Instructor role/pay while student is solo?!

[double_barrel]

Hi All,

Possibly a strange question! But when a student is flying solo, I assume that the instructor is nominally responsible? I'm guessing that mostly involves drinking coffee and listening to the radio? Is the instructor typically paid the same for the lesson whether or not he is in the aircraft? I'm thinking particularly about 3 hour cross countries when the instructor could not hear the student on the radio for much of the time and could not contribute much in the event of a problem. And I'm wondering if I express a preference to go and practice some stuff solo, am I doing my poverty-stricken instructor out of some of his fee? It certainly costs me the same!

Thanks

[n.dave]

The student goes solo flying is on instructor s licence. Otherwise, how would the student flies solo? Of course, the instructor gets paid.

[BillieBob]

The student goes solo flying is on instructor s licence. Otherwise, how would the student flies solo?

A popular misconception (even when translated into English). A student pilot flies solo on the basis of Article 136(2) of the Air Navigation Order, which permits a person to act as a pilot without holding the appropriate licence when undergoing flying training, including solo flying training. It has nothing whatever to do with the instructor's licence

[B2N2]

Originally Posted by n.dave

The student goes solo flying is on instructor s licence. Otherwise, how would the student flies solo? Of course, the instructor gets paid.

And.....of course they don’t get paid.
Not in the USA they don’t.

[Ascend Charlie]

But what about the instructor giving Bloggs a pre-flight brief on the sequences to be flown, and a post-flight debrief?

[Whopity]

Most schools will charge the student a training rate, that should include the instructional fee. The instructor gets paid for supervising solo flights, its part of the job, if not I'd go home and leave it to someone else.
As pointed out a student never flies on the instructor's licence and under EASA requires a certificate to show that they have been briefed and are authoriused to fly the aircraft solo.

[BigEndBob]

Originally Posted by B2N2

And.....of course they don’t get paid.
Not in the USA they don’t.

Well not on a salary, but if like in the UK you get paid by the hour then yes the instructor gets paid.
I also pay the instructor on any pre paid flights such as a trial lesson, if the customer doesn't turn up.

[BigEndBob]

Originally Posted by double_barrel

Hi All,

Possibly a strange question! But when a student is flying solo, I assume that the instructor is nominally responsible? I'm guessing that mostly involves drinking coffee and listening to the radio? Is the instructor typically paid the same for the lesson whether or not he is in the aircraft? I'm thinking particularly about 3 hour cross countries when the instructor could not hear the student on the radio for much of the time and could not contribute much in the event of a problem. And I'm wondering if I express a preference to go and practice some stuff solo, am I doing my poverty-stricken instructor out of some of his fee? It certainly costs me the same!

Thanks

In the UK the instructor gets paid, why not, who takes responsibility when that student infringes airspace and someone has to do the paper work. There was a case years ago of a student insisting he go solo when the instructor said no.
The student was sent and killed himself. The parents of the student sued the instructor. I would want to be paid for that responsibility.

[Whopity]

BEB
I think the case you are refering to was the incident at Prestwick. This case highlighted the need for accurate records and if a student is written down in their training record, the instructor needs to ensure that the records show an adequate improvement in performance before authorising solo flights.

[double_barrel]

Thanks. Of course, I think it perfectly proper that the instructor is paid for the responsibility of overseeing a soloing student. I did not mean to imply anything else. But knowing how tight budgets are in a typical ATO, I thought it possible that some schools would reduce the rate and expect the instructor to multi-task while on the ground. I was interested to hear the reality.

[xrayalpha]

Instructor gets paid.

But that doesn't mean they aren't tidying up an aircraft, sweeping the hangar floor, cutting some grass or cleaning the toilet.

Or catching up with paperwork.

There are never enough hours in the day!