Exactly, we have drifted from the thread in that it was regarding instructors in flight, rather than representing the company as someone who does paperwork checks on private hirers, where they cannot be held responsible for what happens on the flight. IN our paperwork the pilot agrees that they are responsible for everything that happens while the aircraft is "in their care" ie from when they take the keys to when they bring them back. This is exactly the same as the contracts when I was working on the hire cars.
I have seen in one organisation instructors signing Part 3 of maintenance releases for solo pilots when they haven't even left their briefing room, let alone conducted the inspection they are signing for; now that is a time when they could find themselves in a big fat world of hurt. When I questioned this practice I was told "that signature is me authorising the student for the solo flight".. err....ok, good luck with that.
For further thread drift, all power to instructors who are going through Fair Work. I recently found out that one major operator is paying Grade Ones approx 1/3 of the award rate. In fact,what they are paying them now is only up 16% on what I was being paid over 30 years ago, and it was below the award rate then!