The "rot" set in the period you are describing.
How come people are happy to pay more than 10k for a helicopter licence?
Paying a sensible amount for a good experienced FI is VALUE FOR MONEY.
Why should I bother my a*se teaching ab inito students if I'm not going to get paid a sensible amount for my experience, skill, training and knowledge. I very rarely go near ab-inito PPL stuff anymore, as it just isn't worth it to me.
How is losing 10 years and thousands of hours of different types of flying experience because I feel like I'm being taken advantage of a good thing?
I don't teach for a living, but I would never do anything for free or less than the market rate, as it would undermine those who are trying to make a living from it.
To say that paying sensible wages would kill the industry is absolutely ridiculous. It shows that the pricing is unrealistic. The FI is the cheap part of the training cost. With the implementation of new aircraft types like 3 axis microlights that outperform most light a/c, but cost far less to run, this industry will change.
What we have to do is ensure that the instructing fraternity gets better not worse. Paying a sensible wage will help keep good, committed people in the business.
Carrying on the outmoded victorian era practices will just let this business die.
It's in the poop now and doing the same old nonsense will just kill completely.