How NOT to instruct
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 848
From: Here 'n' there!
I was struggling converting to one a/c (no sim) so it was all on the aircraft. Much of the briefing was in the air ahead of the next task. All was fine apart from the flare so, after several goes, we gave up. Upper air work was fine...... I was frustrated and the Instructor was irritated. As an Instructor myself I simply couldn't work out what was up - I used to teach people to land .... not have problems landing myself!!
He arranged a further cct slot. That was the same disaster so we gave up. I can't recall who said it, but in an air of resignation, one of us suggested "Fancy a beer?" so off to the pub we went. I explained what I was worried about and the Instructor said "No, no, just do what I've said. You are right, in a small plane that would be a real issue - but you have a lot more weight now so that won't happen!". He arranged a "final" trip for the next day.....
After the first touch-down, which seemed fine to me, rather than re-configuring for the "touch-and-go", he took over and rolled out. I looked over quite worried only to see he had a broad grin on his face. "There you go! That was perfect. I don't even need to see another - you've got it now!". We both laughed and I said, "Shame we didn't have that beer first - we could have charged it to the Company. After all, it would have cost the Company £10 not the £1000's it did to get me signed off!"!
Happy daze!!!!!!!!! Sadly long gone now!
Last edited by Hot 'n' High; 28th March 2026 at 12:22.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,693
Likes: 1,289
From: Australia
During my "Wings" final test in a Wirraway at Point Cook in 1952 the instructor was the Commanding Officer by the name of Wing Commander Vernon "Slam" Sullivan. Fortunately the test went well and he decided to do the last landing himself.
In those days the after landing checks were done while stopped on the taxiway after leaving the runway. "Slam" had started to run the after landing checks when the control tower operator who was a Sergeant, asked him to move further into the taxiway to accommodate another Wirraway who was close behind us. "Slam" replied by saying "I'm the Commanding Officer of this airfield and I stop wherever I bloody well like"
With at attitude like, that I was thankful he wasn't my regular instructor. No wonder he had the nickname "Slam"
In those days the after landing checks were done while stopped on the taxiway after leaving the runway. "Slam" had started to run the after landing checks when the control tower operator who was a Sergeant, asked him to move further into the taxiway to accommodate another Wirraway who was close behind us. "Slam" replied by saying "I'm the Commanding Officer of this airfield and I stop wherever I bloody well like"
With at attitude like, that I was thankful he wasn't my regular instructor. No wonder he had the nickname "Slam"
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,693
Likes: 1,289
From: Australia
Referring to my original Post No.1 about nasty instructors. Here is a classic example from long ago. The venue was the RAAF training airfield at Point Cook in Victoria where we had Tiger Moths, Wirraways and Airspeed Oxfords all sharing the same air space. After heavy rain the grass was wet and earth soft. The instructor staff included three well known "shouters". One was my instructor F/L Ted Whitehead, an embittered middle aged man who had been an instructor for years and had a short fuse. The session was going to be on instrument flying.
We used blue coloured flying goggles and amber screens that you stuck on the inside of the front windscreen. With goggles down over your eyes you could see the instrument panel but looking outside through the amber screen through the goggles gave you total blackness. Very effective simulation.
My instructor Ted (Sir, to me) was already sitting impatiently in the back seat of the Wirraway when I climbed into the front seat with my goggles plus parachute and Mae West (life jacket).
The propeller pitch control was already in the coarse position and we would place it in the fine (forward) position after engine start which was done from the front seat. As I clambered into the front seat I realised in horror that I had forgotten to bring the two amber screens with me. That really upset my instructor who shouted at me to go back to the flight hut and get the amber screens. That done I ran back to the Wirraway and clmbing back into the cockpit, strapped on my parachute and attached the amber screens to the windscreen with the studs.
The instructor said he had already done the before start checks from the back seat and because the starter button was only in the front cockpit I had to start the engine. I was still strapping in when the instructor released the brakes and started to taxy across the airfield to the take off point. Because the propeller pitch control was still in full coarse it took a lot of power to taxi the aircraft on the soft ground.
By the time we reached the run-up position the engine had been operating for nearly ten minutes in coarse pitch and the cylinder head temperatures were rising quite rapidly towards the red line.
It was then the instructor discovered the pitch control was in full coarse pitch. The CHT gauge was in the front cockpit and only I could see it. The instructor was in a hurry to get airborne and shortly after lift off I saw the CHT was on the red line. I said to the instructor "Sir - the CHT is in the red." Christ Almighty, was the shocked reply and the instructor immediately went into a tight low level circuit and landed. By now the CHT had dropped back to normal level and without further ado we took off again for the training area with me on instruments..
The point I am making was that I knew the prop pitch control was in coarse pitch while we were taxiing over the soft ground and I could see the CHT rising, but I thought bugger it, I won't tell the instructor about the rapidly rising CHT - that is his problem - not mine. My stupidity could have caused an engine failure after take off and all because my instructor was a screamer and I wanted to get back at him for abusing me over the forgotten amber instrument flying screens .
We used blue coloured flying goggles and amber screens that you stuck on the inside of the front windscreen. With goggles down over your eyes you could see the instrument panel but looking outside through the amber screen through the goggles gave you total blackness. Very effective simulation.
My instructor Ted (Sir, to me) was already sitting impatiently in the back seat of the Wirraway when I climbed into the front seat with my goggles plus parachute and Mae West (life jacket).
The propeller pitch control was already in the coarse position and we would place it in the fine (forward) position after engine start which was done from the front seat. As I clambered into the front seat I realised in horror that I had forgotten to bring the two amber screens with me. That really upset my instructor who shouted at me to go back to the flight hut and get the amber screens. That done I ran back to the Wirraway and clmbing back into the cockpit, strapped on my parachute and attached the amber screens to the windscreen with the studs.
The instructor said he had already done the before start checks from the back seat and because the starter button was only in the front cockpit I had to start the engine. I was still strapping in when the instructor released the brakes and started to taxy across the airfield to the take off point. Because the propeller pitch control was still in full coarse it took a lot of power to taxi the aircraft on the soft ground.
By the time we reached the run-up position the engine had been operating for nearly ten minutes in coarse pitch and the cylinder head temperatures were rising quite rapidly towards the red line.
It was then the instructor discovered the pitch control was in full coarse pitch. The CHT gauge was in the front cockpit and only I could see it. The instructor was in a hurry to get airborne and shortly after lift off I saw the CHT was on the red line. I said to the instructor "Sir - the CHT is in the red." Christ Almighty, was the shocked reply and the instructor immediately went into a tight low level circuit and landed. By now the CHT had dropped back to normal level and without further ado we took off again for the training area with me on instruments..
The point I am making was that I knew the prop pitch control was in coarse pitch while we were taxiing over the soft ground and I could see the CHT rising, but I thought bugger it, I won't tell the instructor about the rapidly rising CHT - that is his problem - not mine. My stupidity could have caused an engine failure after take off and all because my instructor was a screamer and I wanted to get back at him for abusing me over the forgotten amber instrument flying screens .
Joined: Oct 2002
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 779
From: The Coal Face
I managed to track down “The Five Commandments of Instruction” from “The Book of Muff”.
1. Demonstrate, direct then monitor.
2. You are a teacher - not a tester.
3. Teach how - not what.
4. He will learn in spite of you.
5. Never fly the first circuit.
In my day, (a good 30+ years after Centaurus) it wasn’t so much the yelling that was prevalent, although certainly extant, but the swift punishment metered out for airspeed infractions on final, failure to maintain glide path or lip service to checks. Often, teaching points were delivered with sarcasm and ridicule, withering critique being no less scarring on the hapless trainee than a yelling session. Troublesome trainees were fit from frequent visits to the sight boards.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 4,693
Likes: 1,289
From: Australia
They are better read in context.
I managed to track down “The Five Commandments of Instruction” from “The Book of Muff”.
1. Demonstrate, direct then monitor.
2. You are a teacher - not a tester.
3. Teach how - not what.
4. He will learn in spite of you.
5. Never fly the first circuit.
In my day, (a good 30+ years after Centaurus) it wasn’t so much the yelling that was prevalent, although certainly extant, but the swift punishment metered out for airspeed infractions on final, failure to maintain glide path or lip service to checks. Often, teaching points were delivered with sarcasm and ridicule, withering critique being no less scarring on the hapless trainee than a yelling session. Troublesome trainees were fit from frequent visits to the sight boards.
I managed to track down “The Five Commandments of Instruction” from “The Book of Muff”.
1. Demonstrate, direct then monitor.
2. You are a teacher - not a tester.
3. Teach how - not what.
4. He will learn in spite of you.
5. Never fly the first circuit.
In my day, (a good 30+ years after Centaurus) it wasn’t so much the yelling that was prevalent, although certainly extant, but the swift punishment metered out for airspeed infractions on final, failure to maintain glide path or lip service to checks. Often, teaching points were delivered with sarcasm and ridicule, withering critique being no less scarring on the hapless trainee than a yelling session. Troublesome trainees were fit from frequent visits to the sight boards.
