Infamous Instructors! Best / Worst

[mustflywillfly]

There are some superb / dreadful / colourful flying instructors out there either past or present who have made a serious impression upon us.

I have had a few! The most memorable has to be a Mr David Frost (aka "Jack" Frost) ex Navy Phantom Jock. Naval Flying Grading Flight - Roborough airport, Plymouth 1999. Used to punch my leg and call me a Cu*t whenever I drifted off the numbers. Very old school, legend!

[MG]

I did my pilot short-course in the mid 80s at Cranwell. Wacky Wheeler was the CGI and a legend (at least to us). His stories really could not be used now as the PC police would be upon him like a metric tonne of building materials. Either that or he's got a jihad on him by now.

[charlies angel]

Still remember many of his wise words at Cranditz.

On decision making with a bang seat " If in doubt....theres no doubt.....get the f*** out!". :}

[RETDPI]

An earlier generation at the same institution -Joe Erwood. He of the Erwood wing.
On spying the slow shaking of a student's head during his "spinning" lecture to an early Graduate Entry.
"That's right , isn't it P**K"
Student smiles and says nothing.
" Oh, I see. First Class Honours Degree in Aerodynamics, I suppose?"




"Yes, Sir"


(Said student did go on subsequently to be a Test Pilot in Industry)

[akula]

I think every AEOp in the past god knows how many years will have the Legend that is Dave B*****:E:E firmly imprinted in their head. I bet he still prowls the halls at CWL.


ALWAYS assume NEVER check

[6Z3]

Then there was a certain Ph*l Sh*w....
.
I recall he was a visiting VIP(?) to a Culdrose 705 Wings parade once. At the parade brief to the staff and students after shareholders and instead of Question of the Day the briefing officer was asked how one should approach this VIP in the bar afterwards? With little or no hesitation the briefer advised that He should be "afforded the same criteria as an Industrial Hazard......, which is?.... [pose, pause, pounce]......SMITH?
.
Nufsaid

[Taffer]

Mustflywillfly,

Jack Frost is still at it - instructing on the grading flight (727 NAS), now at RNAS Yeovilton. I think most of the pilots in the FAA have flown with him at some point!

I had him as my instructor a couple of years ago - he doesn't hit people as much, but the verbal assault is still in full effect!

[Liam Gallagher]

Whacky Wheeler...... a true legend.....

[Tonkenna]

Ahhh... Wacky:ouch:

Had a party in his office.... had to take my own hat. :sad:

I remember the answers to one set of questions were: A C E D B.... which always led him in to a huge rage... one of the students had been primed by the senior course to answer the question "what does ACE DB mean to you with "ACE Dougie Bader sir". Wacky didn't seem to like Dougie....
Ahhh, the good old days....

Tonks :cool:

[A2QFI]

I nominate Mike Vickers, Gnat QFI at Valley in the early 60s, who then moved into the TP instructing world and survived a horrendous crash in an Argosy at Boscombe(?). A charming, highly competent and unflappable instructor.

[NutherA2]

Mike Vickers, Gnat QFI at Valley in the early 60s,I'd like to second that nomination, A2::ok:

Once upon a time, when my log book showed a total of about 40 hours, one entry is dated 13 June 1955 (Provost T1, Feltwell).

The detail was a CFS Standards check with Flt Lt M A Vickers. When I arrived at Valley in 1966 as a brand new QFI, Flt Lt M A Vickers was there in Standards, still as expert, good natured & unflappable as ever. When he made the promotion list in 1967 ( or 68?) the p***up was monumental.

[Yellow Sun]

Chick Hemsley, Standards Flt at Cranwell in the mid '70s. I am told that he had been a bit fierce in his younger days but by the time I met him he was a complete gentleman. He always had at least 3 other ways to do a demo' or answer a question and you just couldn't help but learn from him.

YS

[blaireau]

I flew with Jack Frost when doing an IRI course at VL. Intensely irritating with a habit of pointing out the blindingly obvious, such as, "Do you realise you're 100' low?" He did however let me loose in the GA11 between IR ordeals.

Mike Vickers did me on a trappers visit in the late 60's in Bahrein. He was in the company of Colin Holman, another real gent.

My own candidate for sh*t of the century, (20th that is), was my personal instructor at Syerston, Jim Hawkins. First tour A1, but what a hard nut. Made me run back from the end of the runway after one particularly gruelling circuit-bashing session. Had many a student in tears and was not averse to physical violence. He got his wish and was posted to 20 in Tengah, but hated every minute. Eventually became a TP for BAe.

[ShyTorque]

I recall a certain QFI in the early 1970s (ex Lightnings) who's method was to shout at the student if he was doing well and shout louder if he wasn't.
During my Flying Scholarship pre-solo circuit training he lost his voice at me because the louder he shouted the more I overcontrolled.

He decided to teach me a lesson by proving that the aircraft (C150) could be flown around the circuit without touching the control column. He used rudder, flaps and throttle to get us onto finals, which I found quite frightening and uncomfortable. At about a hundred feet on finals, he was applying final flap when the aircraft's nose dropped hard in some turbulence from a row of poplar trees just outside the airfield boundary (anyone remember Ipswich?).

He now had one hand on the central throttle and the other on the flap switch, giving an insufficient number of hands to raise the nose! He flipped the flap switch to retract, gave it full power and uttered a quiet "Oh $hit"!

Not a lot happened and seeing the near hedge and the ground rushing up I instinctively pulled hard back on the CC, just before we speared in short of the threshold. We landed very hard but in the correct attitude (with no damage) and bounced; he then took control and landed it; we taxied in. He said nothing else except "I f***ed that up, didn't I?"

I didn't fly with him again for a long time; thankfully they gave me to the late Cliff Barnett to get sorted out; I went solo on time.

Another "party trick" of this same QFI was to give a PFL to the airfield then lean over, turn off the mags and put the key in his jacket top pocket with the prop stopped.

He was later "let go" after he dive-bombed a group of youths on the runway (public right of way across the airfield - it was an ongoing problem). Most people just "went around" when this happened, but not him.....full power and three feet agl across the grass! They all dived out of the way but one had been sitting on a moped which got in the way of the prop and the nosewheel....

[moggiee]

My first primary instructor (Phil L****n) on 3 Sqn at Linton on Ouse in 1985 goes down as "infamous".

Infamous because in the 20+ hours we flew together at the start of the course I was given little instruction and even less briefing/debriefing and thus learned next to nothing at the most critical phase of the course.

The most NFI individual I ever met in the RAF.

My bacon was saved by Don Dibbens (another ex-Vulcan guy - weren't they all at that time?) who kicked my backside and sweated me hard to make up the lost ground. Don could motivated without humiliating and pushed for the highest standards at all times. Without him I would never have passed BFT.

[Bravo2]

Anyone know if Eric Bloodaxe is still around? Always the students friend at Linton.

[Role1a]

B2
You must be fishing:E

[henry crun]

There was one hoary old instructor on my wings course who was similar to the one described by ShyTorque.

I never flew with him, but from the descriptions by the poor unfortunates who did, his standard patter seemed to consist mostly of
Height, height, watch your height.......airspeed, airspeed, watch your airspeed.

In complete contrast mine was one Eric Wardzinski, who was everything an instructor should be. He nursed me through my bad patches, and conveyed his genuine pleasure when his patience paid off.

[Bravo2]

R1a - different one, I know where the other Bloodaxe is, not that the new PC RAF allows any further comment on that subject. Unless EM has gone down the same route.... but I would find that hard to believe.

[tykepilot]

Still around. on the lecture circuit now, Battles in Iceland!

[Stretchwell]

Wacky Wheeler..........never a dull moment on groundschool !!! :eek:

[keepin it in trim]

Dick Schuster (hope I spelt it right), I was one of the fortunate to be instructed by Dick when I was not having a particularly fun time at BFTS. As a direct result of many "wise words" and some excellent instruction I survived, and continue to do so. Wherever Dick is now, I will always be grateful to him.:D

[iccarus]

Respect to the man schuster................
Top bloke, even at the ripe old age at which he was teaching many of the new school...
Often wondered what it would be like to know even 10% of what he knew about airmanship.............
Before 9/11, found myself on the flight deck of a 747 out to the USA and all of the crew knew the good man and regailed in stories of how he had helped them out many years before..
Only wish i had witnessed his party trick of getting chairs, tables, pianos balanced on one leg.............

[Wiley]

Before my first instructional fight in a Vampire, my instuctor's brief included this gem: "If we suffer an engine failure, I will call: 'Eject, eject, eject!' - and if you hear the third 'Eject!', it will only be because I've got a ***ing long mike/tel lead!"

Are you still out there, Plock?

[A2QFI]

Dick was awarded an AFC while flying PR7s in the Far East. The device which cut the elevator controls and let a spring pull the control column and yoke forward into the instrument panel (to prevent the loss of knees on ejection) fired and left him with only the elevator trim to control the pitch. I think he was in some sort of poo from a aeronatical escapade some days earlier but this feat of daring cleared the decks and all was well!

[Dick Whittingham]

My Canadian creamy whose patter consisted entirely of
NEEDLE AND BALL, LOOK AT YOUR NEEDLE AND BALL (pause) NEEDLE, BALL AND F*****G AIRSPEED.


Dick W

[OVERTALK]

TykePilot said:
Still around. on the lecture circuit now, Battles in Iceland!
EM, the original Bloodaxe is doing what?
Battles in Iceland?? Que (i.e. not still on Tucano at Linton?)

[Grey'npointy]

Anyone remember these two stalwarts of Linton fame in the late 80s/early 90s on the venerable JP?

Once got smacked round the head (hard) with a nav rule by Darth during my IRT, for porking up some mvr. Concentrated the mind somewhat!

Dear old Nick (Vulcan vintage) was one of the most eccentric chaps I ever met, and able to witheringly dismantle students in a single sentence. Once made the mistake of trying to make conversation with him during a recovery: "Nice day, isn't it, Sir"? "Yes, GnP, explain to me the meterological situation that makes it so nice, then". For all his moments, though, he was a great teacher and certainly, without his help, I'd have ended up in some ground job. If you're out there, Nick - hope you are well.

[blaireau]

Was Whacky Wheeler a very diminutive ex-Kipper Fleet pilot?

[Loopdeloop]

I'll second on Mad Dog. Eccentric but could really teach, and boy did I need it! I suspect my illustrious flying "down hill out of control" would have been short lived without a few weeks under his tutelage.

I'd also like to single out Ted H from the Chipmunk. Definitely old school and hit me over the back of the head a few times but didn't seem to mind my ham fisted, agricultural handling: "Well done on finding all of the control stop limits of the Chippy whilst performing that slow roll, now lets try a loopdeloop!" .....or something like that

[OKOC]

F***ing B*ll Fer***l at EGDL was priceless: "you f***ing flare too early again you w*nker (copilot) and I'll thump you with the nav's ruler". This was after 3 teeth jarring 2.5 G rollers previous. Poor Co did of course flare too early again and Bill said "Nav, please be so kind as to pass me your ruler". Poor Co then got a heafty belt round his earole as promised.
He didn't flare too early on the next circuit mind.
Never happen today would it?

[tykepilot]

EM no longer the grim reaper at Linton:}, now discourses on the merits of the Fairey Battle, particularly with respect to a certain example extracted from a glacier in Iceland. Apologies my original post being so cryptic:)

[BEagle]

blaireau, perhaps you're thinking of Dave 'Diddy' Wheeler...

IIRC, one of the few pilots to go from the Shacklebomber to.....the Lightning! Via a few years QFI-ing on the JP.

[fade to grey]

GNP<
could just be that the ex vulcan Nick you refer to is alive and well and flying 757s,

Well we certainly have an eccentric ex vulcan capt called Nick -is there more than one ?

[Loopdeloop]

FtG
If you're with Birdseed Airways then that'll be him, mention rule 2 next time you see him!

[RRAAMJET]

Best of the best - Bob Wheetman at Fenton RFS...superb bloke, funny as hell. In fact, it was a great little unit, and a fountain of knowledge. I wish them all well for their patience and care.

Worst, and most un-professional: an un-mentionable CFS checker from Scampton who, bored 'cos I'd completed the sortie with his knee-pad empty, decided to give me a PFL in a 125...I flew it the Hawk way and we made it, but I'll never forget him guarding the throttles so I couldn't push them forward on short finals after it was obvious we were going to make it just fine with normal touchdown sinkrate...a$$ - save the experimental sh1te for the sim...or the JP5 or the bar. I'll also never forget the CO intercepting said QFI on the pad after getting a call from the tower to the effect of: "do you know what one of your jets just did??"...we could hear the shouting down the hall...:mad:

How we laughed...

[Jackonicko]

Gliding:

Andy Gough. Inspirational.

Air Commodore Bernard Brownlow (Commandant at A&AEE). Patient and thorough, and encouraging.

Fixed wing:

Don Merriman. All of the above in a single instructor, with quiet authority and leadership and charisma by the bucketload. It was said that he'd once been the RAF's youngest squadron leaders, and the youngest CO of the Canberra OCU, and I never understood why he wasn't Air Commodore Merriman by the time I knew him.

[ScottyDawg]

Does anyone remember:

...M.A. Rufus Heald... a legend unto himself so I'm told...

Wonder what he's up to now... should be getting on a bit..!!

[ShyTorque]

RRAAmjet, I agree a fine bunch of chaps!

I regret to inform you that Bob Weetman passed away in 1988.

The rest during my time there (Jet refresher) were

Flt Lts
Al McDonald
Bill Cambell
Rod Bell (who nodded off during my IRT, on the ILS - I passed, after selecting 100% oxygen for him as I thought he was simulating hypoxia)
Sqn Ldr Beau ????? (sorry, can't recall, not in my logbook).
Wg Cdr Bayliss, who was kind enough to pass me on my FHT, despite highly dank weather coming in.

[Farfrompuken]

Mike Vickers Did my final Ride on my flying schol, quite a legend.

My primary, however, was Ken Fillingham, an ex-lancaster pilot.

Used to refer to me as 'you scrote'

His technique for teaching me to land on my first ever trip was:

"You have control, Aim at the numbers. If you F*** up we die. Any questions?"

A true character.

[RRAAMJET]

ShyTorque - very sad to hear about Bob...thanks for the info.

Rod Bell was great, I remember (dad of the Bell downhill skiers, right?)
These guys, collectively, were so funny at happy hour -- what a team. 1000's of hrs A1/A2 between them...wonder if there's a unit like RFS still around? I'm out of touch. :ok:

[ShyTorque]

Yes, Rod was their father/trainer - which is why he was tired as he was jetting off to snow covered hills much of the time as well as QFI'ing.

Just remembered; the missing name on my list was Bo Plummer.

[DICKYTICKER]

Big bad Bo who needed the child seat in the JP cause he was approx. 5 foot. Top bloke along with Tony Spence of the F4 era, my instructor who always had faith in me, but had a wiucked left hand to belt you with. Great days at CF were had by all.

[Green Flash]

To drift slightly, if I may, but I'd like to thank the 2 Regt drill instructors who were responsible for getting a course of lame, stupid and aged missfits to move in a straight line in a slightly military manner. One evening the parade ground outside CHOM had us sounding like a caterpiller in hobnail boots. Our very patient Flt Sgt was trying to get the majority of us in step. The Main cse were also having a nightmare at the hands of a very angry Cpl instructor. Boy, did he have issues. Anyway, as we shambled past the Cpl exploded at them ' fer f**k sake the b****y Reserve cse are better than you w*****s!' Our arms went a bit straighter, the chest came out a little more and there was one thump as all boots hit the ground together. The Flt Sgt turned and gave us an enourmous wink; arms, chests, boots etc. Thanks guys:ok:

[Wader2]

Dear old Nick (Vulcan vintage) was one of the most eccentric chaps I ever met, and able to witheringly dismantle students in a single sentence..

Would that be N C H D****s by any chance?

[goudie]

Jackonicko
Andy Gough was my Gliding instructor at Bicester in the '60's. Took me up in a Blanik once and demonstrated his aerobatic display, awsome to say the least.

[ACW599]

Steve Holding (RIP), Peter Skinner, Dave Johnson and Chris Lumb -- UWAS 1973-4. None finer.

[fade to grey]

Hmm,
The ex vulcan Nick i am referring to is ex BA now elsewhere on 757 - bit of a survival boffin -always carries a stick around to whittle.....

[Roland Pulfrew]

Bo Plummer

What a complete Gent, even if he did fail my first ever instrument rating. Will never forget Bo trying to get onto the wing of the JP. A superb instructor.

And Dick Schuster (sp) and his dog, was it Heinie, the one with piles that used to pull herself along with her front paws whilst scraping her @rse all down the corridor. Dick's favourite emergency was to lock the control column with his hands and say take me home!! Excellent teaching/learning exercise based on his Canberra incident.

[Yellow Sun]

You may be interested in reading Dick Shuster's citation for his AFC (http://www.w4u.co.uk/~w4u.co.uk/public_html/89/89c.htm#AFC)
YS

[RETDPI]

Well, 89 were an exceptional Cranwell entry.
Look on their web site some time.

[bunta130]

My.....don't the years roll back.
I remember Heine's party trick ..... on Dick's demand "What do WAAF's do?", rolling onto her back.....
Dick also helped me out on holding the threshold 'fixed' during approach by drawing a chinagraph spider on the windshield. I only flew a couple of sorties with him, but he was as sharp as a pin.... As I remember, his father had an AFC too.
As for Bo Plummer - without him I would have undoubtedly been chopped - a nicer man you could not wish to meet. He was even remarkably civil to me, a young APO, after I threw up several times (I did not have the sense to stop drinking) whilst stood on a bar stool into a cleaner's bucket in the main bar during and after downing the Lady (post solo quart of beer...and unfortunately after a full skinful at a dining-in night)....in front of his wife and daughter (if my memory serves me correctly). I also remember his run-ups to get himself onto the wing, particularly in cold weather flying kit.
CF in the early 80s.....a wonderful time!

[everythingbuttheboy]

The Legend That is DB, at cranwell, who apparently has taught the entire current maritime fleet, in communications, retired early this year (april)He's still the same as always, only scruffier....

[Grey'npointy]

Quote:
Would that be N C H D****s by any chance?
Wader
Not sure. The Nick to whom I refer was also known as 'Clutz'. I would be slightly surprised if he is a survival guru of the present - he must have been in his 40s in 1990 when he departed Linton....(really sorry if he was, in fact, 33:})

[Adam Nams]

I remember a certain EW instructor at Finningley in the 80s who would always carry one of those wooden metre rules and would slam it down next to the student as he played the ARAR/ARAX tapes (never mind that we were the first 'Yellergate' course).

"What....." -slam- "...was that????"

He made my life hell and I dreaded every lesson with him - I learnt very little.

Some years later when I went through instructor training my mentor said on day one:
"Do you remember the worst instructor that you ever had?" How could I ever forget that man. I vowed that I would never resort to those sort of tactics in my classroom.

I learnt several years later that the fellow in question had died following illness - it shames me to say it now, but at the time that I heard my first thought was that he deserved it. :sad:

[Maxibon]

My best flying instructor was John Bowen at CF - after an awful start under an extremely chippy creamy and foul 'berra type, John was able to get me to relax and actually start enjoying the flying. The old poking/hitting/abuse may work on some, but I believe that encouragement and a relaxed cockpit is essential. Obviously, those nice red flares from the caravan probably deserve a slap but that was just the once.

Strangely enough, despite John's teachings, my lack of co-ordination took over and the above mentioned Bo Plummer (utterly charming man) consigned me to Finningley after my secong AIFG. How I ronic that I then went back to hold with HQ Sqn after FY to help organise the airshow - Bo was much more friendly the second time around!

[airborne_artist]

It's funny how the best are often very approachable, and have no need for any histrionics to get the best from their studes. For me it's a man I've mentioned before on here, whose reputation is well-deserved. Brian Skillicorn (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2471271&highlight=skillicorn#post2471271)

I'd love to fly with him again. I'm certain it would be great fun, and I'd come back a better pilot. I last flew with him in 1979 :ok:

[Wader2]

Wader
Not sure. The Nick to whom I refer was also known as 'Clutz'. I would be slightly surprised if he is a survival guru of the present - he must have been in his 40s in 1990 when he departed Linton....(really sorry if he was, in fact, 33:})

The age is about right. I saw him in 1965 and then again in 2005 b:mad:d hadn't aged one bit it it was the same balck haired hairy SOB. Mind you same of our copilot, hadn't aged a day.

[Thread drift]

This could spawn a Best Course/Worst Course thread too.

Best and Worst an 8 day course at Catterick squeezed into 4 weeks - Monday lunch to Friday lunch, Wednesday sports, 30 minute coffee break twice per day, hour and half for lunch.

[Maxibon]

If the Nick & Clutz are the same person - he was on JP Sqn at CFS in 88. I seem to recall a tale of him shooting a PAR into Cranwell and having to cope with an extremely enthusiastic young female air trafficer. His response of "Oh for God's sake woman, shut up!" led to him driving down to Cranditz with a bottle of fizz by way of an apology.

[geniculate]

I remember Colin Sills well. He was my QFI for a number of years on the UAS. Didn't he instruct, leave the flying branch to take up Air Traffic Control and then return again to fly?
Good instructor, put you at your ease. There was a rumour he took a Bulldog to 14k once. I asked him once about it, his answer was along the lines of "No, 16k. The passing JP was most suprised to see me!"

[H Peacock]

Can't believe we have got to page 4 and no one has mention Flt Lt Rod Newman. Fantastic bloke who I'm sure taught over half of the RAF to fly. Okay, perhaps a bit of an exageration, but I've no doubt that his logbook(s) must have the names of hundreds of past and present RAF aircrew that were lucky enough to fly from Woodvale.

:)

[K.Whyjelly]

H Peacock.................remind me, was Rod on MASUAS or LUAS at Woodvale???

[H Peacock]

H Peacock.................remind me, was Rod on MASUAS or LUAS at Woodvale???

Rod was on MASUAS when I was there in the mid-80s. Fantastic days with Graham Timms as the Boss, Ron Chivers, Bob German and Keith Hewitt. They were all good, but Rod was the QFI that taught me how it should be done!

Believe he is still there as the Sqn Adj.

[muppetofthenorth]

Believe he is still there as the Sqn Adj

Just.
He retires this year.

[Torchy]

OKOC's mention of F***ing B*ll Fer***l reminded me of a time years ago at EGDL when said gent was receiving a talkdown being conducted by a young lady under training and was uttering the odd comment about her technique as well as not taking the turns - she turned to me and asked what should she do - I said (rashly) "tell him to fu*k off" she immediatly transmitted "Fu*k off Fer***l" at 2 miles to go. Not a word from the aircraft until touchdown. Probably the first and only time Bill was ever lost for words - I wonder where he is now?

[cockanelli]

He's OC BUAS!!!

[Exnomad]

I never flew with him, but at Dalcross in 1952, among a number of RAFVR types recalled because of CFI shortage (Korean War) was a gentleman with such poor eyesight and pebble thick glasses he was reputed to fly with his face as near to the windscreen as he could get. The good thing was that he was mess secretary, and we had the best food I ever had. Mind you the mess went £1500 overspent in three months (1952 prices)

[TheInquisitor]

Ahh, Wild B*ll...priceless memories. He taught me on the OCU at EGDL and I ran into him again several years later.

He was doing a Staneval check on an instructor giving me a sim cat....his only comment in the debrief for me was "I'm glad to see you've improved since the last time I saw you, you c**t!"

[Dan D'air]

For pure patience, Dave Cockburn, He put up with me for two years until I was old enough to solo on Gliders in the early '80s.

Archie Liggett (Or Leggett ICRE) at Valley years ago, taught me more in one trip than I had learnt in the previous dozen, smashing bloke.

[Pontius Navigator]

For pure patience, Dave Cockburn, He put up with me for two years until I was old enough to solo on Gliders in the early '80s.

So that's what happened to his hair :)

DC is in active the GA section of the Royal Institute of Navigation and by coincidence his card fell out of a drawer in my desk yesterday (I kid you not).

He is still active as a specialist post-graduate flight instructor at Market Rasen.

[N.HEALD]

ScottyDawg wrote:
Does anyone remember:
...M.A. Rufus Heald... a legend unto himself so I'm told...
Wonder what he's up to now... should be getting on a bit..!!


Scottydawg
The old man is still alive and well, (82 now) and flying regularly, usually with me out of Exeter

[Rod newman]

Finally seen some kind comments about my efforts over the years at Woodvale. Had a wonderful get together at the RAF club recently organised by ex students and friends to celebrate my 70th birthday. It was suggested that we organise an annual dinner for friends to meet up again.