PPL Skill Test fees set too low
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PPL Skill Test fees set too low
I was disappointed to hear how much a local examiner charges for a PPL Skill Test. A brief look at the websites of various clubs is even more disturbing. One charges £120, and that was just a first look.
So think about that £120 fee. A skill test takes about 2 to 2.5hrs. Add on the time before flight to brief and allow the candidate to prepare, the checking of all paperwork, the post flight debrief and admin, and then the responsibility for signing off a pilot. For me that takes at least hours and I frequently find errors which need addressing.
All that for £120 which begins a race to the bottom. I am almost of the opinion that test fees should be set by the CAA and booked through flight test bookings.
For any examiners setting low fees, please be realistic and charge a fee appropriate to the experience and professionalism of our position otherwise the end result will be that the good examiners will give up.
So think about that £120 fee. A skill test takes about 2 to 2.5hrs. Add on the time before flight to brief and allow the candidate to prepare, the checking of all paperwork, the post flight debrief and admin, and then the responsibility for signing off a pilot. For me that takes at least hours and I frequently find errors which need addressing.
All that for £120 which begins a race to the bottom. I am almost of the opinion that test fees should be set by the CAA and booked through flight test bookings.
For any examiners setting low fees, please be realistic and charge a fee appropriate to the experience and professionalism of our position otherwise the end result will be that the good examiners will give up.
It'll soon be cheaper than the new FRTOL test (CAP 2117)
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PPL Instructing/Examining is not a way to make a living in the UK, it's still considered you are instructing for hour building or giving back to aviation after a career with the airlines. Plenty of places are still paying £25 p/h flying time, but expect you to work for 2 hours and then some. A Plumber, Joiner or Dustbin man makes more than that.
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I flew in the US not too long ago, about 5hrs block in an SEP. Got a flight review, two high-performance and complex endorsement. Together with the briefings it set me back about 700$, which comes to an hourly pay off 95$, straight into the CFIs pocket. Just a little more than what you pay in Europe if you go to an ATO. That´s the point....in FAA-land you can go freelance, in Europe you can not. Examiners are yet another story, I don´t think you´ll get a skill test for less than 600 bucks.
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PPL Instructing/Examining is not a way to make a living in the UK, it's still considered you are instructing for hour building or giving back to aviation after a career with the airlines. Plenty of places are still paying £25 p/h flying time, but expect you to work for 2 hours and then some. A Plumber, Joiner or Dustbin man makes more than that.
That does mean that I accept when I receive training I know it is going to be expensive.
I disagree that an examiner is hour building on the basis that by the time someone starts to examine they do not need hours in their log book.
I was disappointed to hear how much a local examiner charges for a PPL Skill Test. A brief look at the websites of various clubs is even more disturbing. One charges £120, and that was just a first look.
So think about that £120 fee. A skill test takes about 2 to 2.5hrs. Add on the time before flight to brief and allow the candidate to prepare, the checking of all paperwork, the post flight debrief and admin, and then the responsibility for signing off a pilot. For me that takes at least hours and I frequently find errors which need addressing.
All that for £120 which begins a race to the bottom. I am almost of the opinion that test fees should be set by the CAA and booked through flight test bookings.
For any examiners setting low fees, please be realistic and charge a fee appropriate to the experience and professionalism of our position otherwise the end result will be that the good examiners will give up.
So think about that £120 fee. A skill test takes about 2 to 2.5hrs. Add on the time before flight to brief and allow the candidate to prepare, the checking of all paperwork, the post flight debrief and admin, and then the responsibility for signing off a pilot. For me that takes at least hours and I frequently find errors which need addressing.
All that for £120 which begins a race to the bottom. I am almost of the opinion that test fees should be set by the CAA and booked through flight test bookings.
For any examiners setting low fees, please be realistic and charge a fee appropriate to the experience and professionalism of our position otherwise the end result will be that the good examiners will give up.
If you can't asses a candidate in a 20 minute conversation and 45 minutes in the air you are in the wrong business.
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We all charge £200 PPL skill test on the field i operate on.
I will be lucky to do 3-4 skill tests per year. (There will be 5 examiners available on field).
I charge £50 for a non club member LPC.
Perhaps i might do 1 a month average.
Now CAA take their cut of ground exams. I'm still charging the same as 10 years ago £20. Can we justify £20 on top of the £10 to CAA.
I keep saying being an examiner is just not viable, financially. Think last renewal will be final one (said that last 10 years).
I paid over £1000 last year to revalidate various ratings, using my own aircraft FOC.
Hourly flight rates are way behind inflation.
Best job is RT examiner, no responsibilities what so ever.
I will be lucky to do 3-4 skill tests per year. (There will be 5 examiners available on field).
I charge £50 for a non club member LPC.
Perhaps i might do 1 a month average.
Now CAA take their cut of ground exams. I'm still charging the same as 10 years ago £20. Can we justify £20 on top of the £10 to CAA.
I keep saying being an examiner is just not viable, financially. Think last renewal will be final one (said that last 10 years).
I paid over £1000 last year to revalidate various ratings, using my own aircraft FOC.
Hourly flight rates are way behind inflation.
Best job is RT examiner, no responsibilities what so ever.
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Minimum i think should be 5000 hours to be considered.
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Updating RTF, infringements,what a joke.
Couple of years ago tried a simulated lost with Brum. Ask for qdm for home base.
Reply, we can't do that (yet have been doing for years).
Never asked since.
Good way of putting my student off ever asking for help.
Couple of years ago tried a simulated lost with Brum. Ask for qdm for home base.
Reply, we can't do that (yet have been doing for years).
Never asked since.
Good way of putting my student off ever asking for help.
Best job is RT examiner, no responsibilities what so ever.
Last edited by Whopity; 3rd Mar 2022 at 09:51.
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Minimum i think should be 5000 hours to be considered.
TOO
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Lucky if i do 200 now.
Got told off once by CAA inspector because i did over 100 in one month.
250 hours is a joke, barely seen one season.
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@TOO - 2900 in MP?
I gave up examining a couple of years back as it wasn’t viable for my lifestyle. Being away as much as I was I think I did 3 tests in the last year of its validity but even when I was based in one place it was probably no more than 5/6 a year with other examiners around.
As it was, word got around that examiner x was cheaper or examiner y was “a soft touch” and candidates chose the appropriate option.
Difficult to see a properly conducted skills test taking less than 90 minutes to an hour and 3/4s, bearing in mind a suitable Nav leg and diversion. Maybe i was doing it wrong!
I gave up examining a couple of years back as it wasn’t viable for my lifestyle. Being away as much as I was I think I did 3 tests in the last year of its validity but even when I was based in one place it was probably no more than 5/6 a year with other examiners around.
As it was, word got around that examiner x was cheaper or examiner y was “a soft touch” and candidates chose the appropriate option.
Difficult to see a properly conducted skills test taking less than 90 minutes to an hour and 3/4s, bearing in mind a suitable Nav leg and diversion. Maybe i was doing it wrong!
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Can we justify £20 on top of the £10 to CAA.
TOO
Back in the days when we had standardisation, there were annual meetings where Examiners discussed fees, now those don't happen. It is a free market and Examiners may set whatever fees they like, it may vary between what the market will bear to, if we set too high a fee we won't get any customers. Many schools paid Examiner's expenses so test fees may well have gone to the school rather than the Examiner or simply the Examiner received a token fee and the school made its money elswhere in the training. Independent Examiners are in a different position, but need to be competitive in order to survive. Maybe we have too many Examiners which holds the prices down.