At the school he was at, the students were mostly from overseas, many of them insist on calling you sir.
Ahhh, the penny droppeth!
Would this be from a culture overly reliant upon deference, that does so much damage to the concept of CRM & MCC, so vital to in-flight safety?
I expect my students to speak up if they feel something isn't right. I've currently got 12 students myself who aspire to careers as airline pilots. Though it's sometimes a bit embarrassing, I welcome feedback on my own performance from them, especially if it serves as a useful learning point. I hope that they respect me for my desire to share my knowledge with them rather than any 'authority' that I might appear to represent.
TheOddOne