A great opportunity or a trap for the unwary?

[jeepys]

A salaried £300 per day for a F.I, no chance. They would have to fly about 7 hours a day for that.

[HeliMannUK]

Originally Posted by jeepys

A salaried £300 per day for a F.I, no chance. They would have to fly about 7 hours a day for that.

I earned £60 per hour as an FI in the north and I did manage 5 hours flying a day during the summer, so it is possible to earn £300+

If was to charge a day rate it would be £300

It sounds about right for a daily rate for an FI/Line Pilot on Robbies/Cabris/Bells

[meleagertoo]

the only Helicopter Company with bases and operations in every region of the British Isles.

That's stretching a Cabri, an robbo and a Jetranger a bit thin on the ground, isn't it?

[heli14]

the only Helicopter Company with bases and operations in every region of the British Isles

That's stretching a Cabri, an robbo and a Jetranger a bit thin on the ground, isn't it?

at a guess, referring to Northumbria's links with Adventure 001 and their pleasure flying ops around the UK - one of the directors of Northumbria is also a director of Ad 001 according to Companies House.

Still a very big claim though.

[HeliMannUK]

Originally Posted by hargreaves99

SE UK flight schools only pay £45-£50 per flight hour

I have never heard of any UK flight school ever paying a day rate for R22/Cabri PPL instructors

Instructors are not really that common at the moment I dont think and maybe qualified instructors are selling themselves short, I was earning £60 p/h PPL, £250-£300 p/d line pilot & £250-£300 p/d adhoc PPL.

[HeliMannUK]

Originally Posted by heli14

at a guess, referring to Northumbria's links with Adventure 001 and their pleasure flying ops around the UK - one of the directors of Northumbria is also a director of Ad 001 according to Companies House.

Still a very big claim though.

I believe the Northumbria AOC is at work in Northern Ireland, Scotland and various parts of England - dont know about Wales though. So the claim is legit if they work out of Wales too.

Also now giving it some thought, besides the initial outlay, it could be a route into the industry due to the large pleasure flying that Northumbria do around the UK. Now hands up here I dont work for Northumbria and have no affiliation with them but from my experience it is HARD getting traction in this industry. Knowing what I know now would I risk £200 to try get into the industry quicker....yes the answer is yes, its a risk worth taking. Roughly getting to FI costs about £65000 to CPL about £70000 and to IR about £110000, thinking about it this way what is £200 in the grand scheme of things?

[HeliMannUK]

Originally Posted by hargreaves99

There are a LOT of FIs around

If there was a shortage, companies would offer a better hourly rate or salaries. They don't have to as there is a constant supply of new desperate FIs, and people wanting to do it as a "hobby" job.

Blimey maybe its a northern thing then, as the school i was recently talking to were struggling.

[helimutt]

Originally Posted by HeliMannUK

Blimey maybe its a northern thing then, as the school i was recently talking to were struggling.

FI’s and ‘Decent” FI’s are two completely different things. If I thought I could make £60 an hour regularly as an FI I’d go renew my rating. I loved instructing but moved on in the industry after working for too many crap schools who, by the sounds of things, still haven’t really increased the hourly rate for instructors in 20 years!