A Higher Standard for Flight Instruction

I recently read an article about the issues with students dropping out of flight training. The article points to a recent survey stating that a large percentage of students find that the biggest issue is that the level of education offered as well as a lack of “community” spirit at the airport. You can read the article here. This is the comment that I posted there:

It would be nice to see instructors who do it because they love teaching. Teachers in schools are there because they have had the desire to teach for many years, it is their passion. I’ve seen many pilots move up through CFI just so that they can build time and move on. Teaching is not something that everyone is good at and those that aren’t good at it shouldnt be forced into it because it is the only way to go. This will only perpetuate the problems that students are facing. I have never known a pilot who’s has set the goal of being a CFI as a long-term career. I feel that the problem with this is rooted in how the job has been perceived for so long. We’ve made it into a stepping stone so it has become one.

Two solutions come to mind: 1. Find a new way for low time pilots to gain experience. This means more information on the types of jobs that a low time pilot can hold. 2. Give better incentives for pilots to be a CFI and stay a CFI. This could be increased benefits after a certain number of years or based on the students being produced. Better pay would also be an incentive. I’ve always found it insane that pilots are trained by peers with relatively little more experience than the student.

The career path to being a professional pilot is difficult and the economy has not helped. I just hope that some good alternatives come along that will produce better pilots and hold instructors to a higher level of service to the students.

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