I would be happy to instruct until I got 700 - 1000 hours, but today you have pilots with 800 - 1500 hours working as FI's, not getting to the next step.
Likewise with me and exactly the point I was making before. All the instructors I know bar one have still had to go and cough up for a TR to move on, most of them with FR. There is no incentive, and even less opportunity to follow the self improver route any more.
Well ... the US congress has just legislated a minimum of 1500 hours be required to pilot a part 25 (i.e. airliner) aircraft ... that should pretty much kill the P2F industry over there
Imagine that happening in JAR land ? If the traditional route was forced back into existence, how long before someone began charging £20k for an FI course before offering you a 'self employed' contract with an agency where you were earning crap money whilst being forced to pay a percentage to one of an exclusive band of accoutancy firms ?
So far I have refused to join the SSTR merry go round but only this weekend I was asked if I had got a job yet. When I discussed my situation and concerns on the industry, I was told 'well it's what you have to do to get a foot in the door'. This from a 757 captain with many thousands of hours.