Jez D said
And how do you propose to attract all these professional, career PPL instructors?
At current wage levels, PPL instruction can only be undertaken as a part-time job, a stepping-stone to an airline career, or for those who are independently wealthy.
Your argument is an age old one for the tail wagging the dog scenario. We used to send our children down mines and up chimneys to make some money for the family if we were a bit short. Why on earth would we let them go to school when we have no direct and immediate return on our investment! Come to think of it why have children at all?
I managed as a PPL instructor with a pretty hefty mortgage, married with children. It cost me dear and every week was a struggle much less month. Especially as many of the schools I worked at played the old "you are self employed" game and as such if the weather was bad or you were ill or even a plane was off line you earnt nothing.
Was it fun? No. Was it correct that I was treated like this? No. PPL instruction is liveable but the fact that it is poorly paid is a supply and demand issue nothing to do with the our professional standing. It is to do with the mistreatment of FIs by most schools.
Singer used to make the nest sewing machines and typewriters in the industry but with the advent of the computer the skillset of the workers was no longer needed. Ask a coalminer, shipbuilder, etc, etc about supply and demand. It doesn't mean that we should lower the standard it means we have to take the hit on the supply as the demand is not great enough to pay us all.
I love and am passionate about aviation and it's professional instruction and standards. If that means that there are only 10 flying schools in the UK as there is not a large enough market for more. Well that is very unfortunate for us instructors out there but that is life. If we want to change it then we have an MP to lobby and can bemoan our position to Dft, the CAA, the press or anyone who will listen but supply and demand are the drivers of any business and though it would suit us to all be paid handsomely for our consummate skill sets life does not owe us a living.
The thread is about CPL level knowledge start a thread about whether we still have a market/will have a market and we can discuss neoclassical economics at length Hicks, Stigler and Veblen can have their theories discussed and we can bemoan our likely fate if the government or someone very wealthy does not do something to save GA in UK but this does not change YOU the person who sits RHS and stops students killing themselves whilst breaking them down and remoulding them in an aviation like fashion from needing the correct level and/or qualification until UK GA PLC gives up and consigns us to join the shipbuilders, sextant makers, et cetera.
