I look in our car park and see a mix of wealth, i suppose thats why the flying fraternity is so great to be in - so many people from varied back grounds. we should be trying to keep costs down so that more people can enjoy our fabulous hobby/vocation. i guess that there are some ways to keep costs down (not sure where though) although i agree it shouldn't be at the expense of a professional instructor.
If we can find some way of keeping running costs sensible, because they are crazy, then more could be paid towards instructors wages. As a school operator i know how tight the margins really are and a worry is that higher charges to the customer will reduce your student base and make things worse. Personally, our instructors are paid above average and with a retainer as well, several good perks and certainly no fee for a check ride. So, we keep them longer - good business sense i reckon. But, this means we are always having to keep an eye on other expenses. It's a good job we love flying.
Thoughts?