Instructor shortage................I don't think so!

[juswonnafly]

I have recently written to over 25 flying schools/clubs within 100 miles of me. Only one of these has said they need another instructor. Many of them have said that they are inundated with CVs.

Before you ask, yes I am unrestricted and have imc and multi qualification also.

So where is this shortage? Is this the same myth as the airline pilot shortage? Who are the perpetraitors of these rumours?

One thing I do know is that there are many flying schools offering flight instructor courses.............mmm?

Any comments anyone?

JWF http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif

[M14P]

I don't think that there is a real shortage but I do think there is a shortage of experience - especially at airline level. This will continue as folks drop off the top thru retirement.

Maybe (since you have all of the bits of paper) you are marketing yourself poorly. Have you looked for some help with your CV/technique?

[juswonnafly]

M14P

I agree with you about the experience level for the airlines. In the case of the flying clubs it is not a case of being refused offers of work but flying schools saying they do not have any vacancies.

I am fairly happy about my CV and yes thank you I have sought help with it.

My original point is that there is an abundance of instructors (regardless of experience?.

JWF

[RVR800]

I recently got back into instructing

Sent out loads of CVS and rang around

Nothing doing last November

Wx improves and all of a sudden Im in demand
I am currently operating weekends only
and at two schools

If you are unrestricted you should have no problems. Forget the cv approach call round
or ring them up.

They havent got time for admin - nobody gets
paid for it - The only admin is done in the air !!

The holiday season is upon us and the smaller
one man band operations will need resource

Good luck

[A and C]

The shortage is of students not instructors and the JAA with its over regulation has to answer for that.

[Noggin]

Interesting that you should say that. JAR-FCL has in reality made very little difference to the PPL.

On the other hand, the withdrawl of NVQs, the increase in fuel prices, the poor weather over a 12 month period, and the illusuon that the NPPL will save students money, have no doubt had a significant impact upon PPL student levels.

[Luke SkyToddler]

Yeah? Well our school is absolutely haemorrhaging instructors at the moment, they're sodding off to airlines and real flying jobs at an unbelievable rate. Apart from the CFI, I'm the only one left now that's got over 1000 hours, and there's only one other unrestricted FI. Our desired staffing level at this time of year coming up to summer, would have to be at least 6 to 8 experienced instructors and a couple of newbies ... we're sorted for low timers but the experienced replacements are just nowhere to be found.

Maybe people just aren't willing to pack bags and move to Scotland for the admittedly rather average amount of money that's on offer, but large numbers of hours are guaranteed all summer long, and the flying / working environment is as good as I've ever had - I must say I'm a little surprised at the lack of suitable job applicants. So I say yes, there is an instructor shortage, you've just got to know where to look ...

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The PPRuNe side of the force ... http://www.ffalpha.com/ubb/smilies/smokin.gif

[RVR800]

I have a hunch that many people in this industry are gambling on an economic
downturn occurring in the UK with pilot
losses as happened 10 years ago (e.g Air Europe)

Then there will be no problem with pilot hiring

The thing is - it aint happening even in the US

We have FALLING unemployment
Small Military retirement levels
A huge increase in demand for low cost carriers

Its payback time (Delta pilots are on the money here)

The futures bright _ Instructors will be paid a professional wage ??

[foghorn]

RVR,

That's my analysis of the job and instructor marketplace as well. You're v. close to the mark I think.

In six months I will probably be a low-hours FI(R) so I hope it holds out!

cheers!
foggy.

[juswonnafly]

Luke,

Where are you? (I like Scotland)

JWF http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/cool.gif

[Luke SkyToddler]

JWF -

Tayside Aviation in Dundee, ... check your email.

[JimLyn]

I'm a medically retired airline pilot (ALTP) with over 13,000 hours/24,000 landings and lots of ADF time.

I have been out of aviation for about six years trying IT without success - is there somewhere reputable in the UK I can do a refresher and course for a ground instructor and/or sim instructor career?

Any suggestions where I can check for the course - and for employment?

Jim Lynch
[email protected]

[Assweat]

JimLyn,

Without trying to sound to harsh,I think you should be gratefull for the career you've had, but it really Piss's me off when guys like yourself who have been there done that just can't hang up their headset and call it a day.Do you realise you and many like you are taking work away from the younger guys trying to break into the industry.

Remember " man who goes to bed with itchy bottem wakes up with smelly finger"

[Honest Frank]

Jim-
Have you thought about the larger approved schools such as Oxford, Four Forces, SFT or dare I say it Cabair for a position as sim instructor or even ground instructor.

Assweat-
sit down and shut it arse-wipe.
How can this guy be taking jobs away from the so called younger guys if all he is looking for is ground instructor or sim instructor.You young guys have not the experience to teach on the sim or to stand in front of a class full of students and talk about nav or met. I know who I would prefer teaching me if I had to do the ATPL's again.
You so- called younger guys need people like Jim giving you all their years of experience be it in the classroom or simulator.And people like him are willing to pass on all their experiences to the next batch of airline pilots.Wouldnt it be ironic if you were in his class.

He said he tried IT for a while- you didnt have a go at him for that even though he was taking a younger guys position at that too did you.So you've got no arguement.
People like you really piss me off.

[wheels up]

Assweat - your name and postscript say a lot about your character and mentality. What makes you think that Jimlynn has any less right to an instructors' job than you? Why don't you hang up YOUR headset and make space for someone with a mindset befitting a professional pilot.

[Assweat]

JimLyn,

Forgive my stupidity,as I only briefly read your post.Having read it again I am a lot clearer on your situation.

H.frank

You make many valid points and I agree whole heartedly with you.The point I was trying to make is that I thought that Jim was just another Airline pilot who has taken retirement at 55,received his huge payout and now because his bored or does'nt know anthing else is trying to get back into the industry as many do via regional operators who don't have the 55 manditory age.


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Remember "Man who goes to bed with itchy bottem wakes up with smelly finger."

[Honest Frank]

Assweat-sorry if I bit your head off I felt Jim needed a break after being medically grounded.
Group hug??????

[Say again s l o w l y]

In East Anglia there does seem to be a shortage of full time instructors.

At the airfield I work at there are only 2 full time instructors(apart from the CFI), both of us still (just!) Restricted (pesky solo hours!), but lots of airline guy's doing it for fun once a fortnight. Personally I don't like this from a purely training point of view as it means students don't get the same instructor more than twice, unless it's one of us 2 full timers. Can't complain about the airline guys taking business away from us as we are rushed off our feet already.

I recently sent off a few letters to other clubs recently and got a fair few replies in the positive, I suppose knowing people there helps, but I feel that the shortage if not here already, is on its way.

If that means we get paid properly. Bring it on!! It would be nice to eat!

[imabell]

the problem with most young blokes is because they are young. when and if they manage to get that elusive job they will start to realise how little they realy know. i'm not knocking them, that's a fact. the current system allows the blind to lead the blind. i don't agree that high time airline pilots should come back to general aviation flying, but they should definitly be the teachers of the up and coming professionals. their anecdotal evidence as to why we do things and the result of doing it is invaluable to the industry. we should look to a system that embraces these people.
planes and helicopters still fly around in the same air as wilbur and orville nothing has changed that much. don't allow a generation gap to develop. don't forget you young blokes you probably only allow your trainee pilots to fly to the level of your incompetence. i don't mean to be derogatory but you havn't been there and done that. i hope you do and good luck. i've had a fabulous life in the air.

[Say again s l o w l y]

Imabell, the fact that we are young instructor's doesn't mean that we have any level of incompetence. I feel that is very inappropriate of yourself to say that. Experience alone does not make a good teacher. Having taught many different things, not only flying, I think I realise what makes a good instructor. As I said in my last post we do have a fair few airline guy's come in to help out occasionally, more often than not they have to be checked out by one of us "junior" instructors. Their standard of flying is in general very high, but there are always things that need to be pointed out in respect to low powered, low inertia singles.

Airline flying is very different to G.A (obviously!) and as I've found with most PPL's it's not natural talent but normally how current you are on type that dictates your performance. Therefore if you normally fly jets for a living it will take a while to get back into the small stuff, no matter how good you are.

It does seem strange if experience is the be all and end all, how many students have asked to be transferred to the full timers from the occasionals despite our relative lack of experience. We know our students, what exactly their strengths and weaknesses are and yes we train them to as high a standard as anyone else. To say that we don't is nothing short of an insult. To be honest we seem to take more pride in our students and want them to do well as a matter of professional pride, not teach them as a bit of a hobby to keep the QFI rating up as alot seem to do. I don't assume that that this is true across the board, but in my experience this is what seems to happen where I am.

I'll leave you with this thought, of all the thousands of take-offs and landings we have a year, we've only had one accident in the past 12 months. A senior Training captain for ********* airways forgot to put the gear down. Experience-Yes, Currency-No. Not a serious problem, but very embarassing none the less. Not to mention expensive.

So before you take a Holier than thou' attitude because we are younger, just remember who'll be doing your check out if you fancy taking a club a/c for a spin, I bet I could find something not 100%. I find them with my own flying and with our CFI's (well over 10,000 Hrs in G.A) So I bet you're not perfect. Noone is.

Your's,
An arrogant young-whippersnapper!! :) :)

[This message has been edited by Say again s l o w l y (edited 01 June 2001).]