Instructor shortage?
Instructor shortage?
What with CTC launching a sponsored flight instructor programme, and other commercial FTOs advertising for instructor positions, is a flight instructor shortage imminent?
I guess there always has been and always will be a shortage of experienced flight instructors, especially in the CPL, multi and IR markets, but what about PPL instructors? Are any PPL clubs out there struggling to find instructors at the moment?
Regards, jez
I guess there always has been and always will be a shortage of experienced flight instructors, especially in the CPL, multi and IR markets, but what about PPL instructors? Are any PPL clubs out there struggling to find instructors at the moment?
Regards, jez
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I can't speak for the whole of the UK but where I am based they are as far as I know no instructors without work.
In fact one chap got his ticket only a couple of weeks ago and was offered two full time positions - One before he had even passed the checkride.
I also know of two other schools who have part time vacancies.
In fact one chap got his ticket only a couple of weeks ago and was offered two full time positions - One before he had even passed the checkride.
I also know of two other schools who have part time vacancies.
Last edited by Mickey Kaye; 21st Jun 2012 at 12:58.
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I don't expect there will be a shortage of PPL instructors for a long time. ME, CPL and IR instructors, however, will always be in demand. As far as I can make out, you pretty much have to be an ex-airlines bod to get into this due to the minima required for starting the courses.
The CTC scheme could have be great for your average instructor, but they insist you have 150hrs IFR time. This rules it out for most people. I would be interested to know how many applicants they get.
The CTC scheme could have be great for your average instructor, but they insist you have 150hrs IFR time. This rules it out for most people. I would be interested to know how many applicants they get.
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Perth and Cumbernauld
We are always looking for good instructors, due to continual advancement with our team. In addition to the regular movement to our sister company Air Charter Scotland, Loganair, etc we are finding an increase in our PPL and Commercial training.
There seems to be a lot of instructors available but the experienced ones are getting opportunities to develop....
Always keen to get applications, we are looking for all levels including ME/IR.
Allan
There seems to be a lot of instructors available but the experienced ones are getting opportunities to develop....
Always keen to get applications, we are looking for all levels including ME/IR.
Allan
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Instructor shortage.......at a club near you soon !
I don't think that it has happened yet but it will only take a slight improvement in the economy to set the airlines recruting ( remember each extra airliner requires 7 crews, 14 pilots).
So the pilot glut we have at the moment will turn into a shortage very quickly, of course the HR departments will tell you that they have hundreds of CV's on file and so think at pilots are ten a penny but as usual the numptys have failed to see that they all have the same CV's on file..............
The result of this is that young instructors will move on quickly and new pilots will have to fly with old gits like me when I get to old to fly for the airlines.
So the pilot glut we have at the moment will turn into a shortage very quickly, of course the HR departments will tell you that they have hundreds of CV's on file and so think at pilots are ten a penny but as usual the numptys have failed to see that they all have the same CV's on file..............
The result of this is that young instructors will move on quickly and new pilots will have to fly with old gits like me when I get to old to fly for the airlines.
Last edited by A and C; 23rd Jun 2012 at 08:05.
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The fact most clubs now only offer for you to instruct for them on a self employed freelance basis with a minimum commitment from them, and their rates of pay are low and show no sign of increases probably shows there is nowhere near a shortage.
If there were a shortage, schools would have to start offering a decent wage to PPL instructors with a decent retainer for the winter months.
If there were a shortage, schools would have to start offering a decent wage to PPL instructors with a decent retainer for the winter months.
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I don't see an actual shortage as such, but there doesn't seem to be the glut of FI(R)s knocking about looking for a first job either, that there was a while ago.
While having instructors as self-employed contractors, is on balance largely because it's advantageous for the club, it's not totally one-sided. As a freelance you will end up paying less tax and NI than you would as an employee, although you do sacrifice employment protection, paid holidays, NMW & working time reg's. If all FIs were employees, you would find that either the price of training flights would increase to cover employment costs and/or employed FIs would end up on salaries of somewhere near NMW levels. Although some may say that's not far off where they are now. I've been self-employed all the time I've worked for someone else since I got my AFI rating, it's worked just fine for me, but then I've always been PT with another source of income, I concede I may think differently if I was trying to live off it.
Sorry, but I've been hearing that from generations of instructors for decades. It's just never happened, everybody was sure it would when the BCPL came in, due to the increased costs of becoming an instructor, again whenever a pilot shortage loomed, but it didn't. Unfortunately, the market just won't seem to support a charge of £50 per hour for the instructor, which is about what it would need to be to pay an employed, salaried instructor about mid-twenties £k a year, which isn't actually that much.
While having instructors as self-employed contractors, is on balance largely because it's advantageous for the club, it's not totally one-sided. As a freelance you will end up paying less tax and NI than you would as an employee, although you do sacrifice employment protection, paid holidays, NMW & working time reg's. If all FIs were employees, you would find that either the price of training flights would increase to cover employment costs and/or employed FIs would end up on salaries of somewhere near NMW levels. Although some may say that's not far off where they are now. I've been self-employed all the time I've worked for someone else since I got my AFI rating, it's worked just fine for me, but then I've always been PT with another source of income, I concede I may think differently if I was trying to live off it.
schools would have to start offering a decent wage to PPL instructors
Or perhaps everyone has been too busy instructing to post, given all the lovely weather we've been having - wettest June on record according to the statisticians 
Given the weather, and the up and coming Olympics, I suspect a temporary blip in the PPL instructor shortage scenario I am predicting.
Thanks for the responses so far. Anyone else out there short of instructing staff currently?
Given the weather, and the up and coming Olympics, I suspect a temporary blip in the PPL instructor shortage scenario I am predicting.
Thanks for the responses so far. Anyone else out there short of instructing staff currently?
I think any future shortage will occur at the professional training schools. With the change to the IRI requirements, it will no longer be cost effective for the average FI to go on to teach for the IR, and those are the very people the commercial schools will need.
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The school at Blackbushe that I'm learning at always seems to be pretty busy (well on Thursdays and the weekend!). I sometimes think an extra instructor at weekends would be a good thing!
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Two locally based pilots passed their FI check rides three days ago.
Both have jobs already. Admittedly part time.
There is no shortage of instructors in my part of the world.
Both have jobs already. Admittedly part time.
There is no shortage of instructors in my part of the world.
Last edited by Mickey Kaye; 3rd Jul 2012 at 18:27.
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Two locally based pilots passed their FI check rides three days ago.
Both have jobs already. Admittedly part time.
There is no shortage of instructors in my part of the world
Both have jobs already. Admittedly part time.
There is no shortage of instructors in my part of the world
NS
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I think what Mickey means is that there is no shortage of work for newly qualified FI's
Like anything though ,in my opinion , it's who you know not what you know in getting work.
Like anything though ,in my opinion , it's who you know not what you know in getting work.
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I think what Mickey means is that there is no shortage of work for newly qualified FI's
Admittedly part time
So if FIs have "no shortage of work" then it can only be because a lot less people are opting to become FIs.
NS
Last edited by NorthSouth; 5th Jul 2012 at 05:32.
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I have in excess of 8500 hrs former line check captain with IRI and experience teaching Inegrated ATPL. Sadly no hope of commercial instruction position within commuting distance of Hertfordshire. Looks like I will move on from the industry with so much to offer. I just cannot see an instructor shortage.
Last edited by notlikethat; 5th Jul 2012 at 17:27.
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It always has been regional.
Demand for FI's is weakest in the south and gets progressively stronger the further north you go.
The majority in the SE if you suggest they relocate up north won't do it. There will be all manner of excuses. It was the same when I was an FI. I went straight from course to job and first flight was when my CPL was delivered. Then instructor that was employed after me was exactly the same.
Those that did locate up north that I know of are all either employed as FI's or have been through the teaching stage and are now flying the line.
Demand for FI's is weakest in the south and gets progressively stronger the further north you go.
The majority in the SE if you suggest they relocate up north won't do it. There will be all manner of excuses. It was the same when I was an FI. I went straight from course to job and first flight was when my CPL was delivered. Then instructor that was employed after me was exactly the same.
Those that did locate up north that I know of are all either employed as FI's or have been through the teaching stage and are now flying the line.
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The CTC scheme could have be great for your average instructor, but they insist you have 150hrs IFR time. This rules it out for most people. I would be interested to know how many applicants they get.
Most of the people I know with THOUSANDS of hours don't have 150 hours of IFR time. I've got a friend with 5000 hours and less than a hundred IFR (airline pilot), another is a flight examiner with 14,000 hours and only 175 IFR.
Unless of course it's 'I filed IFR, so I logged IFR'.
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There is a difference between instrument time and IFR time under JAr and I presume EASA.
Instrument is sole reference to the instruments
And IFR is anything which you are flying under instrument rules.
Apart from some licensing requirements in general, instrument time isn't recorded.
And Golf I preume you are flying in what I would term the midlands.
Instrument is sole reference to the instruments
And IFR is anything which you are flying under instrument rules.
Apart from some licensing requirements in general, instrument time isn't recorded.
And Golf I preume you are flying in what I would term the midlands.
Last edited by mad_jock; 6th Jul 2012 at 09:26.
