thread to see if anybody can shed light on the question posed above?
I am baffled. I read the doom and gloom often posted about instructor pay, and would agree, it is very often far too low, but isn't this cause and effect? The instructor shortage is real unless I am living in another world, maybe I am?. Surely pay directly affects the number of people willing to become instructors so schools must (and have) increased pay dramatically otherwise they will simply be unable to meet current demand which is higher than it has ever been.
I recently had an inquiry from an airline pilot who after 4 years, didn't like the lifestyle and wanted to come back into instructing. He advised me that, as a senior FO we was taking home about 4,000 GBP a month and would love to make the jump but assumed that instructor pay was far less than he could live on. By the end of the call he was astonished (I think) when I indicated current instructor pay was very similar although I reminded him newbies do start at around half that but can move up quite quickly if they are good. So, where have all the instructors gone? I remember a time when I would get least one CV a day, lucky now to get one per month!
So for the person who originally posted the thread that it was his/her worst decision to become an instructor, I would strongly argue that is not the case for many who have enjoyed fruitful careers as instructors, and in particular today, its a great career step with plenty of options to earn good money. With airline retirement age now up to 67 and rising, (55 in my time) whats the rush, spend a few years enjoying flying and teaching, then move on....please!
I wont argue that a senior captain in a descent airline is always going to be paid a lot more than the most senior instructor, but as I found out, there is more to life than just pay. Lifestyle, home life, being at home more with the family are all factors (plus less jet lag and cataracts), and for me, as an fairly old timer, I would much rather 'fly' the aircraft than sit back bored and manage a modern jet, especially one with a sidestick (sorry Airbus lovers), or maybe even one with an auto stall recovery system!! Bring back aircraft that need a pilot to recover from a stall, preferably one trained by an instructor that knows how to teach it properly!
SJ