Beagle,
It seems that this is a done deal, if not yet ratified by the powers that be. Is this the case? I hope someone has done a risk assesment. It can get complicated when you deliberately drop standards...a field day for the lawyers out there.
Just so I now how long it is before my club start saying that they can't afford to pay me as much and that 21 year old Johnny is much more flexible than I, because he can turn up every weekend and even on some weekdays........do you know when the first new PPL instructors will be putting on their 4 gold bars and Transair wings?
Please could you also clarify, if you know, where an existing CPL qualified instructor will stand with medicals, if only instructing to PPL level?
I just hope we don't have a deep recession in the industry/economy. I remember what it was like after September the 11th when many part-timers were laid off .............until it suited the clubs to have them back again! If the recession deepens and you were a low hour PPL/FI, living at home with mum and dad and your club said they could only afford to pay £5 per hour with no retainer, I suspect you would accept it. I would not be able to justify the cost and time my instructing takes from my family. So much for the changes not having an impact on existing instructors!
One final question, please Beagle. Will your club be paying CPL qualified instructors the same rates as new PPL qualified ones or will you reward their extra experience and qualifications. A cheeky question I know, but I think it gets to the root of the issue.
NegativeROC - I agree with your thoughts on the reglulators......but they are ultimately driven (paid) by the industry.