Instructors

[1toB]

After having several instructors, including one absolutely amazing one and before that a poor one, I now have another instructor.

The previous one to him was absolutely amazing, I mean teaching me bits to CPL level even though I'm only doing PPL at the moment and he just seemed to have something special, now I have flown with this new instructor twice and I don't know whether it is just me expecting to much but he doesn't seem to be any where near as good.

So how can I tell, what sort of things should I ask in order to check this?

Please give me some advice,
1toB

[Kermit 180]

I find that instructors who have been doing the job for a while do a better job all round. Its hard for a new instructor to feel their way around, and they may be too inexperienced to apply 'extras' (for want of a better word) into the curriculum. If its a personality thing, youre best to find another one. It might even be that your new instructor is just hour building, in which case their focus may be more on their own total time rather than the quality of your training. A shame, but this sort of behaviour is out there.

All the best for the rest of your training.

Kermie

[1toB]

Thanks for the advice Kermie,
I'm glad someone understands.
1toB

[chicken6]

Good questions to ask this person might include where do you see yourself in three/five years time/ten years/thirty years? If they are reasonably serious instructors they will probably be around for three years, although the harsh facts are that most will not be around for ten years, especially if youngish, simply because the pay is shocking at the entry levels. You could also ask them how long have they been flying/instructing for, this would give you an idea of their maturity as a pilot, and you can judge for yourself their maturity as a person.

Sometimes however the instructor/student combination doesn't work, and nobody knows why. I found when I was learning that each instructor (and I had six by my PPL) had their own little hand signals which they expected me to interpret from step one. This obviously couldn't happen, so I got frustrated with each one until I got one for three lessons in a row and she then took me for the rest of my PPL right through to multi-engine instrument rating. So my advice as "sometimes-the-good-one-and-sometimes-the-bad-instructor" of two years going on four years instruction time is stick it out with one instructor for another couple of lessons, and don't be afraid to tell them what you don't like about their instruction! Students keeping quiet on us makes it impossible to function properly because we need feedback to adjust to your needs.

Also, try putting somthing in the Instructors forum, it's getting a bit empty!

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Confident, cocky, lazy, dead.

[SteveR]

I had eleven instructors for my PPL.

Although there were differences between each, and I 'liked' some more than others, and some gave me a harder time than others, I don't think I could say that any one was better than the others - I don't think I'm qualified to comment.

After one flight with a new instructor, I *did* feel a bit hard done by. It was an early nav flight and he was so laid back, and after the flight I was so 'un-frazzled' that I didn't think I'd had my money's worth. Later that evening, in the bath, little things he'd said kept popping into my conciousness and I realised that I'd learned just as much new stuff as usual.

If you know exactly what it is that you don't know and want to be taught - then I guess you can decide if he/she's any good.

I suspect that there might just be a little less chemistry between you and this instructor, and you're enjoying it less as a result. This is a perfectly valid reason to talk to the school and ask for a different one - if it's not a laugh then there's no point in doing it.

Steve R


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JAR-PPL EGTO
View my logbook, back up your own:
http://www.e-logbooks.co.uk

[This message has been edited by SteveR (edited 02 July 2001).]

[Final 3 Greens]

1toB

I sympathise with your position, as it is very difficult to criticise someone with a higher level of knowledge than oneself.

Firstly, what is the flying club policy about instructors; do they allocate them on a "taxi rank" basis - e.g. whoever is available or if not how is it done? Does this system suit you?

Secondly, you could consider changing to a training organisation who will allocate on istructor to you for as long as feasible, i.e. they sometimes leave or take holidays.

Thirdly, have you considered that the FI may find you difficult to cope with and this may be affecting his performance - FIs are humnan too (or so they tell me!)? No criticism of you implied, but you may be challenging him in a way that makes him uncomfortable - e.g. your have been encouraged to think CPL by your former instructor and this may be a new experience for your new FI.

I am minded to suggest that you join AOPA (if not already a member - its free for students or used to be) and have a chat with them. They are very experienced and sensible people and will be able to offer your a higher level of guidance than me.

Good luck with the rest of your course.

F3G

[This message has been edited by Final 3 Greens (edited 02 July 2001).]

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

Simply find out how long they have been instructing.

When I looked back on my first 6 months I shuddered at how cack handed I was at the beginning, after the first year I looked back at me with 6 months and marvelled at how little I knew, after 2 years I realised there was a lot more to instructing than meets the eye, when I finally left instructing this year after 5 years and being an Approved IRI I *knew* how much I still had to learn...

So if they say 6 weeks perhaps its time to gently make your excuses.

However. To blow all that out of the water I would say that boredom and contempt for the job are the root cause why so many instructors give very poor tuition and at least your green but keen new starter avoids this.

Good luck,

WWW

[Balance!]

WWW
Aren't you somewhat making this a catch 22 situation.
If students blow out low instructor time/experience instructors, how do some of us low instructor time/experience instuctors get the hours and experience to become high instructor time/experience instructors. :)
I'd agree with your sentiments to an extent but some of us do it for the love of flying. There is some truth in your post but equally (having been around flying for 22 years) I've met a good number of high time/experience instructors that I wouldn't recommend to my worst enemy.

[This message has been edited by Balance! (edited 04 July 2001).]

[Whirlybird]

Having done both a PPL(A) and PPL(H) I've flown with both good and bad instructors. How long they had been instructing didn't have that much to do with it; some newish instructors are first rate, and some experienced ones on such an ego trip that they refuse to treat students as individuals. Their enthusiasm or lack of it for the job was important, but even that wasn't the whole answer. I kept thinking I was getting better at deciding who was good and who wasn't, but it wasn't that easy; it's very hard to tell. Personality clashes in the air can be disastrous, and it's not worth sticking with someone you don't get on with. Other than that, if you aren't getting on, change. It's your money and your choice; always remember that.

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Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.

[Yogi-Bear]

I can't wait until you're an instructor, Whirly. ;)

[Balance!]

Whoa, steady on Yogi........

[Whirlybird]

Yogi,

I hope I've at least learned what NOT to do. We'll see...

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Whirly

To fly is human, to hover, divine.