How "hands-on" should an instructor be?
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Oop North, UK
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I now teach turn backs on the UH advanced PPL course - not so people use a turn back, but so they see how hard it is to do! This is of course done at height with an altitude (usually a round figure such as 3,000') as "runway height", people then come away with a realistic idea of what is and is not possible, how quickly you need to react and also how much you need to plan ahead if you are going to consider using it if you need to (i.e. on climb out at SOU where there are not many decent options!).
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Age: 46
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Well I flew with a student who hadn't flown for 3 months today. Got out his records and noted that it had been my intention to do circuits with him for his next lesson having completed stalling and slow flight. However wind was right on crosswind limits and student expressed a desire for a "revision" lesson. So thats what we went off and did. Some climbing, climbing turns, descending turns, straight and level, descent with flap.
We returned to the airfield and he did a nice good of configuring on base and was doing fine on the approach with some guidance from me. I briefed him at about 500ft in the flare you will need right rudder, left aileron etc etc all the usual patter. He was doing quite a satisfactory job no cause for alarm and then at about 5ft above the runway he announced "you have control" and let go of everything.
Caught me somewhat by suprise....but I had been taught to "cover the controls" as my FIC instructor put it. Had I been "sitting on them" might be filling in paperwork instead of being on here.
We returned to the airfield and he did a nice good of configuring on base and was doing fine on the approach with some guidance from me. I briefed him at about 500ft in the flare you will need right rudder, left aileron etc etc all the usual patter. He was doing quite a satisfactory job no cause for alarm and then at about 5ft above the runway he announced "you have control" and let go of everything.
Caught me somewhat by suprise....but I had been taught to "cover the controls" as my FIC instructor put it. Had I been "sitting on them" might be filling in paperwork instead of being on here.
Join Date: May 2005
Location: UK
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Whenever I need a checkout I always have to fly with the same Instructor, because there is no CFI and the FIs have a 'no poaching' rule. This guy makes a habit of nudging the controls whenever he doesn't like something, which is annoying because inevitably I lose the feel - particularly during the flare.
I was taught to wait for the drop during the flare and pull back a little more each time, and it has always seen me ok, always landing on the mains with the stick all the way back. He however, likes an approach to be flown 5knts faster than I was ever used to. The result always seems to be a balloon and a long landing.
Any comments? And what about the 'no poaching' rule? It seems very silly and unbusinesslike to me.
I was taught to wait for the drop during the flare and pull back a little more each time, and it has always seen me ok, always landing on the mains with the stick all the way back. He however, likes an approach to be flown 5knts faster than I was ever used to. The result always seems to be a balloon and a long landing.
Any comments? And what about the 'no poaching' rule? It seems very silly and unbusinesslike to me.
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Australia
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I, for one, totally disagree with flying with only one instructor. 
What if he's taught you something wrong? Or perhaps I should reword - taught you something NOT to the best of your ability, maybe he has a weakness in one particular area.
When I was taught, I had one instructor - we clicked very very well and appeared to have no problems - but every fifth or so flight, I had a "check" flight with another instructor. [It can sometimes be frustrating we all have little differences in the way we teach, but you learn to adapt!]
As for the "no poaching" rule, it goes with what I've written above. What are they afraid of?
I've seen too many instructors hell-bent on getting hours in their logbook and less concerned with actually doing their job properly - teaching YOU to be the best pilot you can be.
Remember DeeCee - you are paying THEM to teach you. It's your hard-earned money - don't you want to put it to the best possible use?
I would ask to fly with another instructor - make it quite clear that it's just for one flight at this point - and then take it from there.
Good luck
Kiwi Chick
What if he's taught you something wrong? Or perhaps I should reword - taught you something NOT to the best of your ability, maybe he has a weakness in one particular area.
When I was taught, I had one instructor - we clicked very very well and appeared to have no problems - but every fifth or so flight, I had a "check" flight with another instructor. [It can sometimes be frustrating we all have little differences in the way we teach, but you learn to adapt!]
As for the "no poaching" rule, it goes with what I've written above. What are they afraid of?
I've seen too many instructors hell-bent on getting hours in their logbook and less concerned with actually doing their job properly - teaching YOU to be the best pilot you can be.
Remember DeeCee - you are paying THEM to teach you. It's your hard-earned money - don't you want to put it to the best possible use?
I would ask to fly with another instructor - make it quite clear that it's just for one flight at this point - and then take it from there.
Good luck
Kiwi Chick
Join Date: May 2005
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Kiwi, you are right of course, but I don't have a lot of choice right now due to geographical reasons. When I first learned to fly, it was at a big club and I had (mostly) one Instructor. However, the nearest airfield is as I describe above.
Fortunately it only comes up when I need a checkout. Sad really, because the airfield owner would get a lot more time out of us if we didn't have to wait for 'our' instructor to become available, and we could fly with whoever had time first.
Hey ho!
DeeCee
Fortunately it only comes up when I need a checkout. Sad really, because the airfield owner would get a lot more time out of us if we didn't have to wait for 'our' instructor to become available, and we could fly with whoever had time first.
Hey ho!
DeeCee
Join Date: May 2005
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After 15 years and many hours of flying this is the only guy I've flown with that does this. Dare I say something controversial here? Someone who has thousands of hours of experience doesn't necessarily make a good teacher. Over the years I've flown with good and poor teachers, who all knew their stuff, but put it across with varying degrees of success.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: England
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A little anecdote, not about establishing who has control, but more about understanding your student!
When I was "in the circuit" during my PPL I flew with an instructor who rarely moved his hands more than two inches from the controls, and would tend to take over during the last part of the landing, when I screwed it up!
I bumbled around the circuit time after time getting all the bits right, except for the last 50 ft when it all seemed to go pear shaped, and my trusty instructor saved the day.
Then one day my usual instructor was not available and I went instead with another guy.
First circuit, as normal - OK until the last few feet when I had the usual trouble.
Second circuit, short final, the instructor sat back, folded his arms and said the words I'll never forget: "don't just f****ing sit there, do something"! The ensuing landing wasn't pretty but after a couple of bounces we went around for another go. Things got steadily better, with the result that I went first solo at the end of the hour!
Afterwards, my instructor explained that he noticed that I was visibly relaxing (didn't feel like it to me!) as the ground approached, as I unconsciously expected the instructor to take over. So he decided not to!
So the moral is: whether or not you're too hands on depends on your student, and identifying what is needed to both be safe and progress his skills.
Amen.
When I was "in the circuit" during my PPL I flew with an instructor who rarely moved his hands more than two inches from the controls, and would tend to take over during the last part of the landing, when I screwed it up!
I bumbled around the circuit time after time getting all the bits right, except for the last 50 ft when it all seemed to go pear shaped, and my trusty instructor saved the day.
Then one day my usual instructor was not available and I went instead with another guy.
First circuit, as normal - OK until the last few feet when I had the usual trouble.
Second circuit, short final, the instructor sat back, folded his arms
and said the words I'll never forget: "don't just f****ing sit there, do something"! The ensuing landing wasn't pretty but after a couple of bounces we went around for another go. Things got steadily better, with the result that I went first solo at the end of the hour! Afterwards, my instructor explained that he noticed that I was visibly relaxing (didn't feel like it to me!) as the ground approached, as I unconsciously expected the instructor to take over. So he decided not to!
So the moral is: whether or not you're too hands on depends on your student, and identifying what is needed to both be safe and progress his skills.
Amen.
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Chandler, Arizona
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I am very low hr student PPL just started flying after 7 yr break (now have money!). I am very happy with my instructor. Just had a 2nd and 3rd lesson this week and I am now taxing on the ground and doing all the startup etc. I tell him when he can 'call for start' and 'call for taxi'. In the air he clearly follows IHC/YHC even it's to demonstrate a very minor correction. I already feel am in a proffessional environment with him.
However, compared to my instructor from 6 yrs ago, they have different teaching techniques. Never in the past did my instructor placed emphasis on keeping the aircraft in the balance when adding power/turning etc (using rudder).
I will stay in one instructor (the most important thing for me) but I think it's healthy to change once in a while, but maybe only for one lesson.
However, compared to my instructor from 6 yrs ago, they have different teaching techniques. Never in the past did my instructor placed emphasis on keeping the aircraft in the balance when adding power/turning etc (using rudder).
I will stay in one instructor (the most important thing for me) but I think it's healthy to change once in a while, but maybe only for one lesson.
