Passed the FIC. Any hints and tips for a new instructor?
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Passed the FIC. Any hints and tips for a new instructor?
Hi
I have finally achieved an ambition of becoming an FI. I am hopefully starting in a week or so and was wondering if any of you had any hints and tips or common student errors that I should be aware of. I must say that the place where I did the FIC was very good and I feel prepared but i'm always striving to learn more from other people.
Thanks in advance.
I have finally achieved an ambition of becoming an FI. I am hopefully starting in a week or so and was wondering if any of you had any hints and tips or common student errors that I should be aware of. I must say that the place where I did the FIC was very good and I feel prepared but i'm always striving to learn more from other people.
Thanks in advance.
Dancing with the devil, going with the flow... it's all a game to me.
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First off - congratulations! Now the learning really begins and everyday you will get better so don't worry if at first you are not the most confident guy at the airfield. Humility is a very attractive trait in an instructor.
Always brief prior to a lesson but pay extra special attention when you brief for exercises such as EFATO and go-arounds. Be vigilant and on gaurd for the student or PPL holder (if it's a checkout) reaching for the mixture on the EFATO and the flaps all in one go on a GA!
Do not think that if someone has hundreds of hours more than you that they are any better. I am of course refering to a club checkouts or the 1 hour mandatory instructional flight. You fly everyday (hopefully!), chances are they do not. Likewise, don't relax too much because it tends to be the ones you think are good that scare you. It is not their fault but yours as you have dozed off if that happens!
Check the log books of PPL holders who you are to fly with and don't be afraid to ask to see a licence.
Op's can get very busy in peak periods so don't loiter around the front desk getting in the way when you don't need to!
On busy days simple stuff like fuel can almost go unchecked. Note: I said 'almost'! Don't think that because you're only going in the circuit that you can get by with under an hours worth of fuel in the tank - always think 'what if...?' Every once in a while I'll refuel an aircraft that's been in use by another instructor and the amount of fuel in the tank is frightening... tip: it's usually the older more experienced types but don't trust anyone when it comes to fuel. If you can visually inspect your tanks prior to a flight then bloody well do so! Poor gauges are no defence for running out of fuel and the CAA will prosecute. If you cannot visually inspect then look thru the fuel book, see when it was last refuellled and then check the aircraft tech log to see how much it has flown since.
On the subject of 'what ifs' - always fly with the thought in mind "where will I put this thing down if the donkey stops?". Especially on take off's. You will be flying more than the average pilot, doing numerous take off's and landings, day in, day out and that's statistically the most dangerous part of a flight.
If you are not happy with an aeroplane then do not fly it. We tend to place an enourmous amount of trust in our engineers and 99% of the time they do a fantastic job but always do an extra special walk round when an aircraft has just come out the workshop after an annual, for example.
Be polite, try not to lose your rag with a student when they forget to apply carb heat for the tenth time before a descent and smile - nowt worse than a grumpy instructor. Remember that you are the PIC, not the student, so always get the NOTAMS yourself and on busy days try to keep an eye on the weather radar on the met office website. That page is invaluable - nothing worse than getting yourself into ****e wx in an aircraft that is ill-equiped for instrument flying. And it's a pig trying to land a light aircraft in the rain without windscreen wipers - you'll be buggered when it comes to flaring unless you are extremely familiar with the airfield.
Above all be a positive instructor and enjoy your flying. If the novelty starts to wear off then look for another job or go part-time. A hiatus after about 2 years can be enourmously beneficial to your motivation to continue (so i'm told) as many lose the initial enthusiasm after the 2 year novelty wears off.
Teach your student how to use a wet rag on the windscreen, you'll be grateful for it when you climb in the aircraft.
Don't feel pressured into flying when the weather is marginal. Mr.Experienced Instructor might be thrashing the circuit in a gale with driving rain but I personally wouldn't recommend that sort of stuff. Set the example to the student with regards the weather and don't start shooting holes in cloud just to impress them because chances are they'll do exactly the same but end up in a spiral dive past VNE doing that malarky by themselves one day unless properly trained on instruments. Similarly, don't press on through ****e wx on club flyouts just because everyone else is. I have no problem in being labelled a sissy - at least I'm an alive sissy and not a dead prat.
Remember to keep your medical current.
And never forget the golden saying about old pilots and bold pilots.
That's just the tip of iceburg.
VFE.
Always brief prior to a lesson but pay extra special attention when you brief for exercises such as EFATO and go-arounds. Be vigilant and on gaurd for the student or PPL holder (if it's a checkout) reaching for the mixture on the EFATO and the flaps all in one go on a GA!
Do not think that if someone has hundreds of hours more than you that they are any better. I am of course refering to a club checkouts or the 1 hour mandatory instructional flight. You fly everyday (hopefully!), chances are they do not. Likewise, don't relax too much because it tends to be the ones you think are good that scare you. It is not their fault but yours as you have dozed off if that happens!
Check the log books of PPL holders who you are to fly with and don't be afraid to ask to see a licence.
Op's can get very busy in peak periods so don't loiter around the front desk getting in the way when you don't need to!
On busy days simple stuff like fuel can almost go unchecked. Note: I said 'almost'! Don't think that because you're only going in the circuit that you can get by with under an hours worth of fuel in the tank - always think 'what if...?' Every once in a while I'll refuel an aircraft that's been in use by another instructor and the amount of fuel in the tank is frightening... tip: it's usually the older more experienced types but don't trust anyone when it comes to fuel. If you can visually inspect your tanks prior to a flight then bloody well do so! Poor gauges are no defence for running out of fuel and the CAA will prosecute. If you cannot visually inspect then look thru the fuel book, see when it was last refuellled and then check the aircraft tech log to see how much it has flown since.
On the subject of 'what ifs' - always fly with the thought in mind "where will I put this thing down if the donkey stops?". Especially on take off's. You will be flying more than the average pilot, doing numerous take off's and landings, day in, day out and that's statistically the most dangerous part of a flight.
If you are not happy with an aeroplane then do not fly it. We tend to place an enourmous amount of trust in our engineers and 99% of the time they do a fantastic job but always do an extra special walk round when an aircraft has just come out the workshop after an annual, for example.
Be polite, try not to lose your rag with a student when they forget to apply carb heat for the tenth time before a descent and smile - nowt worse than a grumpy instructor. Remember that you are the PIC, not the student, so always get the NOTAMS yourself and on busy days try to keep an eye on the weather radar on the met office website. That page is invaluable - nothing worse than getting yourself into ****e wx in an aircraft that is ill-equiped for instrument flying. And it's a pig trying to land a light aircraft in the rain without windscreen wipers - you'll be buggered when it comes to flaring unless you are extremely familiar with the airfield.
Above all be a positive instructor and enjoy your flying. If the novelty starts to wear off then look for another job or go part-time. A hiatus after about 2 years can be enourmously beneficial to your motivation to continue (so i'm told) as many lose the initial enthusiasm after the 2 year novelty wears off.
Teach your student how to use a wet rag on the windscreen, you'll be grateful for it when you climb in the aircraft.
Don't feel pressured into flying when the weather is marginal. Mr.Experienced Instructor might be thrashing the circuit in a gale with driving rain but I personally wouldn't recommend that sort of stuff. Set the example to the student with regards the weather and don't start shooting holes in cloud just to impress them because chances are they'll do exactly the same but end up in a spiral dive past VNE doing that malarky by themselves one day unless properly trained on instruments. Similarly, don't press on through ****e wx on club flyouts just because everyone else is. I have no problem in being labelled a sissy - at least I'm an alive sissy and not a dead prat.
Remember to keep your medical current.
And never forget the golden saying about old pilots and bold pilots.
That's just the tip of iceburg.
VFE.
Last edited by VFE; 26th May 2008 at 15:27.
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In the event that
You get a checkout flight i.e. the club wants members to go with an instructor because it's been more than 30 days, don't bother teaching them anything UNLESS they would like your input.
An example of this, person who is a PPL holder does a poor full and free movement of controls, does not check to see that aileron goes down that side and up this side etc. If you ask me, that's really worrying but hey you get all sorts.
They are after all not on a PPL test or bieannul review. In a nut shell, you are not an examiner when dealing with PPL holders.
Should you get students, by all means teach them the way you have been taught during your FI course.
If they do something unsafe, make it clear why they should not do so and so, otherwise they won't get it. *some never do*
1/60
An example of this, person who is a PPL holder does a poor full and free movement of controls, does not check to see that aileron goes down that side and up this side etc. If you ask me, that's really worrying but hey you get all sorts.
They are after all not on a PPL test or bieannul review. In a nut shell, you are not an examiner when dealing with PPL holders.
Should you get students, by all means teach them the way you have been taught during your FI course.
If they do something unsafe, make it clear why they should not do so and so, otherwise they won't get it. *some never do*
1/60
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'Don't feel pressured in flying in marginal conditions when Mr Experienced is flying'
Ha I remember this one.
I patiently explained to blogs the wx was not good enough and the lesson would not be educational (3k viz, no horizon, lesson 6). I then watch mr experience walk out of the door to do the same lesson with his blogs. We ponder the situation and I said if you fancy it lets try. Anyway I was right, it was rubbish and blogs learned what a bad weather circuit looked like. I challenged Mr Experience and asked him why he went up in such patently uneducational weather. He said he knew it was going to be rubbish but his student was insistent they flew thinking Mr Experience was being lazy not wanting to fly on this day and he wanted to teach him a lesson. So the student learned a lesson and I did too.
Good luck with the instructing, its fantastic.
Ha I remember this one.
I patiently explained to blogs the wx was not good enough and the lesson would not be educational (3k viz, no horizon, lesson 6). I then watch mr experience walk out of the door to do the same lesson with his blogs. We ponder the situation and I said if you fancy it lets try. Anyway I was right, it was rubbish and blogs learned what a bad weather circuit looked like. I challenged Mr Experience and asked him why he went up in such patently uneducational weather. He said he knew it was going to be rubbish but his student was insistent they flew thinking Mr Experience was being lazy not wanting to fly on this day and he wanted to teach him a lesson. So the student learned a lesson and I did too.
Good luck with the instructing, its fantastic.
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Ha! It's a classic conundrum eh 18Greens!
On a similar note I had one unfortunate starter who had the bad luck of picking every bad wx day for the first 4 lessons. Every time I explained that his progress would be limited on poor viz/ no horizon days but every time he insisted that he still wanted to get airbourne.
Never saw him again after the 4th non-progress making lesson because he had convinced himself he wasn't cut out for it despite my explanation of the poor weather being the root of the cause. Guess he's a classic example of someone who ought not to be flying really because he never once listened to me did he?
Anyway, I learned from that guy and now refuse point blank to fly those crucial early lessons if there's little or no horizon. I think it's called being cruel to be kind...
VFE.
On a similar note I had one unfortunate starter who had the bad luck of picking every bad wx day for the first 4 lessons. Every time I explained that his progress would be limited on poor viz/ no horizon days but every time he insisted that he still wanted to get airbourne.
Never saw him again after the 4th non-progress making lesson because he had convinced himself he wasn't cut out for it despite my explanation of the poor weather being the root of the cause. Guess he's a classic example of someone who ought not to be flying really because he never once listened to me did he?
Anyway, I learned from that guy and now refuse point blank to fly those crucial early lessons if there's little or no horizon. I think it's called being cruel to be kind...
VFE.
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Always remember that you are essentially responsible for the way that your student flies an aircraft i.t.o handling, airmanship, decision making etc.
So always make sure you teach each student the way you would like to be taught! It can become very tedious when you have already flown 4hrs in the circuit one day and then have to do it again - just remember the student is paying you for your services!
Lookout for warning signs when doing checkouts with othe students.. don't think its not your problem cause its not your student!
Try to teach the student as much as you know! and as said earlier, don't become angry or frustrated with a student when he continually does soemthing wrong - be patient and ask why he keeps forgetting / doing it - there might a be root problem that you can look fix!!
its a balancing act aswell - you must be strict but also pleasant to fly with!
enjoy
So always make sure you teach each student the way you would like to be taught! It can become very tedious when you have already flown 4hrs in the circuit one day and then have to do it again - just remember the student is paying you for your services!
Lookout for warning signs when doing checkouts with othe students.. don't think its not your problem cause its not your student!
Try to teach the student as much as you know! and as said earlier, don't become angry or frustrated with a student when he continually does soemthing wrong - be patient and ask why he keeps forgetting / doing it - there might a be root problem that you can look fix!!
its a balancing act aswell - you must be strict but also pleasant to fly with!
enjoy
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I'm in the middle of my FAA CFI(H) and I would highly recommend downloading a copy of the 'Aviation Instructor's Handbook' at this link:
www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/media/FAA-H-8083-9.pdf
It contains lots of psycho-babble and discusses a lot of the recommendations in the above posts. Remember the words in bold.
Bobby
www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/media/FAA-H-8083-9.pdf
It contains lots of psycho-babble and discusses a lot of the recommendations in the above posts. Remember the words in bold.
Bobby
Last edited by BHenderson; 28th May 2008 at 19:28.
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My only advise is to give good pre and post flight briefings to your students.
Constuctive critisism and positive feedback all helps make the hour more enjoyable. Especially after parting with a wod of cash from out wallet.
Constuctive critisism and positive feedback all helps make the hour more enjoyable. Especially after parting with a wod of cash from out wallet.
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One in 60 said: You get a checkout flight i.e. the club wants members to go with an instructor because it's been more than 30 days, don't bother teaching them anything UNLESS they would like your input.
An example of this, person who is a PPL holder does a poor full and free movement of controls, does not check to see that aileron goes down that side and up this side etc. If you ask me, that's really worrying but hey you get all sorts.
They are after all not on a PPL test or bieannul review. In a nut shell, you are not an examiner when dealing with PPL holders.
Should you get students, by all means teach them the way you have been taught during your FI course.
If they do something unsafe, make it clear why they should not do so and so, otherwise they won't get it. *some never do*</quote>
Is it me or does this suggestion negate the point of the flight?
How far would you get later on, after a crash/incident etc by claiming 'Oh yes I saw him do that but I didnt bother to point out the error of his ways!'
What about your duty of care? To the PPL, your employer, the rest of us - or even (old fashioned I know) yourself!
How about this: Having delegated the responsibility of the check ride to you, your employer has covered his duty of care, therefore any comebacks come back to you personally.
Obviously, I am perfectly well aware of the difference between military and civillian precision; examination conditions and check rides; a PPL and a NASA SkyGod etc etc etc. What I'm talking about is good old fashioned basic flying standards.
I'm my opinion, if you are the instructor in a paid professional role checking out the standards of others on behalf of a third party before they loan them their expensive flying machine (because that's what you're doing) you owe both the PPL and the owner better quality of professional service than "...don't bother teaching them anything UNLESS they would like your input." How would they know - thats what you're there for. We've all met the club 'expert' who won't listen but that doesn't mean we stop telling him!!!
Sorry if this has become a rant but your post astonished me, especially as it was advice to a new instructor who had, sensibly, requested some helpful tips. I dont know whether you're an instructor but lets open this up for some other comment.
Maybe what I've said is old fashioned and redundant but I would really like to hear others comments on this!
Regards to all
Xraf
An example of this, person who is a PPL holder does a poor full and free movement of controls, does not check to see that aileron goes down that side and up this side etc. If you ask me, that's really worrying but hey you get all sorts.
They are after all not on a PPL test or bieannul review. In a nut shell, you are not an examiner when dealing with PPL holders.
Should you get students, by all means teach them the way you have been taught during your FI course.
If they do something unsafe, make it clear why they should not do so and so, otherwise they won't get it. *some never do*</quote>
Is it me or does this suggestion negate the point of the flight?
How far would you get later on, after a crash/incident etc by claiming 'Oh yes I saw him do that but I didnt bother to point out the error of his ways!'
What about your duty of care? To the PPL, your employer, the rest of us - or even (old fashioned I know) yourself!
How about this: Having delegated the responsibility of the check ride to you, your employer has covered his duty of care, therefore any comebacks come back to you personally.
Obviously, I am perfectly well aware of the difference between military and civillian precision; examination conditions and check rides; a PPL and a NASA SkyGod etc etc etc. What I'm talking about is good old fashioned basic flying standards.
I'm my opinion, if you are the instructor in a paid professional role checking out the standards of others on behalf of a third party before they loan them their expensive flying machine (because that's what you're doing) you owe both the PPL and the owner better quality of professional service than "...don't bother teaching them anything UNLESS they would like your input." How would they know - thats what you're there for. We've all met the club 'expert' who won't listen but that doesn't mean we stop telling him!!!
Sorry if this has become a rant but your post astonished me, especially as it was advice to a new instructor who had, sensibly, requested some helpful tips. I dont know whether you're an instructor but lets open this up for some other comment.
Maybe what I've said is old fashioned and redundant but I would really like to hear others comments on this!
Regards to all
Xraf
Last edited by xraf; 28th May 2008 at 12:56. Reason: to allocate the quote
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To xraf
Do you know who pays the check at the end of the day?
If the club starts losing members then it's you who gets sacked. Bear that in mind.
As long as said PPL holders don't crash it then it's fine. Should they manage to do something more dangerous than what I pointed out then it's not deemed safe.
My safety issue is with full and free just before take off. Now as far as I was aware, it's important to check aileron left goes up when deflect left and aileron right goes etc when turning right. As you never know it may just not be doing what you think at that stage.
1/60
If the club starts losing members then it's you who gets sacked. Bear that in mind.
As long as said PPL holders don't crash it then it's fine. Should they manage to do something more dangerous than what I pointed out then it's not deemed safe.
My safety issue is with full and free just before take off. Now as far as I was aware, it's important to check aileron left goes up when deflect left and aileron right goes etc when turning right. As you never know it may just not be doing what you think at that stage.
1/60
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Actually
The people you should worry about are the ones that barely fly.
Having 200, 500, 700,1000 HRS does not mean anything although many will justify their professionalism by having multi digit hours.
"you are only as good as your last landing"- P.J.
In my view or rather from what I have seen, you have to spot someting really unsafe before you can make an issue of it. As far as my superior knows, what I deemed unsafe was not close enough. *I'm simply too strict towards PPL holders*
1/60
Having 200, 500, 700,1000 HRS does not mean anything although many will justify their professionalism by having multi digit hours.
"you are only as good as your last landing"- P.J.
In my view or rather from what I have seen, you have to spot someting really unsafe before you can make an issue of it. As far as my superior knows, what I deemed unsafe was not close enough. *I'm simply too strict towards PPL holders*
1/60
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Thank you for the information everyone. I have just come back from a flying school where i had a chat with them and hope to start in instructing soon.