To Brief or not to Brief?

[QNIM]

I have been informed by some disgruntled students
that some unprofessional flying schools aren't
giving pre and post flight briefs as they aren't
being payed for this service.
Whats going on out there? :mad:

[PILOTGAL]

Speaking as a student pilot, if my school started doing that (or stopped doing that, depends on which way you look at it!) I'd pack up my log book and headset and go find another flying school quick smart.

Not doing pre/post flight briefings or worse, charging extra for them, is in my books, morally reprehensible.

How do such schools expect to stay in business?!:eek:

[john_tullamarine]

.. some thoughts ..

(a) you get what you pay for ... pay peanuts and you get monkeys

(b) if the reasonable cost of the briefings is not covered by the dual loading then you will either

(i) get a lower standard of instructor capability and knowledge ... often with a far lower experience level (as the more knowledgeable and competent people will be doing something else where the rewards are appropriate), or

(ii) get shortchanged in the briefing as the instructor seeks to minimise the time spent with the student.

Doesn't matter whether you pay for the briefing and flying together or separately .. but if you don't pay one way or another ... then it is quite unreasonable to expect much in the way of briefing service or quality .. if you are lucky enough to have an instructor who does it for the love of the trade ... then you are very fortunate ..

[Bunglerat]

Pilotgal, we Instructors are supposedly highly skilled professionals who, in an ideal world, would be charging top dollar for our services. Of course, learning to fly is not an essential item in life, like renting/buying a home, or car, or paying medical bills etc. If you never learn to fly in your entire life, you are no worse off for it. But like used car salesmen, too many flying schools are flogging a product that many people don't need, and even more can't afford. Here's where the corner-cutting starts from the word Go.

This may sound very cheesy, but for the first few years on the job, I would often go above and beyond what was required of me when assisting students. To my own financial detriment, I spent whatever extra time was needed to help students (and it was often considerable), because I was genuinely interested in their welfare and figured that if I went the extra mile I would be appreciated for my efforts. And I was - most of the time. But... These days I have a mortgage, a couple of kids in school, and as much as I still love my flying, as much as I still have a genuine care for my students' progress - I don't need the love anymore, I need the $$$! I went the extra mile out of consideration, but in doing so set a precedent where some students would begin to take my time for granted and abuse the privilege. These days I take the view that if they need assistance with anything directly relating to the flight, they only have to pay the standard dual rate for the flying. On the other hand, if they want to tie me up for two hours after 6pm when I could be home doing other things and spending quality time with the family, the rate is $XX.XX per hour, and the clock starts ticking now. Go make an appointment with your accountant or lawyer or GP, and they'll bill you for the same. Why should my professional time be any less valued?

[axiom]

As Ops manager for a mid Qld Aero club, and always looking for ways to lower prices of contracted out flying traing, I had a thing about doing pre shutdown magneto checks, ( seems like it was to even out the Hobbs meter) and to the students disadvantage.

I was quiet vocal about it.

Years later in the "Never Never", I landed my trusty steed and about 3 days later when I wanted to go home, I found one mag dead. Apparantly failed in flight and I didn't know anything about it until restart.

Cost me heaps getting a LAME to the scene to get things right and thereafter thought there are always two sides to a story.

If I had done a simple pre shutdown mag check, the situation may not have been as it was and,,,,,, quiet frankly, I "did contemplate taking off on one and compromise safety.

I was 4000ft up in the hills and on a short strip.

Glad that sanity prevailed.

[QNIM]

Seems all posts are positive so far thought I would get someone defending themself. Bunglerat
I wasn't talking about after hours I think thats
quite justified. Cheers Q

[Aussiebert]

i've found, even at the one school, it varies a lot.

Depending on which instructor, how busy they are, when they last had time to eat, etc

I don't book in with instructors who don't give pre flight briefs. I'm paying to learn how to fly, not to sit in an aircraft. My beleif is that the air is for practical, the ground is for theoretical.

A pre flight breif should, at a minimuym, be where the student and instuctor go though the purpose of the flight. Even if it only takes a few minutes, theres no reason to fly if there is no purpose to the flight.

As for post flight briefs, i think they are just as important. At a minimum you should be made aware of what you should do next, what to focus on and any feedback, good or bad.

If an instructor doesn't think these are needed they shouldn't be an instructor

[QNIM]

Aussi
Well said my sentiments exactly.
My previous employer would get quite
upset if I wouldn't leave a student
brief to carry out a joy flight.
No such pressure now.
Cheers Q

[Max Range]

Yeah Yeah QNIM,
But it was probably fair enough that your employer wanted you to go do the joy flight. You'd probably already spent four hours in the brief trying to get some poor student to understand your special briefing on "The principles of hovering in a Cessna 172"!

:eek:

[QNIM]

Hey Max It's easy all you have to do is wear
high heel shoes and a mini skirt. Thanks sweetie.:D