FI average annual pay

[Andy_20]

What is a flight instructors average pay through-out the UK, trying to set goals of how to undertake it all. Any informaiton much appreciated

[HiFranc]

I refer you to previous discussions on this matter:

Thread about pay (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=209908), see PSF2J's post.
Thread about FI shortage (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=207496), see Say again slowly's post of 22nd January 2006, 22:04.

Basic summary from those threads is that it's £10-15/hour but, because of the seasonal nature of the job, it works out about £15k/annum. In the South £15-20/hour.

[Esperanza]

I'm always interested to see the responses given to potential instructors regarding pay, etc. Generally speaking the majority of instructors appear to be working for fairly low pay (and working hard to acheive this). I can't help but think that part of the reason that the average salary is often quoted at approximately £15000/ year is that many of us allow our employers to take advantage of us. At the end of the day we need to remember that we're professional people.

Anyway, regarding the original query. As an experienced instructor (no examiner rating) teaching PPL, IMC and Night, working 9 to 5, 5 days a week I'm earning in the region of £21000/ year. Part retainer, mostly paid by the hour. So therefore it is possible to make half decent money. All it takes is a bit of give and take at the interview stage, and a willingness to work hard.

[FlyingForFun]

Wow! Do you mind if I ask where you work, Esperanza? Because I'm also a PPL/Night/IMC instructor, working 5 days a week, 9-6 summer, 9-4.30 in winter except when I teach night flying when I work till around 8pm. And despite apparently doing slightly more hours than you, I earn considerably less than you - not much more than half of what you claim.

In fact, I know of CPL/IR schools that pay not much more than that!

FFF
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[Esperanza]

Check your PMs.

Another thought. I wonder what proportion of full time/ employed flying instructors receive holiday pay. I'm no expert but I believe that the answer should be 100% (somebody may be able to prove me wrong here). I'm under the impression that holiday pay is compulsory under EU law. This is the way that I understand the current law. If you're paid by the hour, etc then you simply need to look at your average earnings over the past 12 weeks to give you a daily rate of pay while on holiday (including Bank Holidays). It all helps!!

I appreciate that I've gone off at a tangent here. I just think that it's a shame that we allow ourselves to be short changed. My advice is to speak nicely to your employers....they're not all bad people.

[EGBKFLYER]

http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/work_time_regs/wtr7.htm#section7

This link might help. Under the Working Time directive, all employees (except some folks like police officers, prison staff etc) are entitled to four weeks paid leave per annum. This right is effective from your first day in a job. The definition of a week depends on how many days you work - e.g. for a three day week, your entitlement is 12 days.

Note that Bank Holidays are included in this total - you have no right to have a Bank Holiday off but you must get the day in lieu if you don't take it.

Note also that your employer has the right to set the rules on when you can take leave and how much notice you must give etc. The link above explains it quite well.

On the topic, I would also like to see T&C improve but I fear that legislative load like the above combined with the very low margins in GA training make things very difficult. I've yet to see an 'average' flight school that has rich owners (assuming they derive their income solely from the school) and poor staff.

I'm not as cynical as you are Esperanza (maybe I should be) - I don't think most employers are trying to take advantage - it's merely that the profit in GA training is not enough to pay us more.

[Esperanza]

Thank you for the link EGBKFLYER. I'm sure that more than a few instructors will find it useful.
You are of course right when you say that the "very low margins in GA training makes things difficult". I guess that this is really the route of the problem.
To end I would just like to say that my aim throughout this thread has been to try and say that instructing can be a rewarding career. Both financially and personally. I just thought that it would be nice to see a bit of positive feed back for a change.