career instructor
Its not all doom and gloom! I am a career instructor and its true that as a PPL instructor at the bottom end the pay is crap, there are too many people using it as a stepping stone to build hours and therefore undermining it as a career path, but if you are dedicated and willing to work hard then it is possible to eventually command a reasonable living. Its not BA captain,s money but there is !!!!loads of hands on flying and its me who decides if I have to fly or not. I also fly dozens of different types of aircraft (55 so far) and meet people from all walks of life, some are arseholes admittedly. I also am home or at the local most nights. My route was part time instructor while working in the real world, imc instructor, full time instructor, CFI, night instructor, CPL, FIC then PPL examiner. I now earn as much as my previous engineering job and still enjoy going into work and getting airborne at someone elses expense. I pity the poor ******s on the M25 and trapped in the factories and open plan offices staring at PC's all bloody day. If I am having a bad day I think back to when I was a pit pony - e.g. in the mill without seeing daylight and no fresh air and a !!!!ty boss. I then do a few aerobatics! Its an instructors life for me! Go for it.