Your first week?
Why do it if it's not fun?
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Join Date: Jul 2001
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My firt week - second time around!
I promised that I would try to post after my first week at my new flying school. My home PC is still not connected to the internet, and probably won't be for at least another week, but I thought that, considering that amount of support and advice that everyone has given me, the very least I could do in return is pay the small amount the Internet Cafe charges in order to give you an update.
I've now been working at WestAir for one week, and I couldn't be happier. In my first week flying out of Blackpool, I have logged around 4 times as many instruction hours, and earnt over 6 times as much money, as I managed in four weeks at FlyTeam!
I would guess that around 2/3 of my flying has been trial lessons, but I have also flown with a couple of PPL students at various stages of the syllabus, and have enjoyed every single flight so far. Already in my first week I have received a "Thank you" card from a lady who bought her husband a trial lesson as a birthday present and was delighted with how much he enjoyed the flight, and I have had one PPL student who has flown with a number of instructors ask to switch all of the future lessons he's already booked to be with me (but he was disappointed because my schedule was too full to be able to do that).
As well as a great bunch of students, the school has some wonderful staff there, who have helped me out with getting to know the local area and procedures. As well as the other instructors and managment, there are a group of volunteers who help out on weekends by refuelling aircraft, briefing trial lessons, sorting out paperwork and generally doing whatever they need to do to ensure that us instructors get to spend as much time as possible in the air. (So much so, in fact, that I found that having a PPL student who needed briefing was a huge relief - the volunteers will brief trial lessons if needed, but not PPL students, so doing the occassional briefing is the only chance you get to have your feet on the ground for more than 5 minutes!!!)
The weeks leading up to my move were extremely stressful - finding somewhere to live in Blackpool, renting out my flat in London, and arranging to move almost the length of the country one day after I returned from a pre-booked holiday - ouch! And all that while trying to retain at least a few crumbs of the money I'd saved for the IR. It's all starting to fall into place now... I'm getting settled into my new home almost as fast as I settled into my new job, and although I have used up every last crumb of the IR money at least I haven't had to borrow money yet. (Don't ask where the money for the IR is coming from though - I'll work that out in a year or so!) The only thing I haven't managed to do is sell my aircraft - so if anyone out there happens to want to buy a share in a Europa monowheel based at White Waltham, then please let me know because you would be helping with my IR funding enourmously - it's a little too far from my new home for me to be able to keep it!
Once again, thanks to everyone who's posted on this thread, PM'ed, e-mailed, or spoken to me privately for helping me to make the correct decision. I look forward to getting internet access at home in a week or so, and being a regular PPRuNer once again!
FFF
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PS - Long Final, nice to meet you!
PPS - Miektila, welcome back to the UK - you're a little out of my area, but I'll let you know if I happen to be down your way so we can meet up for a beer (or whisky) or two!
I've now been working at WestAir for one week, and I couldn't be happier. In my first week flying out of Blackpool, I have logged around 4 times as many instruction hours, and earnt over 6 times as much money, as I managed in four weeks at FlyTeam!
I would guess that around 2/3 of my flying has been trial lessons, but I have also flown with a couple of PPL students at various stages of the syllabus, and have enjoyed every single flight so far. Already in my first week I have received a "Thank you" card from a lady who bought her husband a trial lesson as a birthday present and was delighted with how much he enjoyed the flight, and I have had one PPL student who has flown with a number of instructors ask to switch all of the future lessons he's already booked to be with me (but he was disappointed because my schedule was too full to be able to do that).
As well as a great bunch of students, the school has some wonderful staff there, who have helped me out with getting to know the local area and procedures. As well as the other instructors and managment, there are a group of volunteers who help out on weekends by refuelling aircraft, briefing trial lessons, sorting out paperwork and generally doing whatever they need to do to ensure that us instructors get to spend as much time as possible in the air. (So much so, in fact, that I found that having a PPL student who needed briefing was a huge relief - the volunteers will brief trial lessons if needed, but not PPL students, so doing the occassional briefing is the only chance you get to have your feet on the ground for more than 5 minutes!!!)
The weeks leading up to my move were extremely stressful - finding somewhere to live in Blackpool, renting out my flat in London, and arranging to move almost the length of the country one day after I returned from a pre-booked holiday - ouch! And all that while trying to retain at least a few crumbs of the money I'd saved for the IR. It's all starting to fall into place now... I'm getting settled into my new home almost as fast as I settled into my new job, and although I have used up every last crumb of the IR money at least I haven't had to borrow money yet. (Don't ask where the money for the IR is coming from though - I'll work that out in a year or so!) The only thing I haven't managed to do is sell my aircraft - so if anyone out there happens to want to buy a share in a Europa monowheel based at White Waltham, then please let me know because you would be helping with my IR funding enourmously - it's a little too far from my new home for me to be able to keep it!
Once again, thanks to everyone who's posted on this thread, PM'ed, e-mailed, or spoken to me privately for helping me to make the correct decision. I look forward to getting internet access at home in a week or so, and being a regular PPRuNer once again!
FFF
-------------
PS - Long Final, nice to meet you!
PPS - Miektila, welcome back to the UK - you're a little out of my area, but I'll let you know if I happen to be down your way so we can meet up for a beer (or whisky) or two!
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Glad to hear its going well for you now FFF. You can't do much better than westair, they're a top notch club. I'll probably bump into you from time to time as I fly out of Westair (well, BAE, which uses Westair's facilities).
Good luck
Good luck
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So is it usual for instructors to be asked to pay for their own checkouts / familiarisation flights?
It seems to me that any employer is required to provide initial training whether you work in an office or at an airfield.
Is it even legal, when the candidate is qualified for the job, to essentially make the employment conditional upon the candidate paying for his own assessment?
I hope this question isn't too indiscreet for this forum, (and I understand if no-one wants to answer it), but what is the "going rate" of pay for instructors at Flyteam, (or anywhere else for that matter)? Are terms and conditions fairly standard across the UK industry, or are there as many variations as there are flying schools?
I only ask, because I am recently qualified as a JAA FI myself and am currently desperately seeking work. But while I accept the rates of pay can be pretty grim to start with, I don't want to get ripped off by someone who is not even playing according to industry norms.
Advice appreciated.
It seems to me that any employer is required to provide initial training whether you work in an office or at an airfield.
Is it even legal, when the candidate is qualified for the job, to essentially make the employment conditional upon the candidate paying for his own assessment?
I hope this question isn't too indiscreet for this forum, (and I understand if no-one wants to answer it), but what is the "going rate" of pay for instructors at Flyteam, (or anywhere else for that matter)? Are terms and conditions fairly standard across the UK industry, or are there as many variations as there are flying schools?
I only ask, because I am recently qualified as a JAA FI myself and am currently desperately seeking work. But while I accept the rates of pay can be pretty grim to start with, I don't want to get ripped off by someone who is not even playing according to industry norms.
Advice appreciated.
Join Date: Nov 2003
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LD MAX.
There are a few schools that charge for the newbie instructors to do a check flight. Personally, I wouldn't work at such a school as it speaks volumes about their attitude to instructors. Fortunatly, this practice has not been adopted by most other flying schools so it is comfortably scarce.
As to pay and stuff, well I used to get £12 for every hour flown and £400 a month retainer. That was up in the grim north somewhere. Didn't get diddle squat for briefing or the evening class, but most students were more than happy to buy me a beer in the bar afterwards. There was a thread on pay for FI's a few months ago that you might want to try and search for.
There are a few schools that charge for the newbie instructors to do a check flight. Personally, I wouldn't work at such a school as it speaks volumes about their attitude to instructors. Fortunatly, this practice has not been adopted by most other flying schools so it is comfortably scarce.
As to pay and stuff, well I used to get £12 for every hour flown and £400 a month retainer. That was up in the grim north somewhere. Didn't get diddle squat for briefing or the evening class, but most students were more than happy to buy me a beer in the bar afterwards. There was a thread on pay for FI's a few months ago that you might want to try and search for.
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Flyteam Aviation will pay you as little as possible. You will be expected to travel between Cranfield and Elstree at your own expense, even if there is no flying when you get there.
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I'm kinda getting the idea. Not to mention that from where I live to Elstree will cost me around £100 per week in fuel (about 110 miles round trip).
I will wait to see what he offers, but will (at the very least) be looking for some assurances that he will treat me a bit better than he has treated others in the past.
The only redeeming feature (if you can call it that) is that he has been in business for quite some time... It's not a fly-by-night outfit and his procedures and planes look quite good.
His existing team of instructors must be getting something out of it to stay there!
I will wait to see what he offers, but will (at the very least) be looking for some assurances that he will treat me a bit better than he has treated others in the past.
The only redeeming feature (if you can call it that) is that he has been in business for quite some time... It's not a fly-by-night outfit and his procedures and planes look quite good.
His existing team of instructors must be getting something out of it to stay there!
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You are dreaming here. He will tell you all sorts of stories about other disloyal instructors...I cannot go into detail here..how everyone tries to rip him off...etc.
You will be his best buddy until someone else is.....
You will be his best buddy until someone else is.....
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Charlie-India-Mike
Too late I'm afraid. I've left already!
Main problem was the travel. Need something a bit closer to home. Found the experience "illuminating". Probably best to leave it there really.
Still, thanks for the kind encouragement and the offer to drop in! Send me a PM, and perhaps we could talk some more.
Regards,
LD Max.
Too late I'm afraid. I've left already!
Main problem was the travel. Need something a bit closer to home. Found the experience "illuminating". Probably best to leave it there really.
Still, thanks for the kind encouragement and the offer to drop in! Send me a PM, and perhaps we could talk some more.
Regards,
LD Max.
