Originally Posted by
Viper25
Most people do not want to be an instructor. If they did, they have to go through another interview and then a rigorous and lengthy checkout process. Most instructors I know have said that it’s very stressful, and they get random APD/FAA observations on top of that. Then there is the requirement to become a SME at a ground job (curriculum, CQ development, sim support, etc.), in addition to being a fully qualified and competent line pilot. On top of that, there are more lucrative provisions for UA/AA SLIs. Finally, these “seagulls” have been flying the line 8 months of the year since the hiring boom of 2023 ended (though that may be reversing now).
I think your hot take needs to be put in perspective. Whatever pay premium instructors get, it is deserved.
Agreed. When I checked out as an ER captain, the APD gave me a pretty good sales pitch on becoming an SLI, including pay and commuting benefits. I tried not to laugh as an SEA - ATL commute sounds like an inspiration for Dante, but we need (and currently have) a ton of good people in that department.
I’d much rather have good people who like teaching who are pushed over the edge of the inconvenience of it by the pay and benefits than those who are on a power trip. You get what you pay for.