A career in Flying Instruction
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A career in Flying Instruction
If flying instructing paid a decent competitive living wage would you be happy to pursue it as a career alternative to flying transport aircraft or other pilot jobs?
Would staff retention at flying schools be seen as a sufficient 'win' from paying higher wages?
Would the quality of instructing improve as a result? (I'm not necessary saying that it needs improved)
Are the overheads (e.g. fuel/ aircraft maintenance/rent/MD's Jag)too great to fund higher wage levels?
If not, where does all the money go?
Would staff retention at flying schools be seen as a sufficient 'win' from paying higher wages?
Would the quality of instructing improve as a result? (I'm not necessary saying that it needs improved)
Are the overheads (e.g. fuel/ aircraft maintenance/rent/MD's Jag)too great to fund higher wage levels?
If not, where does all the money go?
Join Date: Dec 2000
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If PPL instruction paid a reasonable salary like you would find with an airline then I would stay as an instructor. Sadly the chances of this happening are very remote so the airlines start to become the only viable option since not many people can live on instructors money for the rest of their career. Those ex instructors who I know who are now with the airlines would move back to instruction if the money was better.
The overheads can in many cases be very high. On average Avgas is around the £1 per litre mark (inc VAT) unless you operate out of somewhere where cheap fuel is available. In a C152 for example then the fuel for 1 hour is going to be around the £25 mark and you have landing fees to think about as well. Maintenance costs can be very expensive but it all depends on who does your maintenance. You would be surprised at just how much a quick 50 hour check can set you back! We are probably talking at least a few hundred pounds and 150 hour checks will be expensive. An annual check will drain quite a bit from the kitty, especially if any extra work is needed on the airframe or engine.
Light aircraft instruction is a difficult business, in terms of making a profit. Especially if you operate out of a larger airport such as one that is owned by the BAA!!! However heres hoping to a good summer and a successful 2003 for FTO's!
The overheads can in many cases be very high. On average Avgas is around the £1 per litre mark (inc VAT) unless you operate out of somewhere where cheap fuel is available. In a C152 for example then the fuel for 1 hour is going to be around the £25 mark and you have landing fees to think about as well. Maintenance costs can be very expensive but it all depends on who does your maintenance. You would be surprised at just how much a quick 50 hour check can set you back! We are probably talking at least a few hundred pounds and 150 hour checks will be expensive. An annual check will drain quite a bit from the kitty, especially if any extra work is needed on the airframe or engine.
Light aircraft instruction is a difficult business, in terms of making a profit. Especially if you operate out of a larger airport such as one that is owned by the BAA!!! However heres hoping to a good summer and a successful 2003 for FTO's!
Join Date: Mar 1999
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Bae and OATS both pay around £30,000 salaries for instructors, more if you've got multi instructor / FI instructor / PPL examiner / some other particularly useful qualification.
It's certainly possible to make a career out of instructing but you'll struggle to make any money out of the business until you've got at least 1,000 hours or so of instructing and can apply to the big boys, it's just the nature of the business when so many people use it as an hour building route.
It's certainly possible to make a career out of instructing but you'll struggle to make any money out of the business until you've got at least 1,000 hours or so of instructing and can apply to the big boys, it's just the nature of the business when so many people use it as an hour building route.
