FI "you don't fly the plane"
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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The majority of students have never asked me how long I have instructed or what my background is. Only ever had one ask how many hours I have and that came after 1.5 years instructing. Confidence is something which you will quickly learn how to exude as an instructor but learn the difference between confidence and arrogance.
Be approachable, have a sense of humour, praise your students, show willingness to help, put their learning before any desire to fly the aeroplane yourself and you will not need to worry about whether they respect you - they just will! When your student is in the room your attention should be directed 100% on them, obviously that's not always practical but if you think that way you'll be onto a winner. Although you may feel that 200 hours, CPL/IR is nothing to shout about, the majority of your students will see this as above and beyond what is required to teach them how to fly.
Only by coming here and reading all the dross about "hours builders abusing the system" and "airline wannabes" will they ever view your role as instructor with a jaundiced eye. The pleasurable reality of everyday club flying and instructing is not reflected too well on these pages because posters like to use their anonimity to air grievances they would normally ignore.
Good luck and you will soon find instructing to be rewarding and great fun!
VFE.
Be approachable, have a sense of humour, praise your students, show willingness to help, put their learning before any desire to fly the aeroplane yourself and you will not need to worry about whether they respect you - they just will! When your student is in the room your attention should be directed 100% on them, obviously that's not always practical but if you think that way you'll be onto a winner. Although you may feel that 200 hours, CPL/IR is nothing to shout about, the majority of your students will see this as above and beyond what is required to teach them how to fly.
Only by coming here and reading all the dross about "hours builders abusing the system" and "airline wannabes" will they ever view your role as instructor with a jaundiced eye. The pleasurable reality of everyday club flying and instructing is not reflected too well on these pages because posters like to use their anonimity to air grievances they would normally ignore.
Good luck and you will soon find instructing to be rewarding and great fun!
VFE.
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the Flying Instructor
I'd like to add my support for VFE's reply. Although my experience as an FI, examiner and CFI is 35 years old, I believe most of it to be still valid.
In those far off days, we earned our living on a PPL - just imagine that! There was always the argument about PPLs just instructing for the hours to get a CPL. Provided that there is an avuncular CFI holding a good overview, these 'self improvers' were good. Why? Because they lived and breathed flying and this was communicated to the students.
I always insisted that we were a flying club - not a flying school. There was a high level of social activity as well as the training and the 'flying for fun'.
My own instructing career lasted for five years before I gave in and got a CPL - because I enjoyed it so much. In that time a number of my ab initio students obtained their PPLs, carried on to build hours and take an instructor's course, then flew with our club as AFIs/FIs until going on to CPL/ATPL status - now, they are commanding 777s and the like.
Spending a year or two as an FI is good fun, good for your own flying skills and very satisfying. Don't be a 'pole-grabber'. Learn to control the aeroplane through your voice and the student's hands - it will do wonders for your own powers of anticipation.
One more thing - you will never, ever forget your first 'first solo'. You will be even more excited that your student.
In those far off days, we earned our living on a PPL - just imagine that! There was always the argument about PPLs just instructing for the hours to get a CPL. Provided that there is an avuncular CFI holding a good overview, these 'self improvers' were good. Why? Because they lived and breathed flying and this was communicated to the students.
I always insisted that we were a flying club - not a flying school. There was a high level of social activity as well as the training and the 'flying for fun'.
My own instructing career lasted for five years before I gave in and got a CPL - because I enjoyed it so much. In that time a number of my ab initio students obtained their PPLs, carried on to build hours and take an instructor's course, then flew with our club as AFIs/FIs until going on to CPL/ATPL status - now, they are commanding 777s and the like.
Spending a year or two as an FI is good fun, good for your own flying skills and very satisfying. Don't be a 'pole-grabber'. Learn to control the aeroplane through your voice and the student's hands - it will do wonders for your own powers of anticipation.
One more thing - you will never, ever forget your first 'first solo'. You will be even more excited that your student.
Last edited by GHNRY; 23rd Dec 2007 at 16:02. Reason: spelling
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I hope to share my passion of flying with students. Ok, sometimes it will be hard because everybody is different, but it will be a challenge for me.
Part of the problem can be the school you work at. Four one hour flying details per day with briefings etc is enough for any instructor in my opinion but many will want you to fly more and when you get back from one flight your no sooner in the door and they expect you to be back out in the aircraft, generally that sort of school can be challenging for both instructors and students so pick your school/club carefully is my advice.
Also part of the problem also lies in the title of your post--about flying the aircraft. Being a flying instructor is not just about flying, it is about being able to brief and lecture, being able to prepare students for exams, being able to sell PPL courses, being able to supervise other pilots, some who will have more experience than yourself. You need to be able to pass on a lot more than enthusiasm. One poster said you remember your first first solo, sadly I do not but what i do remember is that no student of mine has never been involved in any sort of incident ever and I find that much more rewarding.
Good luck
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Lots of good advice given I think to the original post.
One thing that does concern me is the new EASA PPL/AFI, as I didnt realise it would mean that renumeration is possible.
Whilst there are lots of PPLs out there more than able to give instruction from a platform of good flying ability, I fear there may be many more who will be instructing from a background where confidence will outweigh ability and standards could possibly be compromised.
I found that the CPL course was far more relevant to Flying Instructing than to Commercial flying, and was of great benefit to me as I embarked on the route of being an AFI.
Flying is not just about controlling the aircraft, but it is also about making sensible decisions based on sound judgement and an attitude of "confident humility" if that makes sense.
It will also sound the death penalty to Professional Instructors and I fear we will lose out on all that experience and high standard.
But I guess these days we are all ruled from Brussels or the like.
Shame.
One thing that does concern me is the new EASA PPL/AFI, as I didnt realise it would mean that renumeration is possible.
Whilst there are lots of PPLs out there more than able to give instruction from a platform of good flying ability, I fear there may be many more who will be instructing from a background where confidence will outweigh ability and standards could possibly be compromised.
I found that the CPL course was far more relevant to Flying Instructing than to Commercial flying, and was of great benefit to me as I embarked on the route of being an AFI.
Flying is not just about controlling the aircraft, but it is also about making sensible decisions based on sound judgement and an attitude of "confident humility" if that makes sense.
It will also sound the death penalty to Professional Instructors and I fear we will lose out on all that experience and high standard.
But I guess these days we are all ruled from Brussels or the like.
Shame.
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Brussel Sprouts
Whatever comes to the fore with EASA we don't know, the info so far is only fueled by rumour.
Don't be so pessimistic it might not happen as rumoured. It probably won't but we'll almost certainly have an unfathomable mess out of which every one will flourish.
Nothing much will really change however, ingenuity will be the key!
Don't be so pessimistic it might not happen as rumoured. It probably won't but we'll almost certainly have an unfathomable mess out of which every one will flourish.
Nothing much will really change however, ingenuity will be the key!
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I found that the CPL course was far more relevant to Flying Instructing than to Commercial flying, and was of great benefit to me as I embarked on the route of being an AFI.
My 2 cents worth.
Many instructors feel guilty about flying the aircraft when their students are paying for the lesson, however, in my opinion, this is flawed thinking. A good instructor will regularly demonstrate the correct way to perform manoeuvres (hopefully), even after the student has received training in the specific manoeuvre itself. Remember, a students primary role model during his training is his instructor and by the instructor regularly demonstrating specific flight manoeuvres, it gives the student a greater understanding of what the instructor is trying to teach. On that basis alone, an instructor should be able to maintain a high level of flying skill purely in his demonstrations.
Another important benefit of the student watching the instructor fly is the chance for the student to develop high levels of flight discipline by seeing the instructor exercise same. Having said that a slack instructor will almost always produce a slack student so please for your students sake try and be as disciplined as you can. If a student sees you fly through cloud then he will think this is acceptable and probably develop the same attitude to this (monkey see - monkey do etc).
A last comment that's maybe not relevant to this thread but I'll say it anyway is that I see many instructors tell their students what to do in their flying lessons but not many teach their students - there is a huge difference between telling and teaching and that largely comes from experience, teaching ability and attitude.
Regards.
VH-MLE
Many instructors feel guilty about flying the aircraft when their students are paying for the lesson, however, in my opinion, this is flawed thinking. A good instructor will regularly demonstrate the correct way to perform manoeuvres (hopefully), even after the student has received training in the specific manoeuvre itself. Remember, a students primary role model during his training is his instructor and by the instructor regularly demonstrating specific flight manoeuvres, it gives the student a greater understanding of what the instructor is trying to teach. On that basis alone, an instructor should be able to maintain a high level of flying skill purely in his demonstrations.
Another important benefit of the student watching the instructor fly is the chance for the student to develop high levels of flight discipline by seeing the instructor exercise same. Having said that a slack instructor will almost always produce a slack student so please for your students sake try and be as disciplined as you can. If a student sees you fly through cloud then he will think this is acceptable and probably develop the same attitude to this (monkey see - monkey do etc).
A last comment that's maybe not relevant to this thread but I'll say it anyway is that I see many instructors tell their students what to do in their flying lessons but not many teach their students - there is a huge difference between telling and teaching and that largely comes from experience, teaching ability and attitude.
Regards.
VH-MLE
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Quote:
I found that the CPL course was far more relevant to Flying Instructing than to Commercial flying, and was of great benefit to me as I embarked on the route of being an AFI.
Llanfairpg
You miss the point.
My FI course was fine. What I was saying is that the CPL flying course is far more geared to General Aviation and as such Flying Instructing than to Commercial Airline Flying.
The first taste most people get of procedural instrument flying is the Instrument Rating.
Lets hope the status quo remains.
I found that the CPL course was far more relevant to Flying Instructing than to Commercial flying, and was of great benefit to me as I embarked on the route of being an AFI.
Llanfairpg
You miss the point.
My FI course was fine. What I was saying is that the CPL flying course is far more geared to General Aviation and as such Flying Instructing than to Commercial Airline Flying.
The first taste most people get of procedural instrument flying is the Instrument Rating.
Lets hope the status quo remains.
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My FI course was fine. What I was saying is that the CPL flying course is far more geared to General Aviation and as such Flying Instructing than to Commercial Airline Flying.
The first taste most people get of procedural instrument flying is the Instrument Rating.
The first taste most people get of procedural instrument flying is the Instrument Rating.
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yes I agree... when I did my CPL, (after my IR) I was bored... it is like a PPL really. Same procedures, same check list, same VFR rules so you are very limited by the weather and plus you use a single engine (joke) however you can do the whole course on PA34 if you want...(expensive!)
IR course : a lot more interesting, you fly like an airline, you use same procedures and fly a complex twin engine.
The first thing I wondered when I started the CPL, was " why did they call it "commercial pilot licence" ?"
You feel more professional under IFR rules
IR course : a lot more interesting, you fly like an airline, you use same procedures and fly a complex twin engine.
The first thing I wondered when I started the CPL, was " why did they call it "commercial pilot licence" ?"
You feel more professional under IFR rules
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Just do the FI course
You still learn from it eventhough you barely touch the controls.
You get it logged as bloody Pilot in COMMAND time so what is your worry?????
You've flown since PPL, CPL. If you did the FI course you would realize how easy it is to keep your skills in check.
You get it logged as bloody Pilot in COMMAND time so what is your worry?????
You've flown since PPL, CPL. If you did the FI course you would realize how easy it is to keep your skills in check.
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I have looked at your posts on an interview basis so with respect my worry for you is that I cannot see any mention in your posts of 'a want to help others', only hours and flying experience.
Having 200 hours more than another instructor dosnt make you 200 hours better in the same way as having glider towing experience dosnt make you a better flying instructor.
One of the worst instructors I ever worked with used to ferry Mosquitoes from Canada to England during the war, he flew Dragon Rapides from Blackpool to the Isle of Man and was CFI of many UK schools. His experiences kept us in the bar till late on club night but as an instructor he was dangerous and incompetent, in fact the school lost the CAA approval because of him.
You dont need loads of experience as a pilot to be a good instructor but you do need loads of patience, discipline and determination to give the student your best. That is why I alway say anyone can be be a pilot but not everyone can be an instructor.
Having 200 hours more than another instructor dosnt make you 200 hours better in the same way as having glider towing experience dosnt make you a better flying instructor.
One of the worst instructors I ever worked with used to ferry Mosquitoes from Canada to England during the war, he flew Dragon Rapides from Blackpool to the Isle of Man and was CFI of many UK schools. His experiences kept us in the bar till late on club night but as an instructor he was dangerous and incompetent, in fact the school lost the CAA approval because of him.
You dont need loads of experience as a pilot to be a good instructor but you do need loads of patience, discipline and determination to give the student your best. That is why I alway say anyone can be be a pilot but not everyone can be an instructor.
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may also mean that career instructors lose out
I would foresee the career instructors carrying on just as they did before supplemented by part time enthusiastic and experienced PPL Instructors.
It's only the hours builders who are going to scream a lot over this as all those lovely 'free' (very subjective consdiering the cost of the rating) hours vanish.
Or the other way round is it is perfect for the hours builders as they could effectively be on the old self improver route where they do the FI course, work several hundred hours as an FI and they go off and do the CPL/ATPL.
Although I am not sure how that would effect the egos who like to tell everyone they are a commercial pilot or have the magic frozen ATPL....... Apparently that makes you a 'better' pilot......
