I think the idea of retired pilots who can instruct as per Bboys scenario is a great idea...bring those guys on!!
On the whole I think make the minimum requirement for Instructor Rating 1000 hours... and a pretty comprehensive course/ test procedure.
That way there will be fewer schools producing fewer pilots and better employment prospects for those who do pass through the system. Perhaps just one or two schools in the whole country who are allowed to 'produce instructors' as part of a Uni 'Dip Ed' degree
Half, or a third, of the current number of flying schools and then they can charge reasonable rates to gain a reasonable return on investment and pay the vastly reduced population of Flight Instructors well....thereby making the job more attractive.
Lets face it the vast majority of CPL/Airline aspirants don't make it to first flying job anyway....and a proportion that do shouldn't have.
Anyone who purely wants to fly for fun can do so on a completely different licence...earned in clubs which exist for gliding etc....taught by senior members of the club who may be ATPL holders, or maybe PPL but who do have the required experience to be teaching candidates for that style of licence. Naturally if you hold a 'real' licence you can fly for fun as well...and you could attribute perhaps 30% of your just for fun hours(up to a mximum of 1/2) towards a 'real licence'.
Well it's gotta be an improvement on what happens at the moment
Chuck.
