IMHO, I think that before anyone delcares that "most clubs have plenty of volunteer instructors" this declaration should be proceeded by stating "I have interviewed all of the 2600 AMA clubs and found that most clubs have plenty of ready, willing and always available volunteer instructors"

The paid instructor market is small, mainly because of the blatant hostile reactions exhibited by the experinced flier ONLY in "most clubs". Other than that, there isn't really too many people qualified to make such a statement, certainly not someone who may only have very limited experience in his own club or a couple of others, then only hearing the side of other experienced fliers and not that of the beginners patiently waiting for their once a week ten minute lesson. In other words, this would be in the area of market research.

Obvously, the owner of the First US Flight School must know something that no one else knows because he is pulling in $2400 a week and this is usually from members fed up with waiting for the so-called "free" club instruction. Then there are those beginners who have no wish to join a club and have their own property to fly on but have been left with no choice but to join up to learn. The volunteer says to learn at his convenience and on his terms or forget about it. In other words, the newbie has no choice in the matter. The idea is offering a choice, but it seems that there are those who are bent on not allowing such a choice, hence the small paid instructor market.


nascarjoe