My first instructing job was when I was hired to help teach a class of Air Cadets on their sponsored 6 week PPL,s. I had three students, the best was a young women who was a natural pilot if somewhat strong minded. The worst part of the course is the fact that if all students start at the same time everyone winds up
in the circuit at the same time which made life very hard for ATC. The young women soloed first and was doing well . A few days later I sent her off on solo circuits while I continued to fly dual circuits with my poorest student. The circuit got busier and busier and then the poor controller got the order of the planes mixed up. Confusion reined untill he finally did a roll call and got everybody sorted out, the only problem was my girl. She was now on an about a 10 mile extended downwind. The controller somewhat crossly said " I thought I told you to turn base " . Her reply was " I won't turn base untill you get your SH-- together ! " The ensuing stunned silence from ATC was broken by her next transmission , when she added " My instructor ( giving my full name ) warned me about you guys !!!."
Over 1000 hours of instruction for the PPL/CPL produced no scarey momments . Training for the multi rating sure did though. I had one student so mishandle a engine failure in the overshoot exercise that he stalled the airplane ( a PA34 ) which immediately snap rolled. When I took over we were inverted with a 40 deg nose down attitude. I recovered by pulling through in a split S . If I had not insisted on a minimum of 4000 feet AGL before these exercises I would not have survived the flight. Another student got the black and blue knobs confused on short final and pulled both prop levers into the feather position. I was able to smash both props to full fine just in time.
