It would be interesting through this forum to find out how many examiners have dropped out of the system.
I remember at one CAA seminar the CAA policy was to reduce the number of examiners as they claimed there were too many.
Well they seem to be achieving that.
I know of three 10,000 hour plus, 25 years in light aviation, flying examiners that have almost stopped flying altogether let alone examining, i'm one of them.
We are all in our early forties so not ready for retirment!
We all worked on the same airfield (overcapacity?) but at least they/i was available to test each other students.
A flying club cannot afford to have a CFI that is also an examiner if you are the only club on the field.
How many examiners are prepared to travel to another field to test knowing what the weather is like in the UK.
The old CAA PPL flight test could be done during a last minute weather window. Now it has to be planned ahead, with the possibilty of 2/3 of the working day being lost due to cancellation of test due wx. This only has to happen a couple of times for the examiner that has travelled some distance to test to lose interest.
I rememeber i never use to charge for the old PPL flight test.
It was just my duty as the CFI to ensure my former students were safe and had meet the required standard.
What is being charged now for a test? £***
Also how many clubs still operate a twin, and the erosion of multi experience within the instructor community.
Also i think you should have at least 5,000 hours experience to be considered as a flight examiner. (And not 4500 of them on 747'S)