FIC Training course hours
Having been an FI and fairly obviously the recipient of flight training I have to say that there is a wide dichotomy between the academic world of FI training and the real world. Particularly in the realm of briefing / debriefing. While many hours may be spent on an FIC practicing prepared briefs, colour coordinated etc, the reality could be and often is a rush out to the airplane with minimal or no preparation. The nadir for me was some years ago for a C172 checkout at a well known central Scotland flight school. Running late due traffic although phoned ahead I arrived to be hurried straight through to the aircraft sans any kind of brief. I asked how long would this checkout take and was told by the visibly hacked off FI ‘as long as I can be sure you won’t kill me’. While I make no claims to being an ace, I do have 20,000 hours, predominantly airline but still somehow an enthusiasm for general aviation albeit waning due experiences such as this. It doesn’t really matter how much flying time I have but the point is that this hapless and useless FI did not take the time to ask my background and therefore tailor the sortie. We had a little tense chat while I conveyed my views…
Last edited by olster; 2nd Jan 2024 at 23:33.
olster in particular - I've been an instructor for 13 years now, recently "upgrading" from CRI to FI, flying for around 33 years, and doing checkouts in interesting aeroplanes for around 20 - it was a huge relief to me when I first formally trained as an instructor to realise that my prejudices that a formal brief and debrief, and clear structure to an instructional flight were actually reinforced by the instructor training. I've also had those flights where I turned up, briefing was extremely minimal, went straight to the aircraft, and the instructor rushed stuff that really shouldn't be, or conducted things that weren't briefed.
No shortage of other bad practices I've seen whilst being a student too - I'll bet you all have too, so I don't need to detail them.
I'm totally relaxed about *how* a CRI or FI course is conducted, for me or anybody else, so long as it delivers instructors to test and thereafter with the skills and inclination to do the job properly. Ditto most other training. However this "skills and inclination" bit should never be negotiable, however delivered.
G
No shortage of other bad practices I've seen whilst being a student too - I'll bet you all have too, so I don't need to detail them.
I'm totally relaxed about *how* a CRI or FI course is conducted, for me or anybody else, so long as it delivers instructors to test and thereafter with the skills and inclination to do the job properly. Ditto most other training. However this "skills and inclination" bit should never be negotiable, however delivered.
G
