Originally Posted by
Xeptu
Thanks Clare, I must be a bit slow, the lights are coming on, so the competitiveness is among the Instructors/Staff not the Clientele.
How widespread is this practice and how would we the customer recognise it.
I'm the guy that stands in the queue at the supermarket checkout, for as long as I need too in order to support the need for checkout operators, our grandchildren's first job.
Young, freshly minted CPL pilots are desperate for hours to get a career started. They are the bottom of the food chain and the climb up can seem insurmountable.
Some would be willing to not just fly for next to nothing, but to even pay the operator to get some experience.
There are those that will exploit their desperation and naivety. That has sadly been true for decades.
If you are a punter looking for a school to fly at (or recommend for a friend), ask if they pay instructors award rates, not just what the hire costs are.
If they have long term instructors on staff with a low staff turnover, if the staff seem passionate and if the school has been around for years and has a good rep, these are all good signs.
my 2c