Becoming an Instructor & related FI questions
Join Date: Jul 2002
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to kissmysquirrel, yep he sure did
i'll leave whirly to her thoughts about it as i'm sure she'll report back next week, wish id had the forum to ask when i did my FI course!
oldmanrotor why should anyone have to get an industry job before instructing? some of us do it because we like to and have no wish to be a bus driver, a lot are very good, and, whilst some are not so good , it is the same in the commercial world - maybe after6500 hours in the soup you dont like seeing the real world!
i'll leave whirly to her thoughts about it as i'm sure she'll report back next week, wish id had the forum to ask when i did my FI course!
oldmanrotor why should anyone have to get an industry job before instructing? some of us do it because we like to and have no wish to be a bus driver, a lot are very good, and, whilst some are not so good , it is the same in the commercial world - maybe after6500 hours in the soup you dont like seeing the real world!
The Original Whirly
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No internet access all week, and usually no time or energy left to look for an internet cafe, but I'll try to remember what's happened this last week....
Mon 3rd Feb
The weather is good, but wind's are expected to increase. We get given Exercises 6, 7, 8, and 9, one after another!
for those who aren't instructors, and can't remember their own PPL training, that's "straight & level, climbing, descending, turning", "basic autos", "hovering", takeoffs and landings". The last two we haven't even had ground briefings on yet; we get them afterwards. We also get told we'll be starting to give back ground briefings tomorrow, and for one of us to do Ex 4 and the other Ex 5. I spend the evening practising Ex 4, which I've already tried out over the weekend on my long suffering house and cat sitter, Aerbabe , who has a PPL(A). She asked awkward questions like "What do you mean by balance?", "104% of what?" etc. Early night after a fairly knackering day.
Tues 4th Feb
Get given Ex 10 (transitions) on the ground and then in the air. The wind is about 25-30kts; not ideal, but we do it anyway. I have a lot of bad habits like raising the collective slightly before I start the transition, and forgetting right pedal as we speed up; Mike jumps on me for everything, and I wonder how I can hope to instruct when I can't even fly properly. We're all geared up to give back exercises 4 and 5, but then Mike asks us to prepare a briefing on fronts. Mark gives his, then out of the blue, Mike asks me to give one on wind! "That's not fair," I protest, and he asks me what I remember about wind. At that point, under those circumstances, the answer is zilch. He coaxes me through the Coriolis Force, Buys Ballot's Law, etc etc, telling me it's PPL stuff and I should know it; I say I do, but I've forgotten it and I can't just do it off the cuff. I spend the evening trying to revise bits of P of F, Met, etc, and getting depressed. So I can't fly and I don't know anything; how do I expect to be an instructor?
Wed 5th Feb
We get another quick lesson on transitions in the air, since the wind has dropped and Mike can demonstrate translational life; bit hard in 25kt winds as you have it before you start. Then we get Ex 11 (circuits), and 13/14 (hovering sideways and backwards, spot turns).
Thurs 6th Feb
We get in early, and get told we're giving back Ex 4 in the air. Despite having prepared it at the beginning of the week, we still haven't given back the ground briefing for it yet. Mark goes first, and I wish I had, as I stare at the little card I've made up with the relevant points, and realise I've forgotten everything; we were given Ex 4 last week - a lifetime ago. I go up, and manage to stumble through vaguely OK for the four main controls; then I get on to things like effects of airspeed and disc loading on RPM, and demonstrating the freewheel when you lower the collective and so on, and it all goes totally pearshaped. But the time I finish I can barely fly, never mind think and speak at the same time. I decide this is impossible, and say to Mike that I feel as though I'll never be able to do it. I'm actually giving him the chance to tell me I'm right; I won't, and maybe I should give it up. He doesn't; he says it's always the way; people think it'll be easy, and it isn't. How do I explain that I didn't think it would be easy; I started with very little confidence, and now I have even less. Still, he hasn't thrown me out. I mess up the approach, then struggle with trying to land. Mike tells me I should be able to land by now; I tell him I agree. He tells me to look well ahead and relax, and of course that works. I remember the first day's groundschool - learning is more effective if you're relaxed and confident. Yeah, well.... We get a debrief, being told they weren't bad first efforts. A little while to recover, then finally we get to do our ground briefings. My Ex 4 goes reasonably well; Mike says he's written down that I seemed confident, and was I? I said no, but I'm good at sounding it - but it hadn't been as bad as I expected. Mark does Ex 5, then I get to do Ex 6, with no preparation, from my notes. Ex 6 is a massive briefing anyway, and I get tied in knots, but it's not too bad. Mark then does Ex 7. I'm knackered and stressed, can't face another evening studying in my tiny bedsit, and go swimming at Andover Leisure Centre, hoping it'll help me relax. It doesn't work, and I sleep fitfully, waking up worrying about which pedal it is and which way you roll, yaw etc. I finally give up at 4 am and make some hot chocolate, eventually dozing off about 5 am. Lack of sleep won't help, but what can I do? I'm living on adrenaline, and telling myself this is not an emergency situation, it's just a bloody FI course!
Friday 7th Feb
I get in, looking more brighteyed and bushytailed than I feel, after hardly any sleep but lots of black coffee. I'm first out to give back lesson 5. It's a complete fiasco. It starts bad, and gets worse. After about ten minutes I sit there, telling Mike I'm sorry, but my mind's gone completely blank and I can't remember a thing. I tell him I'll be OK; I just need a minute and I'll pull myself together, honest. On top of everything we're above broken cloud with only a few holes and I'm totally lost. Mike doesn't play amateur psychologist, thank god; he does the next bit; I say OK, I'll carry on, and tie myself in knots with what ought to be a fairly simple exercise. It's not that I can't fly and talk, as I once thought - but I can't fly and talk and think; one of the three has to go. This means if I manage to talk and demonstrate the exercise I get lost, forget carb heat, and generally act like an idiot; if I remember those things....well, you get the idea. I fly back, deciding I'll give this whole thing up, and because of that, I relax and fly like I used to rather than like the cackhanded beginner I feel like I've become. I go in, head for the loo, and burst into tears (Oh no; I've just told 60,000 people I'm not just a hopeless pilot; I'm a tearful wimp too; I'd better delete that bit!!!!! ) When Mark comes back he asks me how it went. Past caring, I tell him total cr@p would be a fair approximation, and also a classic piece of English understatement. He says his was the same; he just couldn't remember anything. I think we both feel better realising we're not alone - but not much better. Mike comes back and tells us how it should have gone; I record it for future reference ( I have a cassette recorder with me); maybe I should learn it. He says you have to know the subject inside out, and to practice on a chair with a broom handle!!! We have a break, then he tells us to do some mutual flying (we can do 5 hours each of the 30 together), teaching each other Ex 8 and 9 (hovering, takeoffs & landings). We do, and it's fun. Suddenly I get my tongue back, and my flying ability and confidence with it. I remember most of what to say, and we both have fun as the student, putting the helicopter into wonderfullly mad oscillations, while the "instructor" sees how hard it is to correct it - surprisingly easy, though we don't push it too far. We both agree that hovering with one or two controls is quite hard, especially when the "student" has the collective and pedals; it's really difficult to keep straight with the cyclic when you don't know what's happening on two controls and you can't anticipate. Anyway, we both feel better after this. Mike tells us we may as well finish early as we have long drives home and a lot of homework. I get the feeling he planned all this, that we're being ever so slightly manipulated, though I'm sure it's in a good cause. I'm reminded of what one instructor told me - that the FI course is like the Power Required curve, if you plot confidence against time. Trouble is, I'm not sure we're reached the equivalent of 53 kts yet. I meet Genghis the Engineer for lunch before driving home, and he reminds me that although I gave myself permission to fail, I didn't give myself permission to quit!!!!
Sat 8th Feb
Nice to be home, but I'm knackered. Just sat in a chair trying to talk through Ex 4, 5, and 6. I can't even do it very well in a chair; no wonder I can't in the air. And to think I once got told I talked too much to be a good instructor.
More next week. Positive, reassuring, friendly comments would be warmly welcomed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(edited mainly for typos)
Mon 3rd Feb
The weather is good, but wind's are expected to increase. We get given Exercises 6, 7, 8, and 9, one after another!
for those who aren't instructors, and can't remember their own PPL training, that's "straight & level, climbing, descending, turning", "basic autos", "hovering", takeoffs and landings". The last two we haven't even had ground briefings on yet; we get them afterwards. We also get told we'll be starting to give back ground briefings tomorrow, and for one of us to do Ex 4 and the other Ex 5. I spend the evening practising Ex 4, which I've already tried out over the weekend on my long suffering house and cat sitter, Aerbabe , who has a PPL(A). She asked awkward questions like "What do you mean by balance?", "104% of what?" etc. Early night after a fairly knackering day.Tues 4th Feb
Get given Ex 10 (transitions) on the ground and then in the air. The wind is about 25-30kts; not ideal, but we do it anyway. I have a lot of bad habits like raising the collective slightly before I start the transition, and forgetting right pedal as we speed up; Mike jumps on me for everything, and I wonder how I can hope to instruct when I can't even fly properly. We're all geared up to give back exercises 4 and 5, but then Mike asks us to prepare a briefing on fronts. Mark gives his, then out of the blue, Mike asks me to give one on wind! "That's not fair," I protest, and he asks me what I remember about wind. At that point, under those circumstances, the answer is zilch. He coaxes me through the Coriolis Force, Buys Ballot's Law, etc etc, telling me it's PPL stuff and I should know it; I say I do, but I've forgotten it and I can't just do it off the cuff. I spend the evening trying to revise bits of P of F, Met, etc, and getting depressed. So I can't fly and I don't know anything; how do I expect to be an instructor?
Wed 5th Feb
We get another quick lesson on transitions in the air, since the wind has dropped and Mike can demonstrate translational life; bit hard in 25kt winds as you have it before you start. Then we get Ex 11 (circuits), and 13/14 (hovering sideways and backwards, spot turns).
Thurs 6th Feb
We get in early, and get told we're giving back Ex 4 in the air. Despite having prepared it at the beginning of the week, we still haven't given back the ground briefing for it yet. Mark goes first, and I wish I had, as I stare at the little card I've made up with the relevant points, and realise I've forgotten everything; we were given Ex 4 last week - a lifetime ago. I go up, and manage to stumble through vaguely OK for the four main controls; then I get on to things like effects of airspeed and disc loading on RPM, and demonstrating the freewheel when you lower the collective and so on, and it all goes totally pearshaped. But the time I finish I can barely fly, never mind think and speak at the same time. I decide this is impossible, and say to Mike that I feel as though I'll never be able to do it. I'm actually giving him the chance to tell me I'm right; I won't, and maybe I should give it up. He doesn't; he says it's always the way; people think it'll be easy, and it isn't. How do I explain that I didn't think it would be easy; I started with very little confidence, and now I have even less. Still, he hasn't thrown me out. I mess up the approach, then struggle with trying to land. Mike tells me I should be able to land by now; I tell him I agree. He tells me to look well ahead and relax, and of course that works. I remember the first day's groundschool - learning is more effective if you're relaxed and confident. Yeah, well.... We get a debrief, being told they weren't bad first efforts. A little while to recover, then finally we get to do our ground briefings. My Ex 4 goes reasonably well; Mike says he's written down that I seemed confident, and was I? I said no, but I'm good at sounding it - but it hadn't been as bad as I expected. Mark does Ex 5, then I get to do Ex 6, with no preparation, from my notes.
Ex 6 is a massive briefing anyway, and I get tied in knots, but it's not too bad. Mark then does Ex 7. I'm knackered and stressed, can't face another evening studying in my tiny bedsit, and go swimming at Andover Leisure Centre, hoping it'll help me relax. It doesn't work, and I sleep fitfully, waking up worrying about which pedal it is and which way you roll, yaw etc. I finally give up at 4 am and make some hot chocolate, eventually dozing off about 5 am. Lack of sleep won't help, but what can I do? I'm living on adrenaline, and telling myself this is not an emergency situation, it's just a bloody FI course!Friday 7th Feb
I get in, looking more brighteyed and bushytailed than I feel, after hardly any sleep but lots of black coffee. I'm first out to give back lesson 5. It's a complete fiasco. It starts bad, and gets worse. After about ten minutes I sit there, telling Mike I'm sorry, but my mind's gone completely blank and I can't remember a thing. I tell him I'll be OK; I just need a minute and I'll pull myself together, honest. On top of everything we're above broken cloud with only a few holes and I'm totally lost. Mike doesn't play amateur psychologist, thank god; he does the next bit; I say OK, I'll carry on, and tie myself in knots with what ought to be a fairly simple exercise. It's not that I can't fly and talk, as I once thought - but I can't fly and talk and think; one of the three has to go. This means if I manage to talk and demonstrate the exercise I get lost, forget carb heat, and generally act like an idiot; if I remember those things....well, you get the idea. I fly back, deciding I'll give this whole thing up, and because of that, I relax and fly like I used to rather than like the cackhanded beginner I feel like I've become. I go in, head for the loo, and burst into tears (Oh no; I've just told 60,000 people I'm not just a hopeless pilot; I'm a tearful wimp too; I'd better delete that bit!!!!!
) When Mark comes back he asks me how it went. Past caring, I tell him total cr@p would be a fair approximation, and also a classic piece of English understatement. He says his was the same; he just couldn't remember anything. I think we both feel better realising we're not alone - but not much better. Mike comes back and tells us how it should have gone; I record it for future reference ( I have a cassette recorder with me); maybe I should learn it. He says you have to know the subject inside out, and to practice on a chair with a broom handle!!! We have a break, then he tells us to do some mutual flying (we can do 5 hours each of the 30 together), teaching each other Ex 8 and 9 (hovering, takeoffs & landings). We do, and it's fun. Suddenly I get my tongue back, and my flying ability and confidence with it. I remember most of what to say, and we both have fun as the student, putting the helicopter into wonderfullly mad oscillations, while the "instructor" sees how hard it is to correct it - surprisingly easy, though we don't push it too far. We both agree that hovering with one or two controls is quite hard, especially when the "student" has the collective and pedals; it's really difficult to keep straight with the cyclic when you don't know what's happening on two controls and you can't anticipate. Anyway, we both feel better after this. Mike tells us we may as well finish early as we have long drives home and a lot of homework. I get the feeling he planned all this, that we're being ever so slightly manipulated, though I'm sure it's in a good cause. I'm reminded of what one instructor told me - that the FI course is like the Power Required curve, if you plot confidence against time. Trouble is, I'm not sure we're reached the equivalent of 53 kts yet. I meet Genghis the Engineer for lunch before driving home, and he reminds me that although I gave myself permission to fail, I didn't give myself permission to quit!!!! Sat 8th Feb
Nice to be home, but I'm knackered. Just sat in a chair trying to talk through Ex 4, 5, and 6. I can't even do it very well in a chair; no wonder I can't in the air. And to think I once got told I talked too much to be a good instructor.
More next week. Positive, reassuring, friendly comments would be warmly welcomed!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(edited mainly for typos)
Last edited by Whirlybird; 8th Feb 2003 at 19:33.
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OK. First - "publishing" all this is ultra-brave. Doing it in such an honest, open style is evn more impressive. You are having a tremendous effect on your readers. You should have had a camera following you on this course - you would have a fantastic and valuable tv documentary.
With regard to your personal challenges - all I can say is keep going. Try and relax into it even more. (Easy for me to say at my keyboard!). You know you can fly - you know how to explain it - you just need practise at being able to merge those two activities.
You've inspired me to give this course a go.
With regard to your personal challenges - all I can say is keep going. Try and relax into it even more. (Easy for me to say at my keyboard!). You know you can fly - you know how to explain it - you just need practise at being able to merge those two activities.
You've inspired me to give this course a go.
The Original Whirly
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A camera!!! Arrggggghhhhhh, no way; I'm not that brave. Relax even more????? I think I've forgotten how to. But thank you for the kind words anyway, headsethair . Can't imagine how I've inspired you to do the course though; I thought what I'd written would be more likely to put you off.
Arrggggghhhhhh, no way; I'm not that brave. Relax even more????? I think I've forgotten how to. But thank you for the kind words anyway, headsethair . Can't imagine how I've inspired you to do the course though; I thought what I'd written would be more likely to put you off.
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Whirly - Go girl.... 
great to read about your diary. I hope one day to do what your are doing. I've noticed not that many women in the "trade"...Great respect.
Good luck Whirl
lala
great to read about your diary. I hope one day to do what your are doing. I've noticed not that many women in the "trade"...Great respect.Good luck Whirl
lala
With a jammed collective, it's all very well to talk about getting speed low to start descending, but when you get close to the ground and decide to reduce the rate of descent, you have to poke the nose DOWN to build up speed - and the rate of descent gets very scary.
Keep the speed changes small and the rate of descent small, to stay close to the bottom of the drag curve.
Regarding the "Quacking" that you have to do to "Bloggs", I always found it useful to acknowledge/pretend that Bloggs had already done the preceding sequence, been debriefed on it, and had the pre-briefing for the current sequence. That way, instead of trying to explain inflow roll while you are flying, you say "OK, Bloggs, remember how we looked at inflow roll at the end of yesterday's flight? Good, so here we go..."
Or when your instructor says "Sir, can you explain dum de dum.." your reply is "Come on, Bloggs, we went through this yesterday" and you can cut out half the horsefeathers.
Keep the speed changes small and the rate of descent small, to stay close to the bottom of the drag curve.
Regarding the "Quacking" that you have to do to "Bloggs", I always found it useful to acknowledge/pretend that Bloggs had already done the preceding sequence, been debriefed on it, and had the pre-briefing for the current sequence. That way, instead of trying to explain inflow roll while you are flying, you say "OK, Bloggs, remember how we looked at inflow roll at the end of yesterday's flight? Good, so here we go..."
Or when your instructor says "Sir, can you explain dum de dum.." your reply is "Come on, Bloggs, we went through this yesterday" and you can cut out half the horsefeathers.
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Query: would it be easier after mucho study before course?
Tell us whether the following strategy would have made your CFIlife more bearable these past weeks:
I tell prospective CFI's to gather the library of relevant books in late fall, several months prior to beginning the course (assuming they're not in a tearing hurry), and to spend the grim months of winter writing their own CFI text (draft or outline or scribbled notes, it matters not).
They also should get a little mid-winter dual ground on how to write lesson plans (and Flight Instruction Breakdowns, which have for unknown reasons been discarded by the FAA since mid-70's).
They can then arrive for beginning of CFI course Already Familiar with CFI topics. Far fewer surprises in training.
Would it have helped?
I tell prospective CFI's to gather the library of relevant books in late fall, several months prior to beginning the course (assuming they're not in a tearing hurry), and to spend the grim months of winter writing their own CFI text (draft or outline or scribbled notes, it matters not).
They also should get a little mid-winter dual ground on how to write lesson plans (and Flight Instruction Breakdowns, which have for unknown reasons been discarded by the FAA since mid-70's).
They can then arrive for beginning of CFI course Already Familiar with CFI topics. Far fewer surprises in training.
Would it have helped?
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Keep your spirits up Whirly - you will get there in the end. As I very nearly followed in your footsteps, I am reading all this with fascination.
Me - I am back on fixed wing at the moment, having just bought a pocket rocket.
Good luck
Me - I am back on fixed wing at the moment, having just bought a pocket rocket.
Good luck
The Original Whirly
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I found an Internet cafe in Andover!
pa42,
Some study beforehand would definitely have helped. However, Life took over. I hadn't planned to do this course till the spring, then I unexpectedly had the money, and Mike Green had another student. Could I start now? Yes, I could, but I had work to catch up on and finish, domestic responsibilities to sort out if I was to spend 5 weeks 200 miles from home, and I needed another 5 hours flight time. Study went by the board. I managed a little left seat practice, which helped, but more of anything would have been a good idea. So, anyway....
Monday 10th Feb
Mike is full of cold, and I feel like I'm getting one. We fly anyway, while the wx is OK - giving back Ex 6 in the air. I have practised on the ground over the weekend, and it's better than last week, though still not good. Mike asks me what mark I'd give myself out of 10; I say 4-5, and he agrees. Mark does it, and says things are getting worse; he just couldn't remember it all. Then we give back Ex 7 - basic autos. Well, I can't even do the damn things, never mind talk and do them. I'm sure we never did 180 degree autos at this point in my PPL training, but they do here, and I mess mine up. I'm out of practice; how can I be otherwise when self fly hire people can't practise them solo. Mike says I'm having to concentrate too much on the flying, and looking too much inside, and he suspects my early training was at fault. this doesn't help, since I'm obsessed anyway with the fact that my early training was cra....OK, let's be nice and say it left a lot to be desired. Anyway, we come in, and I feel better. Not for any good reason; I'm just fed up with beating myself up, and I don't really care any more. Mark comes back, and says his giving back was the being given the lesson all over again. We are becoming friends, both admitting we'd felt like giving up this week, complaining at how incredibly hard it is, etc. Then we give back less 10 - transitions. For those who've forgotten, you don't lift into the hover, point where you want to go, and go; you lift into the hover011, check everything, raise the lever so you don't descend, put in left cyclic to correct for inflow roll, push through flapback, push through translational lift, then right cyclic and pedal to correct for left roll and yaw, ease back the cyclic at 47 kts (not 45), then at 60 kts select your accelerative attitude and 23" MAP, all the while looking well ahead. I've probably missed something out. Anyway, amazingly enough, it starts to go quite well. I have fun demonstrating inflow roll and taking us round in a big circle, then climbing to show flapback, and so on. Mike even says it's quite good...then jumps on me for forgetting to correct for inflow roll when I talk about translational lift. Remember this is all happening at once, almost. Then we do the transition from forward flight to the hover, and again, it isn't bad. I come back in, finally seeing a glimmer of light at the end of this long dark tunnel. Mike is quite enthusiastic, but says I need to improve my flying, and we both need to...can't remember, do lots I think, but it's beginning to seem possible, just. Home and bed at 8pm; I'm definitely getting a cold.
Tuesday 11th Feb
Wx is cr@p. Mike is off to Wales; I'm full of cold. We give each other briefings all morning, then do mutual flying in the afternoon - Ex 13 & 134 - backwards and sideways hovering and spot turns. It's fun, and getting easier. We pack it in early, as vis is so bad we can hardly see to hover taxi. I need another early night, but things are definitely beginning to look up.
Some study beforehand would definitely have helped. However, Life took over. I hadn't planned to do this course till the spring, then I unexpectedly had the money, and Mike Green had another student. Could I start now? Yes, I could, but I had work to catch up on and finish, domestic responsibilities to sort out if I was to spend 5 weeks 200 miles from home, and I needed another 5 hours flight time. Study went by the board. I managed a little left seat practice, which helped, but more of anything would have been a good idea. So, anyway....
Monday 10th Feb
Mike is full of cold, and I feel like I'm getting one. We fly anyway, while the wx is OK - giving back Ex 6 in the air. I have practised on the ground over the weekend, and it's better than last week, though still not good. Mike asks me what mark I'd give myself out of 10; I say 4-5, and he agrees. Mark does it, and says things are getting worse; he just couldn't remember it all. Then we give back Ex 7 - basic autos. Well, I can't even do the damn things, never mind talk and do them. I'm sure we never did 180 degree autos at this point in my PPL training, but they do here, and I mess mine up. I'm out of practice; how can I be otherwise when self fly hire people can't practise them solo. Mike says I'm having to concentrate too much on the flying, and looking too much inside, and he suspects my early training was at fault. this doesn't help, since I'm obsessed anyway with the fact that my early training was cra....OK, let's be nice and say it left a lot to be desired. Anyway, we come in, and I feel better. Not for any good reason; I'm just fed up with beating myself up, and I don't really care any more. Mark comes back, and says his giving back was the being given the lesson all over again. We are becoming friends, both admitting we'd felt like giving up this week, complaining at how incredibly hard it is, etc. Then we give back less 10 - transitions. For those who've forgotten, you don't lift into the hover, point where you want to go, and go; you lift into the hover011, check everything, raise the lever so you don't descend, put in left cyclic to correct for inflow roll, push through flapback, push through translational lift, then right cyclic and pedal to correct for left roll and yaw, ease back the cyclic at 47 kts (not 45), then at 60 kts select your accelerative attitude and 23" MAP, all the while looking well ahead. I've probably missed something out. Anyway, amazingly enough, it starts to go quite well. I have fun demonstrating inflow roll and taking us round in a big circle, then climbing to show flapback, and so on. Mike even says it's quite good...then jumps on me for forgetting to correct for inflow roll when I talk about translational lift. Remember this is all happening at once, almost. Then we do the transition from forward flight to the hover, and again, it isn't bad. I come back in, finally seeing a glimmer of light at the end of this long dark tunnel. Mike is quite enthusiastic, but says I need to improve my flying, and we both need to...can't remember, do lots I think, but it's beginning to seem possible, just. Home and bed at 8pm; I'm definitely getting a cold.
Tuesday 11th Feb
Wx is cr@p. Mike is off to Wales; I'm full of cold. We give each other briefings all morning, then do mutual flying in the afternoon - Ex 13 & 134 - backwards and sideways hovering and spot turns. It's fun, and getting easier. We pack it in early, as vis is so bad we can hardly see to hover taxi. I need another early night, but things are definitely beginning to look up.
Apache for HEMS - Strafe those Survivors!
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good luck with the course,
just out of interest and for something of a comparison, the UK military Central Flying School helicopter instructors course lasts 3 to 4 months, includes 4 weeks of solid ground school (that must be at least 125 hours although it feels like a lot more) and 80 hours of flying, AND at the end the CAA won't recognise the qualification until you've done a couple of hundred hours of military instructing and that has to be on a type on the civil register.
They won't even recognise a Squirrel rating gained through the military until you have 800+ hours as it hasn't been gained with a TRTO!
just out of interest and for something of a comparison, the UK military Central Flying School helicopter instructors course lasts 3 to 4 months, includes 4 weeks of solid ground school (that must be at least 125 hours although it feels like a lot more) and 80 hours of flying, AND at the end the CAA won't recognise the qualification until you've done a couple of hundred hours of military instructing and that has to be on a type on the civil register.
They won't even recognise a Squirrel rating gained through the military until you have 800+ hours as it hasn't been gained with a TRTO!
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Wed 12th Feb
Crap vis and low cloud, so no flying, but maybe just as well, as I have a bad cold and a pounding headache that pain killers won't seem to shift. I carry on anyway; at least we're on the ground. We get given briefings for Ex 17 and 18 - Advanced autos and Forced Landings. We've missed out Vortex Ring because Mike says it's easy, and Engine Off Landings so we can get lots of practice on those later. We get asked to prepare lesson plans on Pressure Instruments and Piston Engines, and give those. Wx improves in the afternoon, but we still don't fly, and to be honest I don't think I should. I go to bed at 8 pm.
Thur 13th Feb
We get given precision transitions and quickstops in the air. I'm looking forward to it - but it's a disaster. I can't seem to concentrate - Mike says something and I've forgotten it a few seconds later - and my co-ordination seems to have gone completely. By the end of the session Mike is obviously frustrated and I've reached my lowest point ever. He leaves me to shut down, and I decide I'm packing it in. However, by the time I've finished shutting down, I realise that if I do that, I'll spend the rest of my life wondering if maybe I could have managed it. OK, I think, it's only two weeks out of my life. Though if they throw me out I'll be almost relieved. Next we get out of wind operations, which goes better. In the afternoon Mark and I get to teach each other the same exercises. I tell him he needs to teach me downwind quickstops for real! He does, and then I help him with downwind transitions to the hover, which I find easy. But I still seem to have zero confidence. The trouble is, confidence is a bit like rotor RPM - if it gets too low it's hard to get it back at all. If you start at 100% it's OK, but mine started pretty low (a common female problem), and it's now been around the 75-80% mark for too long. I'm trying to do the mental equivalent of flaring like mad - but it's not working very well. Anyway, when we leave Mark and I go into Andover for coffee - we're fed up with studying in bedsit and caravan respectively. I still have a cold and my headache's coming back.
Friday 14th Feb
I wake up feeling terrified that we're going to be given advanced autos, and convinced I'll never cope. Part of this is realistic - I never did 360 degree autos or zero speed autos for my PPL, and have only had them demonstrated since, though they're on the PPL syllabus. I'm getting less and less impressed with my first flying school and instructor. I still don't feel that great, but I make what feels like a superhuman effort, and it doesn't go too badly. But as we turn to hover taxi back, I just can't do it. It's like my brain disconnects from my hands and feet, and I feel completely disorientated. I tell Mike, and he brings us back. I go in and rest, wondering what on earth is wrong with me. In the afternoon we get given limited power; I usually find this easy, but I seem to have ground to a halt. I finally tell Mike I've had this bad cold, and I think that's what accounts for my lack of coordination and complete inability to fly. We try for a bit longer, then he finally says gently that I'm obviously not with it, and to go home and rest. I still feel really depressed at the whole thing, and far too exhausted to drive home to North Wales. I meet Genghis the Engineer for coffee, and he tells me to just do the course; if anyone thinks I can't do it they'll tell me soon enough. He also says even a cold will really degrade your flying ability. It finally gets through to me that I'm ill, tired, and not thinking clearly. I drive home, and - miraculously - things suddenly start looking better. I read this thread, and realise my feeling down and lack of flying ability exactly coincided with my getting a cold. Er...I think I learned something this week.
Saturday 15th Feb
I drive into Chester to get my Class 1 medical back - I'd let it lapse, and I need it before I can get this rating. I'm wondering how I got in such a weird mental state over the past few days, and feeling rather stupid about my over-reactions. I decide to post about it anyway, if only to remind myself, and maybe others, of the possible effects of flying with a cold, and...well, anything else useful that anyone can gain from it.
More next week...and I've got a feeling things are going to get better.
Crap vis and low cloud, so no flying, but maybe just as well, as I have a bad cold and a pounding headache that pain killers won't seem to shift. I carry on anyway; at least we're on the ground. We get given briefings for Ex 17 and 18 - Advanced autos and Forced Landings. We've missed out Vortex Ring because Mike says it's easy, and Engine Off Landings so we can get lots of practice on those later. We get asked to prepare lesson plans on Pressure Instruments and Piston Engines, and give those. Wx improves in the afternoon, but we still don't fly, and to be honest I don't think I should. I go to bed at 8 pm.
Thur 13th Feb
We get given precision transitions and quickstops in the air. I'm looking forward to it - but it's a disaster. I can't seem to concentrate - Mike says something and I've forgotten it a few seconds later - and my co-ordination seems to have gone completely. By the end of the session Mike is obviously frustrated and I've reached my lowest point ever. He leaves me to shut down, and I decide I'm packing it in. However, by the time I've finished shutting down, I realise that if I do that, I'll spend the rest of my life wondering if maybe I could have managed it. OK, I think, it's only two weeks out of my life. Though if they throw me out I'll be almost relieved. Next we get out of wind operations, which goes better. In the afternoon Mark and I get to teach each other the same exercises. I tell him he needs to teach me downwind quickstops for real! He does, and then I help him with downwind transitions to the hover, which I find easy. But I still seem to have zero confidence. The trouble is, confidence is a bit like rotor RPM - if it gets too low it's hard to get it back at all. If you start at 100% it's OK, but mine started pretty low (a common female problem), and it's now been around the 75-80% mark for too long.
I'm trying to do the mental equivalent of flaring like mad - but it's not working very well. Anyway, when we leave Mark and I go into Andover for coffee - we're fed up with studying in bedsit and caravan respectively. I still have a cold and my headache's coming back.Friday 14th Feb
I wake up feeling terrified that we're going to be given advanced autos, and convinced I'll never cope. Part of this is realistic - I never did 360 degree autos or zero speed autos for my PPL, and have only had them demonstrated since, though they're on the PPL syllabus. I'm getting less and less impressed with my first flying school and instructor. I still don't feel that great, but I make what feels like a superhuman effort, and it doesn't go too badly. But as we turn to hover taxi back, I just can't do it. It's like my brain disconnects from my hands and feet, and I feel completely disorientated. I tell Mike, and he brings us back. I go in and rest, wondering what on earth is wrong with me. In the afternoon we get given limited power; I usually find this easy, but I seem to have ground to a halt. I finally tell Mike I've had this bad cold, and I think that's what accounts for my lack of coordination and complete inability to fly. We try for a bit longer, then he finally says gently that I'm obviously not with it, and to go home and rest. I still feel really depressed at the whole thing, and far too exhausted to drive home to North Wales. I meet Genghis the Engineer for coffee, and he tells me to just do the course; if anyone thinks I can't do it they'll tell me soon enough. He also says even a cold will really degrade your flying ability. It finally gets through to me that I'm ill, tired, and not thinking clearly. I drive home, and - miraculously - things suddenly start looking better. I read this thread, and realise my feeling down and lack of flying ability exactly coincided with my getting a cold. Er...I think I learned something this week.
Saturday 15th Feb
I drive into Chester to get my Class 1 medical back - I'd let it lapse, and I need it before I can get this rating. I'm wondering how I got in such a weird mental state over the past few days, and feeling rather stupid about my over-reactions. I decide to post about it anyway, if only to remind myself, and maybe others, of the possible effects of flying with a cold, and...well, anything else useful that anyone can gain from it.
More next week...and I've got a feeling things are going to get better.
Cool as a moosp
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Ghengis is very right. "Even" a cold will really degrade your flying ability. I've spent twenty odd years telling anyone who will listen that they should not fly with a cold.
But then your company "suggests" that for your future employment prospects you go flying and you do, and you perform way below your ability and you go home feeling worse. Or at the private flying level on a perfect evening you take the machine out of the hangar for a sunset flight, and you screw up. There is always a reason.
Hopefully this is a good lesson for you as a future instructor (We read your mails, we know you'll get there...) that if you have a trainee with a cold, send them home. At best it will be a poor lesson and you'll catch the cold- at worst they'll do something out of character and catch you out.
My 2c's
But then your company "suggests" that for your future employment prospects you go flying and you do, and you perform way below your ability and you go home feeling worse. Or at the private flying level on a perfect evening you take the machine out of the hangar for a sunset flight, and you screw up. There is always a reason.
Hopefully this is a good lesson for you as a future instructor (We read your mails, we know you'll get there...) that if you have a trainee with a cold, send them home. At best it will be a poor lesson and you'll catch the cold- at worst they'll do something out of character and catch you out.
My 2c's
High Flying Bird
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Sorry for invading the heli forums...
As I said to Whirly over the weekend, yes a cold can really knock you and you don't realise. I had quite a nasty cold/tonsilitis the week before my driving test. There is quite a tricky double roundabout which I couldn't get into my head at all. The only thing I needed to remember was to get straight into the left hand lane, from the middle lane, when going straight on... and I couldn't do it. And I drove straight past a light-controlled crossing and couldn't remember what colour they had been. I cancelled my test, got over the cold, and could drive again.
I've never flown with a cold, as I remember how difficult the driving was, and even flying planks takes a lot more coordination. I can't even begin to imagine how one would hope to hover when feeling muzzy in the head.
Whirly, the worst that's going to happen is you might take longer on the course. You're a good pilot, and you know it. You have the ability to give confidence to people, which is a rare quality, and vital in a good instructor. The natural abilities are there, and the rest will come with time. Stick with it, and go easy on yourself.
As I said to Whirly over the weekend, yes a cold can really knock you and you don't realise. I had quite a nasty cold/tonsilitis the week before my driving test. There is quite a tricky double roundabout which I couldn't get into my head at all. The only thing I needed to remember was to get straight into the left hand lane, from the middle lane, when going straight on... and I couldn't do it. And I drove straight past a light-controlled crossing and couldn't remember what colour they had been. I cancelled my test, got over the cold, and could drive again.
I've never flown with a cold, as I remember how difficult the driving was, and even flying planks takes a lot more coordination. I can't even begin to imagine how one would hope to hover when feeling muzzy in the head.
Whirly, the worst that's going to happen is you might take longer on the course. You're a good pilot, and you know it. You have the ability to give confidence to people, which is a rare quality, and vital in a good instructor. The natural abilities are there, and the rest will come with time. Stick with it, and go easy on yourself.
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A world apart? I think not!
Whirly;
Firstly I would like to thank you for your courage in sharing such personal and intense experiences with the "world" beyond your keystrokes.
As I read through your trials I am reminded of the length and scope of our 'profession'. I am at this business now for 35 years. I have had the 'pleasure' and the 'pain' of near 20K flight hours. I have been an instructor and a student throughout most of those years. One of the most critical elements a professional instructor soon accepts is that you will learn and hopefully improve with each and every student you have the 'privilege' of metting. It's how we all maintain a positive dynamic in a job which demands constant attention to the rote repetition of the most mundane minutiae.
Hopefully you will be cheered to know that the degree and depth of your 'self-criticism' is common to most serious students of MOI. It is indeed a constant struggle to fly and talk your way through that 'perfect' period of instruction. As soon as you begin to approach that lofty goal, as you have already sagely noted, the student's needs intrude and back you go to that 'mental drawing board'.
You have made significant strides along the path to your FI rating. As you are deep within the process yourself, you will not appreciate the self perception and insight your diary has offered to those of us reading from afar. The flying portions will merge in a somewhat magical fashion with those verbal tasks you are presently finding so daunting. Trust me, it just happens and on a bright day, coming soon to your studies, you will find that 'point in space' with your hands and with your mind simultaneously.
Then perhaps those who cautioned you about your capacity to swamp your students with words and confidence and keen insight will be proven correct. You will make the best kind of FI, one who cares about this profession, AND her students.
Now step outside your fear and anxiety; just relax and remember this is not only where you want to be, but as all the old guys on this forum will tell you, if pressed hard enough, it's not only FUN but they pay you for it as well!
ALL the best,
K
Firstly I would like to thank you for your courage in sharing such personal and intense experiences with the "world" beyond your keystrokes.
As I read through your trials I am reminded of the length and scope of our 'profession'. I am at this business now for 35 years. I have had the 'pleasure' and the 'pain' of near 20K flight hours. I have been an instructor and a student throughout most of those years. One of the most critical elements a professional instructor soon accepts is that you will learn and hopefully improve with each and every student you have the 'privilege' of metting. It's how we all maintain a positive dynamic in a job which demands constant attention to the rote repetition of the most mundane minutiae.
Hopefully you will be cheered to know that the degree and depth of your 'self-criticism' is common to most serious students of MOI. It is indeed a constant struggle to fly and talk your way through that 'perfect' period of instruction. As soon as you begin to approach that lofty goal, as you have already sagely noted, the student's needs intrude and back you go to that 'mental drawing board'.
You have made significant strides along the path to your FI rating. As you are deep within the process yourself, you will not appreciate the self perception and insight your diary has offered to those of us reading from afar. The flying portions will merge in a somewhat magical fashion with those verbal tasks you are presently finding so daunting. Trust me, it just happens and on a bright day, coming soon to your studies, you will find that 'point in space' with your hands and with your mind simultaneously.
Then perhaps those who cautioned you about your capacity to swamp your students with words and confidence and keen insight will be proven correct. You will make the best kind of FI, one who cares about this profession, AND her students.
Now step outside your fear and anxiety; just relax and remember this is not only where you want to be, but as all the old guys on this forum will tell you, if pressed hard enough, it's not only FUN but they pay you for it as well!
ALL the best,
K
High Flying Bird
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Nr Fairy - You being a bloke probably has nothing to do with it. You know Whirly, she treats people as individuals, and makes no assumptions based on stereotypes.
I think she does believe you, and everyone else, but is finding it more of a challenge than she expected.
(Sorry Whirls, I don't mean to make this sound like we're talking about you behind your back!)
There being only one other person doing the course it must be difficult to gauge how you're doing. If you read through the responses on this thread though, everyone has similar experiences.
And Whirly, if you come back to your house before Friday night I'll lock you out and make you go straight back.
I think she does believe you, and everyone else, but is finding it more of a challenge than she expected.
(Sorry Whirls, I don't mean to make this sound like we're talking about you behind your back!)
There being only one other person doing the course it must be difficult to gauge how you're doing. If you read through the responses on this thread though, everyone has similar experiences.
And Whirly, if you come back to your house before Friday night I'll lock you out and make you go straight back.
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Aerbabe, Nuada, NR Fairy, thank you so so much. You've no idea how much it helps to have people to help me get things in perspective. Especially now, when the one other person on this course is finding it easier than I am, obviously doing better than I am, and actually enjoying it. It shouldn't matter, it's not a race, but it's still hard to accept. Anyway, enough whinging; on to the diary...
Mon 17th Feb
We don't start till 2pm; Mike is renewing his instructor's rating, examiner's rating, and everything else. We get given Ex 18, Forced Landings. Despite the fact that I find anything to do with autos difficult and scary, I actually enjoy it. I've never been taught it so well, being shown how to slow down to get into a field, much easier than doing innumerable S bends. This is useful stuff, for ME. I feel good at the end, and wonder if I've turned the corner so far as this course is concerned.
Tues 18th Feb
We give back Ex 17, Advanced Autos I feel semi-confident, but very determined. It starts off OK...but gets very rapidly worse. The datum one goes OK, my range auto isn't bad, but the extended range with RPM at 90% scares me and my flying shows it. I do it twice, and it's marginally better. Then comes constant attitude, low (zero) airspeed, and 360 degree turns. All of these I only learned on this course, and they don't go well...or if they do I forget to talk or call rate of descent angle of descent or something stupid. I don't feel that bad however. On the way back Mike gives me a practise engine failure; I make me field, and he says fine, but as a potential instructor he'd expect something of a Mayday call, and to tell my passenger to brace. All I hear is "potential instructor" - he thinks I might make it, wow!!! Next we have to give back forced landings and this gets rapidly more and more ragged. I'm getting tired, losing confidence, the more I do that the more my flying goes; I see it all happening but whatever I do to turn it around doesn't help. Mike's comments on the debrief, making it clear - as nicely as possible - that Mark is doing better than I am, make me feel worse. Then we give back Ex 25 - Limited Power. By this time I seem to hardly be able to fly, and I finally say to Mike that the trouble is I've lost confidence completely, and I don't know how the hell to get it back. He says to stop since I'm not thinking clearly. Oh well, I guess we can do it again. Mark flies, then Mike tells us to plan a nav for tomorrow. This I can do, I hope. I come into Andover to an internet cafe as I need a break!!!!!
Aerbabe, I'm not giving up; if I do I'll spend my whole life wondering if I could have made it. If I carry on, pass or fail, I'll know.
Mon 17th Feb
We don't start till 2pm; Mike is renewing his instructor's rating, examiner's rating, and everything else. We get given Ex 18, Forced Landings. Despite the fact that I find anything to do with autos difficult and scary, I actually enjoy it. I've never been taught it so well, being shown how to slow down to get into a field, much easier than doing innumerable S bends. This is useful stuff, for ME. I feel good at the end, and wonder if I've turned the corner so far as this course is concerned.
Tues 18th Feb
We give back Ex 17, Advanced Autos
I feel semi-confident, but very determined. It starts off OK...but gets very rapidly worse. The datum one goes OK, my range auto isn't bad, but the extended range with RPM at 90% scares me and my flying shows it. I do it twice, and it's marginally better. Then comes constant attitude, low (zero) airspeed, and 360 degree turns. All of these I only learned on this course, and they don't go well...or if they do I forget to talk or call rate of descent angle of descent or something stupid. I don't feel that bad however. On the way back Mike gives me a practise engine failure; I make me field, and he says fine, but as a potential instructor he'd expect something of a Mayday call, and to tell my passenger to brace. All I hear is "potential instructor" - he thinks I might make it, wow!!! Next we have to give back forced landings and this gets rapidly more and more ragged. I'm getting tired, losing confidence, the more I do that the more my flying goes; I see it all happening but whatever I do to turn it around doesn't help. Mike's comments on the debrief, making it clear - as nicely as possible - that Mark is doing better than I am, make me feel worse. Then we give back Ex 25 - Limited Power. By this time I seem to hardly be able to fly, and I finally say to Mike that the trouble is I've lost confidence completely, and I don't know how the hell to get it back. He says to stop since I'm not thinking clearly. Oh well, I guess we can do it again. Mark flies, then Mike tells us to plan a nav for tomorrow. This I can do, I hope. I come into Andover to an internet cafe as I need a break!!!!!Aerbabe, I'm not giving up; if I do I'll spend my whole life wondering if I could have made it. If I carry on, pass or fail, I'll know.
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Instructing autos
Hi Whirly
I'm continuously amazed at your enthusiasm for spending money on helicopter flying when you have a perfectly good career!!!!
After 41 years it's still surprising how much I don't know and haven't for one reason or another not learnt. I think these days I'm forgetting faster than learning!!
However here's one tip for when you start teaching your new students autos to the ground. A very light weight friend, about 120 lbs, had a very large student, about 225 lbs, and extremely strong. On every auto in a Sikorsky 55, the student pulled the collective up too soon and the instructor did not have the strength to overide him. Finally he slackened off his seat belt and sat on the collective. Despite giving a verbal brief on the way down, the student still had the strength to lift the collective and nearly put the instructor through the top window!
Moral of the story------watch out for big strong students!!!
I'm continuously amazed at your enthusiasm for spending money on helicopter flying when you have a perfectly good career!!!!
After 41 years it's still surprising how much I don't know and haven't for one reason or another not learnt. I think these days I'm forgetting faster than learning!!
However here's one tip for when you start teaching your new students autos to the ground. A very light weight friend, about 120 lbs, had a very large student, about 225 lbs, and extremely strong. On every auto in a Sikorsky 55, the student pulled the collective up too soon and the instructor did not have the strength to overide him. Finally he slackened off his seat belt and sat on the collective. Despite giving a verbal brief on the way down, the student still had the strength to lift the collective and nearly put the instructor through the top window!
Moral of the story------watch out for big strong students!!!
