Guys, I was a flying instructor from the age of 18 to the age of 26 and for the bulk of that I was an unpaid volunteer (VGS unit). I've taught Gliding, PPL, CPL to Modular and Integrated student both cadet and self sponsored. Whilst I did it I had an absolute blast and did some pretty cool things and was very happy.
But my first job as a PPL instructor was given to me as the result of this instructors death in a C172:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/279603.stm
Spending lots of time in Group A aircraft doing stalls, lots of landings, simulated EFATOs and PFLs
IS dangerous and most instructors can tell you a personal close shave tale.
MikeHotel152 - I am optimisitic about lots of aspect of life and trust me when I say things are pretty rosy in my garden compared to most. This does not stop me holding the view, backed by reason and argument and research, that we are facing a major recession for the Western airlines. For the typical Wannabe this will prove a disaster for several years.
I'm knocking on the door of 10,000hrs with a B737 & A319 type rating - I'm not pessimistic about my situation at all. Its the Wannabes that are potentially in deep trouble and lots of them don't know it yet..
WWW