Infamous Instructors! Best / Worst
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ShyTorque - very sad to hear about Bob...thanks for the info.
Rod Bell was great, I remember (dad of the Bell downhill skiers, right?)
These guys, collectively, were so funny at happy hour -- what a team. 1000's of hrs A1/A2 between them...wonder if there's a unit like RFS still around? I'm out of touch.
Rod Bell was great, I remember (dad of the Bell downhill skiers, right?)
These guys, collectively, were so funny at happy hour -- what a team. 1000's of hrs A1/A2 between them...wonder if there's a unit like RFS still around? I'm out of touch.
Avoid imitations
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Yes, Rod was their father/trainer - which is why he was tired as he was jetting off to snow covered hills much of the time as well as QFI'ing.
Just remembered; the missing name on my list was Bo Plummer.
Just remembered; the missing name on my list was Bo Plummer.
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Bo Plummer
Big bad Bo who needed the child seat in the JP cause he was approx. 5 foot. Top bloke along with Tony Spence of the F4 era, my instructor who always had faith in me, but had a wiucked left hand to belt you with. Great days at CF were had by all.
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To drift slightly, if I may, but I'd like to thank the 2 Regt drill instructors who were responsible for getting a course of lame, stupid and aged missfits to move in a straight line in a slightly military manner. One evening the parade ground outside CHOM had us sounding like a caterpiller in hobnail boots. Our very patient Flt Sgt was trying to get the majority of us in step. The Main cse were also having a nightmare at the hands of a very angry Cpl instructor. Boy, did he have issues. Anyway, as we shambled past the Cpl exploded at them ' fer f**k sake the b****y Reserve cse are better than you w*****s!' Our arms went a bit straighter, the chest came out a little more and there was one thump as all boots hit the ground together. The Flt Sgt turned and gave us an enourmous wink; arms, chests, boots etc. Thanks guys
Last edited by Green Flash; 3rd Dec 2007 at 10:28. Reason: sPeLLLING
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Join Date: Jul 2006
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Jackonicko
Andy Gough was my Gliding instructor at Bicester in the '60's. Took me up in a Blanik once and demonstrated his aerobatic display, awsome to say the least.
Andy Gough was my Gliding instructor at Bicester in the '60's. Took me up in a Blanik once and demonstrated his aerobatic display, awsome to say the least.
Bo Plummer
And Dick Schuster (sp) and his dog, was it Heinie, the one with piles that used to pull herself along with her front paws whilst scraping her @rse all down the corridor. Dick's favourite emergency was to lock the control column with his hands and say take me home!! Excellent teaching/learning exercise based on his Canberra incident.
My.....don't the years roll back.
I remember Heine's party trick ..... on Dick's demand "What do WAAF's do?", rolling onto her back.....
Dick also helped me out on holding the threshold 'fixed' during approach by drawing a chinagraph spider on the windshield. I only flew a couple of sorties with him, but he was as sharp as a pin.... As I remember, his father had an AFC too.
As for Bo Plummer - without him I would have undoubtedly been chopped - a nicer man you could not wish to meet. He was even remarkably civil to me, a young APO, after I threw up several times (I did not have the sense to stop drinking) whilst stood on a bar stool into a cleaner's bucket in the main bar during and after downing the Lady (post solo quart of beer...and unfortunately after a full skinful at a dining-in night)....in front of his wife and daughter (if my memory serves me correctly). I also remember his run-ups to get himself onto the wing, particularly in cold weather flying kit.
CF in the early 80s.....a wonderful time!
I remember Heine's party trick ..... on Dick's demand "What do WAAF's do?", rolling onto her back.....
Dick also helped me out on holding the threshold 'fixed' during approach by drawing a chinagraph spider on the windshield. I only flew a couple of sorties with him, but he was as sharp as a pin.... As I remember, his father had an AFC too.
As for Bo Plummer - without him I would have undoubtedly been chopped - a nicer man you could not wish to meet. He was even remarkably civil to me, a young APO, after I threw up several times (I did not have the sense to stop drinking) whilst stood on a bar stool into a cleaner's bucket in the main bar during and after downing the Lady (post solo quart of beer...and unfortunately after a full skinful at a dining-in night)....in front of his wife and daughter (if my memory serves me correctly). I also remember his run-ups to get himself onto the wing, particularly in cold weather flying kit.
CF in the early 80s.....a wonderful time!
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The Legend That is DB, at cranwell, who apparently has taught the entire current maritime fleet, in communications, retired early this year (april)He's still the same as always, only scruffier....
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Would that be N C H D****s by any chance?
Would that be N C H D****s by any chance?
Not sure. The Nick to whom I refer was also known as 'Clutz'. I would be slightly surprised if he is a survival guru of the present - he must have been in his 40s in 1990 when he departed Linton....(really sorry if he was, in fact, 33
)
I remember a certain EW instructor at Finningley in the 80s who would always carry one of those wooden metre rules and would slam it down next to the student as he played the ARAR/ARAX tapes (never mind that we were the first 'Yellergate' course).
"What....." -slam- "...was that????"
He made my life hell and I dreaded every lesson with him - I learnt very little.
Some years later when I went through instructor training my mentor said on day one:
"Do you remember the worst instructor that you ever had?" How could I ever forget that man. I vowed that I would never resort to those sort of tactics in my classroom.
I learnt several years later that the fellow in question had died following illness - it shames me to say it now, but at the time that I heard my first thought was that he deserved it.
"What....." -slam- "...was that????"
He made my life hell and I dreaded every lesson with him - I learnt very little.
Some years later when I went through instructor training my mentor said on day one:
"Do you remember the worst instructor that you ever had?" How could I ever forget that man. I vowed that I would never resort to those sort of tactics in my classroom.
I learnt several years later that the fellow in question had died following illness - it shames me to say it now, but at the time that I heard my first thought was that he deserved it.
My best flying instructor was John Bowen at CF - after an awful start under an extremely chippy creamy and foul 'berra type, John was able to get me to relax and actually start enjoying the flying. The old poking/hitting/abuse may work on some, but I believe that encouragement and a relaxed cockpit is essential. Obviously, those nice red flares from the caravan probably deserve a slap but that was just the once.
Strangely enough, despite John's teachings, my lack of co-ordination took over and the above mentioned Bo Plummer (utterly charming man) consigned me to Finningley after my secong AIFG. How I ronic that I then went back to hold with HQ Sqn after FY to help organise the airshow - Bo was much more friendly the second time around!
Strangely enough, despite John's teachings, my lack of co-ordination took over and the above mentioned Bo Plummer (utterly charming man) consigned me to Finningley after my secong AIFG. How I ronic that I then went back to hold with HQ Sqn after FY to help organise the airshow - Bo was much more friendly the second time around!
Red On, Green On
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It's funny how the best are often very approachable, and have no need for any histrionics to get the best from their studes. For me it's a man I've mentioned before on here, whose reputation is well-deserved. Brian Skillicorn
I'd love to fly with him again. I'm certain it would be great fun, and I'd come back a better pilot. I last flew with him in 1979
I'd love to fly with him again. I'm certain it would be great fun, and I'd come back a better pilot. I last flew with him in 1979
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d hadn't aged one bit it it was the same balck haired hairy SOB. Mind you same of our copilot, hadn't aged a day.[Thread drift]
This could spawn a Best Course/Worst Course thread too.
Best and Worst an 8 day course at Catterick squeezed into 4 weeks - Monday lunch to Friday lunch, Wednesday sports, 30 minute coffee break twice per day, hour and half for lunch.
If the Nick & Clutz are the same person - he was on JP Sqn at CFS in 88. I seem to recall a tale of him shooting a PAR into Cranwell and having to cope with an extremely enthusiastic young female air trafficer. His response of "Oh for God's sake woman, shut up!" led to him driving down to Cranditz with a bottle of fizz by way of an apology.
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I remember Colin Sills well. He was my QFI for a number of years on the UAS. Didn't he instruct, leave the flying branch to take up Air Traffic Control and then return again to fly?
Good instructor, put you at your ease. There was a rumour he took a Bulldog to 14k once. I asked him once about it, his answer was along the lines of "No, 16k. The passing JP was most suprised to see me!"
Good instructor, put you at your ease. There was a rumour he took a Bulldog to 14k once. I asked him once about it, his answer was along the lines of "No, 16k. The passing JP was most suprised to see me!"