The PPL Instructor
I am becoming increasingly irritated with the concepts being discussed on this forum by some members and the approach being adopted by AOPA with regards to the alleged Instructor shortage and the use of PPL instructors.
The concept of a PPL instructor flying at weekends to train and support small non profit making flying groups / clubs is an excellent Idea and should be progressed. However with the caveats that the organisation is a small group / Club working for the good of aviation and its members and non profit making. In this manner the group members understand they are working with a Non professional Instructor who's prime objective is the love of flying and the benefit of the group. However he/she should be remunerated for his time as class / IMC ratings and medicals cost a lot of money to maintain.
Now on the other hand the large and not so large Flying schools who are in operation as a business, offering 'Trial Flight' and other forms of flying entertainment and with a primary objective of making money should only be staffed by Professional Pilots with a class 1 medical and a minimum of a CPL. The public coming through the door expect and deserve to be flown by somebody with a professional licence. Anything less and the business is conning the paying public.
The recent article in the June issue of the AOPA magazine angered me.
''Training group tackles Instructor shortage''. This article supports the Corporate AOPA members and is looking for short cuts to undermine the existing band of instructors who are the backbone of GA Training in the UK. At no time did the article mention methods of improving the pay and conditions of existing career instructors, Why not?????????. This is the main cause of any alleged shortage. Because on that note I suggest these organisation take a good look at themselves because if they are worth working for they would attract the right calibre of instructor and not just the hour builder who is off at the first opportunity. In the part of the UK I work in the good outfits have no staffing problems.
The use of PPL instructors in the Corporate operation is criminal abuse of the system.
It undermines the CPL instructor who has had to spend in the region of £20000+ to qualify and maintain licences.
What crazy ideas will you come up with next, PPL pilot assistants on schedule operations!!!!!!!!
Last edited by orionsbelt; 8th June 2007 at 13:55.