Is the UK flight instructor industry heading for crisis?
Reading through this thread it's hard to rationalize the vast changes and paradigm shift within the flight training community since I came up as an instructor in the United States.
I paid by the hour and came through the program via FAA Part 61 all the way. I doubt if my total expenses for all my certificates exceeded more that $5 or $6K dollars.
It's absolutely unbelievable the expense one has to endure these days related to aviation. I am in deep sympathy with my friends world wide, especially in the UK.
It's a wonder anyone even wants to be a flight instructor any more. I realize it's a pathway to higher ambition but believe it or not there were and I hope still are those who would seek the instructor rating because they enjoy teaching. The expense path for these people can be very high with a doubtful future as the reward.
Dudley Henriques
I paid by the hour and came through the program via FAA Part 61 all the way. I doubt if my total expenses for all my certificates exceeded more that $5 or $6K dollars.
It's absolutely unbelievable the expense one has to endure these days related to aviation. I am in deep sympathy with my friends world wide, especially in the UK.
It's a wonder anyone even wants to be a flight instructor any more. I realize it's a pathway to higher ambition but believe it or not there were and I hope still are those who would seek the instructor rating because they enjoy teaching. The expense path for these people can be very high with a doubtful future as the reward.
Dudley Henriques
Thread Starter
Almost nobody in the the UK goes into teaching for the love of it. They go into it because they want to build hours, or because they can't afford a £60,000+ Instrument Rating
Why it is this way is a whole new subject; LOL.
DH
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UK INSTRUCTORS
In short, yes!
Why...
1) Cost 20K Nett for an FI course; remuneration circa £55-60 per flight hour, although I have seen one organisation recently offering £100 / Hr, but this is uncommon. Financially it's challenging to justify it.
2) A over-burdensome regulatory regime and an authority with employees who can't wrap their faculties around the fact there's more than one way to do something to an acceptable standard.
3) General consensus of some of the more established FI's around the industry appears to be a feeling of "What's the Point", because they're tired of the onerous paperwork and the constant fighting against the regulator.
4) Probably fair to say that the availability of Multi Engine Instructors (Except Maybe H135 fleet) is limited, and the cost barrier to obtaining the more advanced qualifications such as TRI AS355 / TRI AW109 means there's no-one coming through the system.
5) Inconsistent work patterns does not lend itself well to family life.
Just my tuppence worth.
Why...
1) Cost 20K Nett for an FI course; remuneration circa £55-60 per flight hour, although I have seen one organisation recently offering £100 / Hr, but this is uncommon. Financially it's challenging to justify it.
2) A over-burdensome regulatory regime and an authority with employees who can't wrap their faculties around the fact there's more than one way to do something to an acceptable standard.
3) General consensus of some of the more established FI's around the industry appears to be a feeling of "What's the Point", because they're tired of the onerous paperwork and the constant fighting against the regulator.
4) Probably fair to say that the availability of Multi Engine Instructors (Except Maybe H135 fleet) is limited, and the cost barrier to obtaining the more advanced qualifications such as TRI AS355 / TRI AW109 means there's no-one coming through the system.
5) Inconsistent work patterns does not lend itself well to family life.
Just my tuppence worth.
