Advice for new instructor
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Australia
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help
I am hoping for some advice as I'm a new instructor and I have a student who I'm starting to struggle with. His a older gentleman but seems to be very easily distracted, during the briefing he seems very uninterested and looks out the window and in the aircraft is to busy looking at the sights and has no idea that his lost 400 feet, cant taxy straight as his to busy looking at whats going on with other planes or people but when he focuses on taxying he does a great job. My concern is that its taking longer for him to grasp things and I'm thinking of getting him to do a flight with the CFI but I'm new to this and am very keen to hear any advice.
Thanks
Thanks
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Here are a few tips that I learned through 1500hrs of instructing:
1) Shut your yap!
If you need to be constantly talking in the airplane, you didn't brief properly. If you need to explain every little detail and every big picture on the ground, you're not giving enough homework. If you're the one talking through the whole debriefing, you're not facilitating participation. If you're simply yelling, find another job.
2) Learning takes place in the classroom, not the airplane.
Meaning, don't kick the tyres and light the fires without a clear aim and objective for the flight. If you have to do active teaching in the airplane, rather than sit and watch and come with pointers and tips when required, you're not doing enough ground.
3) The book is always right.
And you are not. If the books (POH, jepps etc) says it's one way, than that is the way to go. Students need to be able to relate to the bookwork that we preach, but don't always practice. And even if you do know other ways, better ways, your ways... they aren't always called for.
4) You are not paid to become friends with the student.
Now there's nothing wrong with becoming friends, and you should of course be friend-ly. But you need to set the standards, you need to put your foot down when it is called for. By all means be socially clever, but you need to be professional.
I found flight instructing very rewarding -- to some exent flyingwise, more so when it came to descision making, but immensely when it came to dealing with people. Good luck
1) Shut your yap!
If you need to be constantly talking in the airplane, you didn't brief properly. If you need to explain every little detail and every big picture on the ground, you're not giving enough homework. If you're the one talking through the whole debriefing, you're not facilitating participation. If you're simply yelling, find another job.
2) Learning takes place in the classroom, not the airplane.
Meaning, don't kick the tyres and light the fires without a clear aim and objective for the flight. If you have to do active teaching in the airplane, rather than sit and watch and come with pointers and tips when required, you're not doing enough ground.
3) The book is always right.
And you are not. If the books (POH, jepps etc) says it's one way, than that is the way to go. Students need to be able to relate to the bookwork that we preach, but don't always practice. And even if you do know other ways, better ways, your ways... they aren't always called for.
4) You are not paid to become friends with the student.
Now there's nothing wrong with becoming friends, and you should of course be friend-ly. But you need to set the standards, you need to put your foot down when it is called for. By all means be socially clever, but you need to be professional.
I found flight instructing very rewarding -- to some exent flyingwise, more so when it came to descision making, but immensely when it came to dealing with people. Good luck
Join Date: Dec 2003
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What worth it is.
Aren't you making him responsible at all?
What do you tell him when he's not scanning height/attitude?
Have you explained to him that he shall be wasting his time if he doesn't start scanning. Has he not had a proper briefing and has he not done his homework before the briefing? (that's probably the case, ask them in a pre brief how do hold height etc, if they can't answer well enough then they haven't done it)
If I had an elderly gentleman (of which I have 4) which displays that sort of attention then I'd debrief about their bad points and good points of which there does seem to be one.
You don't have to make him look horrible in order to get the point across.
Example: John isn't scanning, loses 400 feet. Don't mention it to him until it's dangerous. If nearly hitting something doesn't help....
"We lost of lot of height there, any idea why?"
"I was looking at the house on the side blah blah"
"Did you look at the altimeter during your scan out the window?"
L.A.I. or you die.
Before you chuck him to the CFI I would have a talk with the CFI and hear what he thinks.
Another option would be to let someone else take him on.
Please be reminded that each individual needs a very different approach in order to teach at all.
1/60
What do you tell him when he's not scanning height/attitude?
Have you explained to him that he shall be wasting his time if he doesn't start scanning. Has he not had a proper briefing and has he not done his homework before the briefing? (that's probably the case, ask them in a pre brief how do hold height etc, if they can't answer well enough then they haven't done it)
If I had an elderly gentleman (of which I have 4) which displays that sort of attention then I'd debrief about their bad points and good points of which there does seem to be one.
You don't have to make him look horrible in order to get the point across.
Example: John isn't scanning, loses 400 feet. Don't mention it to him until it's dangerous. If nearly hitting something doesn't help....
"We lost of lot of height there, any idea why?"
"I was looking at the house on the side blah blah"
"Did you look at the altimeter during your scan out the window?"
L.A.I. or you die.
Before you chuck him to the CFI I would have a talk with the CFI and hear what he thinks.
Another option would be to let someone else take him on.
Please be reminded that each individual needs a very different approach in order to teach at all.
1/60
Join Date: May 2009
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well heres one for advice , what do you guys with experience do when you have Mr 500hrs I'm Perfect sat next to you , a chap who talks down to you because he THINKS his high hours are worth more than your high hours and all other accoutrements and when being checked out flys like a sack of shxt , isnt what you would call dangerous but cant hold height/heading/speed whatsoever and continually flys out of balance .
Its easy to be sarcastic but at the end of the day the pilloch is still a customer ??????
Its easy to be sarcastic but at the end of the day the pilloch is still a customer ??????
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GDF,
The question here is, why are you flying with this guy? If it is a bi-annual flight with an instructor then there is only one question - is he safe? If not then I would refuse to sign his log book. If he is learning something new then I would have a quiet word explaining how he needs to change attitude or it will take longer and cost him more to get where he wants.
The question here is, why are you flying with this guy? If it is a bi-annual flight with an instructor then there is only one question - is he safe? If not then I would refuse to sign his log book. If he is learning something new then I would have a quiet word explaining how he needs to change attitude or it will take longer and cost him more to get where he wants.
Join Date: Sep 2008
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Jokes
kme,
I can't agree more! Recently had situation with a student whereby one or more jokes were taken in the wrong light. So far so that i had to cut the lesson short! by all means lighten the mood WHEN YOUR FLYING, but be careful all the same..
I can't agree more! Recently had situation with a student whereby one or more jokes were taken in the wrong light. So far so that i had to cut the lesson short! by all means lighten the mood WHEN YOUR FLYING, but be careful all the same..
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GearDownFlaps
My first ever flight as a FI was with just such a gentleman. He was in for a checkout and had stormed out the day prior when he found out he couldn't just pay and go off with an airplane. Older guy, experienced GA pilot, me the kid supposed to determine that he was safe. They gave him to me as a test I'm sure.....
Be 100% respectful and perhaps try to present it in a slightly different light, such as emphasise it as an area and airport familiarisation flight as much as an insurance checkout, so as to help 'em feel that they're not being 'examined'.
The toughest thing I found wasn't attitude problems, with established pilots it was trying to decide, as a new FI, where the lines were drawn on standards. This guy was outside standards a little on the manoeuvres but was safe and a good stick, procedures were a little different. Trying to drive me across the active runway without clearance was a problem
He was also unable to start the 172SP after haughtily dismissing my suggestion that we sit with the POH for a few minutes and familiarise ourselves with the vagaries of our particular aircraft. He'd not flown a fuel injected engine before and my point was well made (but not patronising) when he finally relented.
Debrief was toughest but you have to stick to your guns if there's something you need to talk about. By then hopefully they've warmed to you a little and understand the necessity, with this guy I simply had to insist on some ground ops to cover the near runway incursion. You'll hear a lot of excuses. Don't dismiss them, use them to suggest an alternative course of action.
In the end don't sign 'em off unless you're happy.
Oh, and clean the window!
My first ever flight as a FI was with just such a gentleman. He was in for a checkout and had stormed out the day prior when he found out he couldn't just pay and go off with an airplane. Older guy, experienced GA pilot, me the kid supposed to determine that he was safe. They gave him to me as a test I'm sure.....
Be 100% respectful and perhaps try to present it in a slightly different light, such as emphasise it as an area and airport familiarisation flight as much as an insurance checkout, so as to help 'em feel that they're not being 'examined'.
The toughest thing I found wasn't attitude problems, with established pilots it was trying to decide, as a new FI, where the lines were drawn on standards. This guy was outside standards a little on the manoeuvres but was safe and a good stick, procedures were a little different. Trying to drive me across the active runway without clearance was a problem
He was also unable to start the 172SP after haughtily dismissing my suggestion that we sit with the POH for a few minutes and familiarise ourselves with the vagaries of our particular aircraft. He'd not flown a fuel injected engine before and my point was well made (but not patronising) when he finally relented.Debrief was toughest but you have to stick to your guns if there's something you need to talk about. By then hopefully they've warmed to you a little and understand the necessity, with this guy I simply had to insist on some ground ops to cover the near runway incursion. You'll hear a lot of excuses. Don't dismiss them, use them to suggest an alternative course of action.
In the end don't sign 'em off unless you're happy.
Oh, and clean the window!
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Excellent tips for someone just about to set foot in the world of Instructing.
Thanks very much for the tips. It has helped me too as i am shortly going to undergo training in Instructing.
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Always keep in mind who is paying for this session.
I remember in the old days when instructing that most students had second jobs along with schools and some had 2 jobs just to make their dream come true. Instructors should keep in mind that the students are paying for the lesson and they should give them the best.
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Never take your feet off the rudder.
You have control means just that - the student has control.
Don't give control to students in situations where they or you are not prepared.
To ride any of the controls while the student thinks that they are the only one influencing the controls causes all sorts of problems.
If it is critical eg simulated engine failure in a twin then
a) don't do it at such a low height that will cause serious problems should they get it wrong the first few times they try it i.e. push the wrong pedal; and
b) always Place your foot (note the singular) in such a position so as to not be on the pedal but to prevent it moving in the wrong direction. This also put's your foot in the ideal position to take over with minimal delay should no rudder be applied.
That is the great thing about the rudder pedals, if the student must apply right rudder and must not apply left rudder, putting your foot just in front of the right pedal both prevents left rudder application and gives minimal delay should the student not apply the rudder at all.
Same thing can be applied to spin entry and kicking off the drift angle in a crosswind landing.
So never ever ride the controls - any of them!!
