Think of it like a business and if you say it isn't then you need a reality check!
An authorised 170 examiner, has to apply for his status and basically pay to renew it. They are pretty much just one rung down the ladder from an examiner and thus have a large amount of experience and expertise. The school often generally pays someone with this experience more to retain them. Experienced staff demand higher wages or they move on....
You are paying for their experience, skill set and judgement skills.
Of course it is a business, but it is up to the school to see that the 170 examiner is fairly rewarded for their experience, not the student in the form of a back hander, and if not then it is up to the 170 examiner to look elsewhere for suitable renumeration for their skills if school A isn't paying them their worth.
A commercial pilot in the airline industry doesn't walk down the cabin with cap in hand requesting £100 cash from each passenger to get them there in one piece, so the same should not be required of the student with the 170A.
I recall my 170A test - the fee was included in the aircraft hire at the CPL training rate.
Exactly, and this is also the case at said flying school, the £100 is extra to this.
As you correctly say, paying cash leads to all sorts of moral issues around bribery and corruption. A slippery slope. It would be a pity if we descended into this and became like some other nations!
I agree, we are supposed to be training to be professional aviators, not some dodgy back street builders. If I do pay, then in a way I'm condoning it, but if I don't I run the risk of them failing me even if I have performed well and making me take extra lessons and another test, which would be more expensive then the £100 !!.
Some flight schools use external 170 examiners. Who aren't on the school's pay roll.
At this particular school, they are on the payroll.
Totally agree.
I'll ask them directly about it when I'm next down there. There may be a legitimate reason, but the way several students have described it, just sounds a little fishy to me.
If it comes down to having to pay it, I will offer to pay by credit card or cheque, but I am not paying them cash.
