Did you ever dread lessons?
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Did you ever dread lessons?
I am a 31 year old, currently doing a PPL, and up until recently, I had always really looked forward to the next lesson.
But this has stopped.
In fact, I now dread having lessons, and I am thinking about stopping.
But a bit of background is needed I think.
At first everything was great. I got on very well with my instructor and was taught to fly an aeroplane. And later, when I was sent solo, I was apprehensive, but ended up loving it, and so did my 4 hours of solo circuit bashing with a permanent grin etched on my face. I was now on top of the world. I was one of the few fortunate people who had actually taken off, flown around and landed a plane all by myself! What could possibly be better?
But then my instructor went on a much needed holiday, and he told me that I was going to fly with his friend. He told me that this new instructor had a completely different style to him, but that I would be fine and would have no problems. Anyway, this new instructor seemed okay, and even though I was very disappointed at a sudden change, I thought that it would be perhaps good for me to fly with someone new. It would take away the 'comfort zone' that I had established with my first instructor.
But it soon became clear, that the new instuctor and me were not going to get on. He had an established teaching style that worked on the principle of abuse. He would swear and rant at certain errors that I made, which made me feel very uncomfortable. However, because he went on at me so much, I did actually learn things from him.
But then I was switched to another instructor, who I got on well with, so all was well in the land of PPL. Or so I thought.
On hour 27 or so, I was once again back with the instructor who used abuse as a teaching technique, and I didn't look forward to the lesson. My girlfriend told me to cancel it and wait for my original instructor to come back form his holiday, but I thought that I would carry on.
That next lesson was today, and I was so uncomfortable during the whole lesson, that it was a godsend that we landed after only an hour. The nameless instructor told me that I had better improve soon, or else I would fail my general flight test.
He said that I was far too lax with the trim wheel, and that I let the aircraft fly itself to much. He told me that my landing was pathetic, and that I would be laughed at if one of the chief examiners flew with me. (He did say that I'd done various things really well, but understandibly, I was depressed.) He told me that if i didn't like what I was hearing, then I was a fool to myself.
I did know that I was lax with the trim, and various other things, but it was this instructors manner that I wasn't happy with. If I was paying about £100 for a lesson, then I wanted to at least enjoy it.
The instructor qualifed his manner, by saying that everything he'd told me was what any other instuctor would say, but that other instructors would not say it so plainly. He then, quite rightly pointed out, that because I was on a tight budget, that his style of 'telling it how it was' would work out cheaper for me. And thought I listened to him, I felt like just going home and forgetting about this whole idea of learing to fly.
When I first thought about doing a PPL, I thought that it would be fun and exciting, and that i would look foreward to each lesson. I certainly didn't expect what I am feeling now. In fact, if it was raining tomorrow, I would be glad.
Rant over.
I have put this post here, in the hope that some of you PPL'ers will have gone through what I have, and will offer me some advice or help. or even sympathy. Because after nearly 30 hours of lessons, with the glory of the first solo under my belt, I am ready to call it a day.
But this has stopped.
In fact, I now dread having lessons, and I am thinking about stopping.
But a bit of background is needed I think.
At first everything was great. I got on very well with my instructor and was taught to fly an aeroplane. And later, when I was sent solo, I was apprehensive, but ended up loving it, and so did my 4 hours of solo circuit bashing with a permanent grin etched on my face. I was now on top of the world. I was one of the few fortunate people who had actually taken off, flown around and landed a plane all by myself! What could possibly be better?
But then my instructor went on a much needed holiday, and he told me that I was going to fly with his friend. He told me that this new instructor had a completely different style to him, but that I would be fine and would have no problems. Anyway, this new instructor seemed okay, and even though I was very disappointed at a sudden change, I thought that it would be perhaps good for me to fly with someone new. It would take away the 'comfort zone' that I had established with my first instructor.
But it soon became clear, that the new instuctor and me were not going to get on. He had an established teaching style that worked on the principle of abuse. He would swear and rant at certain errors that I made, which made me feel very uncomfortable. However, because he went on at me so much, I did actually learn things from him.
But then I was switched to another instructor, who I got on well with, so all was well in the land of PPL. Or so I thought.
On hour 27 or so, I was once again back with the instructor who used abuse as a teaching technique, and I didn't look forward to the lesson. My girlfriend told me to cancel it and wait for my original instructor to come back form his holiday, but I thought that I would carry on.
That next lesson was today, and I was so uncomfortable during the whole lesson, that it was a godsend that we landed after only an hour. The nameless instructor told me that I had better improve soon, or else I would fail my general flight test.
He said that I was far too lax with the trim wheel, and that I let the aircraft fly itself to much. He told me that my landing was pathetic, and that I would be laughed at if one of the chief examiners flew with me. (He did say that I'd done various things really well, but understandibly, I was depressed.) He told me that if i didn't like what I was hearing, then I was a fool to myself.
I did know that I was lax with the trim, and various other things, but it was this instructors manner that I wasn't happy with. If I was paying about £100 for a lesson, then I wanted to at least enjoy it.
The instructor qualifed his manner, by saying that everything he'd told me was what any other instuctor would say, but that other instructors would not say it so plainly. He then, quite rightly pointed out, that because I was on a tight budget, that his style of 'telling it how it was' would work out cheaper for me. And thought I listened to him, I felt like just going home and forgetting about this whole idea of learing to fly.
When I first thought about doing a PPL, I thought that it would be fun and exciting, and that i would look foreward to each lesson. I certainly didn't expect what I am feeling now. In fact, if it was raining tomorrow, I would be glad.
Rant over.
I have put this post here, in the hope that some of you PPL'ers will have gone through what I have, and will offer me some advice or help. or even sympathy. Because after nearly 30 hours of lessons, with the glory of the first solo under my belt, I am ready to call it a day.
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That is no way for an instructor to treat any student. All students find some parts of the PPL course difficult, even though they are enjoying the challenge as you were until the change of instructor. It is the job of the instructor to not only iron out these difficulties but also to encourage students through the course. Nobody (except perhaps the ego of the said instructor) benefits from these outbursts. I have come across several instructors who rule their lessons by fear and it quite simply - as in this case - doesn't work.
As an instructor I can say that on occasions it is difficult when a student consistently disregards any information/advice you may deliver, but that is no excuse to bite the head off the poor chap/chapess. Suggesting that someone may fail a flight test is unforgiveable. It is most unreasonable that you were spoken to like that. This chap seems to need to reconsider his attitude.
My advice to you would be not to fly with him again. You must fly with your original instructor as soon as possible and get yourself back into enjoying going flying. A change of instructor for a couple of hours mid course is a good practice as it does check for complacency and gets rid of the comfort zone you have acquired. It looks like you have had a rough experience with this. Back to original instructor and off you go again.
Happy Flying!!
As an instructor I can say that on occasions it is difficult when a student consistently disregards any information/advice you may deliver, but that is no excuse to bite the head off the poor chap/chapess. Suggesting that someone may fail a flight test is unforgiveable. It is most unreasonable that you were spoken to like that. This chap seems to need to reconsider his attitude.
My advice to you would be not to fly with him again. You must fly with your original instructor as soon as possible and get yourself back into enjoying going flying. A change of instructor for a couple of hours mid course is a good practice as it does check for complacency and gets rid of the comfort zone you have acquired. It looks like you have had a rough experience with this. Back to original instructor and off you go again.
Happy Flying!!
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Flock1
As I work away quite a bit, my PPL has been running over a couple of years and in that period I've been through a couple of instructors and have not had the problem that you're having.
READY MESSAGE's comment is quite right. Don't fly with that instructor again as it is destroying something that you seem to enjoy doing. I personally would complain to the chief instructor in the club and let him know how you feel about this instructor.
As a diving instructor the last thing I would ever consider doing would be to abuse any of the students as this would simply create anxiety and the chance of much creater error than they were abused for.
Don't give up on the flying just because some dumass does'nt know how to instruct properly. Stick with it and prove him wrong.
Good luck
As I work away quite a bit, my PPL has been running over a couple of years and in that period I've been through a couple of instructors and have not had the problem that you're having.
READY MESSAGE's comment is quite right. Don't fly with that instructor again as it is destroying something that you seem to enjoy doing. I personally would complain to the chief instructor in the club and let him know how you feel about this instructor.
As a diving instructor the last thing I would ever consider doing would be to abuse any of the students as this would simply create anxiety and the chance of much creater error than they were abused for.
Don't give up on the flying just because some dumass does'nt know how to instruct properly. Stick with it and prove him wrong.
Good luck
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hell, if someone i'm paying would yell at me, i'd take his kneeboard and stuff it up his arse. 
Luckily i have never flown with someone who is that stuck up - fortunatly most instructors know that such actions wont get them far.
What you have to do is actually tell him that your not going to take that from him. Stand up for yourself - even if its mid-air. Worst thing, or better yet - the best thing, thats going to happen is that he wont fly with you anymore and you'll get a new instructor.
I had a buddy once who went up with his instructor to do some instrument training. He was Pre-PPL and under the hood. After 10 min of S&L flight and hearing nothing from his instructor, he peeked and saw him asleep. What my buddy did was take the hood and throw it into his face - literally. He told him off.
Always remember - its your money - you decide who gets it. And when you wave money around, people will concede to it.
Luckily i have never flown with someone who is that stuck up - fortunatly most instructors know that such actions wont get them far.
What you have to do is actually tell him that your not going to take that from him. Stand up for yourself - even if its mid-air. Worst thing, or better yet - the best thing, thats going to happen is that he wont fly with you anymore and you'll get a new instructor.
I had a buddy once who went up with his instructor to do some instrument training. He was Pre-PPL and under the hood. After 10 min of S&L flight and hearing nothing from his instructor, he peeked and saw him asleep. What my buddy did was take the hood and throw it into his face - literally. He told him off.
Always remember - its your money - you decide who gets it. And when you wave money around, people will concede to it.
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Flock 1 some good advice here, and here's my two cents worth. Like you, I flew with one instructor till my first solo. After that I flew with what seemed like a different instructor every trip. I had actually decided that this just wasn't worth it, because I just didn't seem to be getting anywhere, when I bumped into one of the clubs instructors down the pub ( go figure ). He asked how it was going, and I told him that I was done. We talked for a bit, and he asked me to fly with him for an hour. If I was still unhappy, the hour was on him. Well we went flying. We found out I really didn't bother trimming the aircraft ( rugby player no sweat ), that being a aircraft mechanic by trade I was spending too much time fiddling in the cockpit instead of outside looking. Bottom line I really didn't get it, but it needed someone with some consideration and professionalism to get it across. I got my CAA PPL, but I dont fly anymore as my gross weight now exeeds the gross weight of any aircraft I can afford to rent. But no ****** can take away the feeling. You're paying this plonkers wages - tell him where the bear ****s in the woods. If he doesn't have the CRM skills you need, get another instructor or wait for your main man to come back from hols. You have way too much personally and financially invested to let this neanderthal deprive you of the incontestable feelings you can get from flight. Here endeth todays sermon...
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Sorry to hear about your troubles. A student/instructor relationship is a very close one, and it's important you get it right. I've never been this unlucky, but another lass in my club has, and she told her instructor to f**k off after one lesson. Not the most diplomatic way of handling it, but she got her point across 
Now she flies with my instructor, and is making rapid progress.
As has been said, you are spending £100 an hour to do this. Ask yourself why. Is it because you enjoy flying? Well you're not doing so flying with this guy! So he's getting things through to you? So what! Take longer with someone else and enjoy the time. It's not a race!
Now she flies with my instructor, and is making rapid progress.As has been said, you are spending £100 an hour to do this. Ask yourself why. Is it because you enjoy flying? Well you're not doing so flying with this guy! So he's getting things through to you? So what! Take longer with someone else and enjoy the time. It's not a race!
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Did you ever dread lessons?
Dump the sad b*****d, I had one Instructor like that while my nice one was away, felt like opening the door and pushing him out.Don't give up,you don't have to fly with someone like that, just book in with someone else and don't accept a booking with him.Good luck.
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Hi,
a) Don't quit. The "on top of the world" feelings you've had so far are nothing compared to the ones you will have in the future!
b) Change instructor.
c) If the instructor who said the examiner would laugh at you is young, point out that he'll never get an airline job with an attitude like that!
d) While flying with someone different, concentrate on doing right the things that he pointed out you were doing wrong!
e) Everyone goes through a phases where things go wrong and you seem unable to fly properly. With me, this phase was in the hours leading up to my GFT. Don't let it get you down.
a) Don't quit. The "on top of the world" feelings you've had so far are nothing compared to the ones you will have in the future!
b) Change instructor.
c) If the instructor who said the examiner would laugh at you is young, point out that he'll never get an airline job with an attitude like that!
d) While flying with someone different, concentrate on doing right the things that he pointed out you were doing wrong!
e) Everyone goes through a phases where things go wrong and you seem unable to fly properly. With me, this phase was in the hours leading up to my GFT. Don't let it get you down.
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G'day to everyone, a new poster to this forum here. Been dropping in for a couple months ever since I got that shiny new PPL, and now found something I just have to reply to.
Flock1, I can totally identify with your feelings of dread for each upcoming lesson. It can be extremely discouraging. But a bit of background first . . .
Loved flying from the start, and enjoyed it up to the change of flying schools, when I began my navigation training. Got an instructor who was new to the job, and quite clearly very much present to build his hours. There I was trying my best to learn and re-learn at the same time with a new flying school (heavy on SOP's) and he would sometimes yell and often swear, getting impatient quickly and really creating a difficult environment to learn in. After speaking to a few of my friends who had the same instructor, I learnt that he had a pretty bad trend going with his students so far.
I know it can be hard knowing what you're paying for and remembering how fun flying can really be. But I suggest learning from this guy what you can about dealing with these people. Learn what you can about how you deal with heated cockpit situations. We won't always be flying with or around people we naturally get along with and I feel it is important to learn what you can from these situations.
Try talking to the guy. Let him know the effect he is having on your motivation, etc. Too often people are allowed to carry on with unacceptable behaviour simply because no one has ever laid down some simple things for them.
If all else fails, then you know ya just gotta give 'em the flick. Explain your situation to the chief and request a new instructor. But make sure you go through the proper channels, consulting your instructor first. (Then you'll always be able to look him in the eye.)
Simple?
Maybe not. But nothing in aviation is and quitting is simply not the answer. Seeking advice was the first right step. I seeked a lot from my family, and it sure helped. Once you figure things out, the fun in flying WILL come back, and it'll be worth it ;-)
I think I've said enough. If you want to hear what happened with my instructor, I'm quite willing to share (the story actually had a happy ending). But for the purposes of advice, the rest of the story is not necessary. I hope I've given you something useful
Flock1, I can totally identify with your feelings of dread for each upcoming lesson. It can be extremely discouraging. But a bit of background first . . .
Loved flying from the start, and enjoyed it up to the change of flying schools, when I began my navigation training. Got an instructor who was new to the job, and quite clearly very much present to build his hours. There I was trying my best to learn and re-learn at the same time with a new flying school (heavy on SOP's) and he would sometimes yell and often swear, getting impatient quickly and really creating a difficult environment to learn in. After speaking to a few of my friends who had the same instructor, I learnt that he had a pretty bad trend going with his students so far.
I know it can be hard knowing what you're paying for and remembering how fun flying can really be. But I suggest learning from this guy what you can about dealing with these people. Learn what you can about how you deal with heated cockpit situations. We won't always be flying with or around people we naturally get along with and I feel it is important to learn what you can from these situations.
Try talking to the guy. Let him know the effect he is having on your motivation, etc. Too often people are allowed to carry on with unacceptable behaviour simply because no one has ever laid down some simple things for them.
If all else fails, then you know ya just gotta give 'em the flick. Explain your situation to the chief and request a new instructor. But make sure you go through the proper channels, consulting your instructor first. (Then you'll always be able to look him in the eye.)
Simple?
Maybe not. But nothing in aviation is and quitting is simply not the answer. Seeking advice was the first right step. I seeked a lot from my family, and it sure helped. Once you figure things out, the fun in flying WILL come back, and it'll be worth it ;-)
I think I've said enough. If you want to hear what happened with my instructor, I'm quite willing to share (the story actually had a happy ending). But for the purposes of advice, the rest of the story is not necessary. I hope I've given you something useful
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Sounds daft, but print a copy of this thread off, and show people at your school, see what they say, then take it in to the CFI, see his/her reaction and explain your situation. Screw the effect it has on your instructor! Your money is currently being wasted. Special offer!! I can cut your costs in half!!!!! Give me the money, stop flying, I'll give you half back. Now that sounds really daft right? Well it's a better situation for us both, so get your @rse in gear, use the enthusiasm that's still in there somewhere and tell your instructor to stick it where your money won't go.
Sorry if that sounds harsh and unfeeling, I know you're in a tough spot, but unless you act quickly, your confidence will reduce, you will give up, and that's another family member gone. Change instructor, keep posting, let us know how you get on, and get yourself to a fly-in!
Sorry if that sounds harsh and unfeeling, I know you're in a tough spot, but unless you act quickly, your confidence will reduce, you will give up, and that's another family member gone. Change instructor, keep posting, let us know how you get on, and get yourself to a fly-in!
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Flock,
Pretty important in a flying school environment. The instructor is wrong in his method, everyone seems to agree, so I won't go on about that, but you really must explain to both the instructor and the chief that you will not be taking any more bookings with him and why - otherwise you will still feel uncomfortable visiting the club. If that doesn’t work, sod the whole club and move elsewhere, it’s your money.
On a side to that, I was in a very similar situation to you, when I had an instructor, who, when was having a bad day, made the students life hell. On one lesson, by 400ft I had had enough. He had criticised everything I had done from the start. When he asked why I hadn't done X, I explained very loudly that it was because I was learning to fly and he was supposed to be F*****G teaching me. 5 mins of complete silence ensued.
I spend many hours instruction with him after that, without problem, including my IMC and learnt a hell of a lot from an experienced and competent pilot. Sometimes people just need telling.
Hope you don't give it up though, it's well worth it in the end - and consider this - they wouldn't have let you go solo if you where a lost hope.
Regards,
LF
HornetBoy - (Then you'll always be able to look him in the eye.)
On a side to that, I was in a very similar situation to you, when I had an instructor, who, when was having a bad day, made the students life hell. On one lesson, by 400ft I had had enough. He had criticised everything I had done from the start. When he asked why I hadn't done X, I explained very loudly that it was because I was learning to fly and he was supposed to be F*****G teaching me. 5 mins of complete silence ensued.
I spend many hours instruction with him after that, without problem, including my IMC and learnt a hell of a lot from an experienced and competent pilot. Sometimes people just need telling.
Hope you don't give it up though, it's well worth it in the end - and consider this - they wouldn't have let you go solo if you where a lost hope.
Regards,
LF
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Skip forward two years...
You've got your PPL and about 150 hours P1.
You're off on a flying trip with your wife at about 3500' when all of a sudden the engine stops (SEP for sake of argument)
All of a sudden that voice comes booming into your head, "TRIM, TRIM FOR BEST GLIDE YOU USELESS <insert suiitable expletive here>"
So you trim. So you make a FL. So you both survive.
Is he still an A-Hole then?
You've got your PPL and about 150 hours P1.
You're off on a flying trip with your wife
at about 3500' when all of a sudden the engine stops (SEP for sake of argument)All of a sudden that voice comes booming into your head, "TRIM, TRIM FOR BEST GLIDE YOU USELESS <insert suiitable expletive here>"
So you trim. So you make a FL. So you both survive.
Is he still an A-Hole then?
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Yes, he is still an ar**hole.
But you are paying the Instructor to criticise your flying, so that you can improve. Learning a new skill, especially a demanding skill such as flying, will always be difficult. A good instructor will keep the pressure on most of the time to get the best effect of time in the air, but equally they should allow some unpresssured time for you to realise why you are doing it - to soak up the triumph and elation of each new step forward.
Some instructors just have a bad way of passing on this criticism. When I flew in the UAS, one of the instructors had a habit of hitting your hand if you reached for a control when he didn’t think it was needed. Eventually I got pretty scared of doing anything and it really held my flying back and made the prospect of a lesson with this particular instructor very daunting. Luckily I didn’t have to fly with him very much.
But do stick with it - I assure you the end result is absolutely worth it.
But you are paying the Instructor to criticise your flying, so that you can improve. Learning a new skill, especially a demanding skill such as flying, will always be difficult. A good instructor will keep the pressure on most of the time to get the best effect of time in the air, but equally they should allow some unpresssured time for you to realise why you are doing it - to soak up the triumph and elation of each new step forward.
Some instructors just have a bad way of passing on this criticism. When I flew in the UAS, one of the instructors had a habit of hitting your hand if you reached for a control when he didn’t think it was needed. Eventually I got pretty scared of doing anything and it really held my flying back and made the prospect of a lesson with this particular instructor very daunting. Luckily I didn’t have to fly with him very much.
But do stick with it - I assure you the end result is absolutely worth it.
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Im new to all this, but I tell you the few lessons I have had and I had a couple of instructors and they have made me feel really confident and beena great help and spent time at the end of the day giving me tips and help.
I would complian to the flying club who im sure wold be sympathetic with you if you explianed to them the situiation.
Dont let some arsehole ruin your PPL, Mug him off and find someone new. Just think ur nearly there and when you get there you wont need to fly with anyone but your choice ( eg mates , family )
Stick with it, hes proberly caught his wife with someone else!!
I would complian to the flying club who im sure wold be sympathetic with you if you explianed to them the situiation.
Dont let some arsehole ruin your PPL, Mug him off and find someone new. Just think ur nearly there and when you get there you wont need to fly with anyone but your choice ( eg mates , family )
Stick with it, hes proberly caught his wife with someone else!!
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Constructive criticism, however communicated, should be good if you remember it...but if it interferes with the reason why you are doing it in the first place, presumably because you love flying and it is supposed to be fun, then you can get that constructive criticism from a source that does not need to communicate it abusively.
I like the idea of the clipboard up his jacksie suggested by someone earlier...
...twice...
I like the idea of the clipboard up his jacksie suggested by someone earlier...
...twice...
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Stick with the flying, but ditch the instructor!
I took up flying to get over a fear of flying caused by a number of helicopter incidents in the military which kept me from flying in anything for 25 years. To say I was a nervous student would be an extreme understatement! When my first instructor went off to fly big-uns, a week after I had bent an aircraft in a landing accident on my third solo, I was given another instructor, who although a really nice guy and excellent pilot, was very young and wasn't getting anywhere with neurosis-ridden me.
Luckily, I was learning with a very professional outfit who realised this and substituted him for the assistant CFI and another, older AFI, who double-teamed me. I'd fly with one to our main training field and back with the other, and all of a sudden things clicked. Instead of dreading flying, I began to enjoy it. One instructor hammered home the technique in a persistant, but patient way, the other gave me confidence and made me realise I could do it. Had it not been for these two I would never have got my licence.
Moral of the story- if you aren't 100% happy with your instructor you won't progress.
I took up flying to get over a fear of flying caused by a number of helicopter incidents in the military which kept me from flying in anything for 25 years. To say I was a nervous student would be an extreme understatement! When my first instructor went off to fly big-uns, a week after I had bent an aircraft in a landing accident on my third solo, I was given another instructor, who although a really nice guy and excellent pilot, was very young and wasn't getting anywhere with neurosis-ridden me.
Luckily, I was learning with a very professional outfit who realised this and substituted him for the assistant CFI and another, older AFI, who double-teamed me. I'd fly with one to our main training field and back with the other, and all of a sudden things clicked. Instead of dreading flying, I began to enjoy it. One instructor hammered home the technique in a persistant, but patient way, the other gave me confidence and made me realise I could do it. Had it not been for these two I would never have got my licence.
Moral of the story- if you aren't 100% happy with your instructor you won't progress.
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i think many of us have been there....do not give up!!!!!!
i had a similar experience on my 4th PPL lesson, during slow flight exercises.
my instructor was the Bud Spencer type of guy....a man of few words. During the preflight briefing he would explain the lesson's basics and set my objectives. Once in the air he would demonstrate how it had to be done and then let me do it. Needless to say, i didn't always get it right either the first time or the second or the third time.....by then he would start getting impatient and even pissed off at my slow progress and grab the controls to make some really harsh "corrective" input, followed by loud exclamation like "ATTITUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!" or "POWER!!!!!!!!!".
this really got on my confidence and by lesson 4 i was one inch away from giving up flying, as i thought i would never learn it.
i had a chat about it with a good friend, that was also doing his PPL, who managed to convince me not to quit but to change instructor instead. so i did. i never told him my reasons for changing, but i guess someone else at the club did.
some 6 months later i was a proud holder of a shiny new PPL.
at that point i had regained my confidence and even accepted to make various type ratings with that instructor, including my aerobatic endorsement.
eventually, i got to know him better and now i litterally love flying with him. i appreciate his honest and direct way of telling things.
of the couple instructors i have had lessons with, he definitely is the one with the worst communication skills (by now he knows that too) but his flying skills are superior to anyone else i have flown with by such a large margin, that he is the only one i am willing to spend my money on.
from a couple of discussions i had with him on the subject of his teaching i realised that he was aware of coming across the wrong way, especially to low houred students, however he genuinely never meant to put off anyone. He has improved a lot since then....
i guess he simply needed someone to tell him and some time to accept and adapt.
i had a similar experience on my 4th PPL lesson, during slow flight exercises.
my instructor was the Bud Spencer type of guy....a man of few words. During the preflight briefing he would explain the lesson's basics and set my objectives. Once in the air he would demonstrate how it had to be done and then let me do it. Needless to say, i didn't always get it right either the first time or the second or the third time.....by then he would start getting impatient and even pissed off at my slow progress and grab the controls to make some really harsh "corrective" input, followed by loud exclamation like "ATTITUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!" or "POWER!!!!!!!!!".
this really got on my confidence and by lesson 4 i was one inch away from giving up flying, as i thought i would never learn it.
i had a chat about it with a good friend, that was also doing his PPL, who managed to convince me not to quit but to change instructor instead. so i did. i never told him my reasons for changing, but i guess someone else at the club did.
some 6 months later i was a proud holder of a shiny new PPL.
at that point i had regained my confidence and even accepted to make various type ratings with that instructor, including my aerobatic endorsement.
eventually, i got to know him better and now i litterally love flying with him. i appreciate his honest and direct way of telling things.
of the couple instructors i have had lessons with, he definitely is the one with the worst communication skills (by now he knows that too) but his flying skills are superior to anyone else i have flown with by such a large margin, that he is the only one i am willing to spend my money on.
from a couple of discussions i had with him on the subject of his teaching i realised that he was aware of coming across the wrong way, especially to low houred students, however he genuinely never meant to put off anyone. He has improved a lot since then....
i guess he simply needed someone to tell him and some time to accept and adapt.
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Bottom line is you are
a) not enjoying your flying
b) not learning because of the environment you find yourself in.
Solutions:
A) talk to instructor, and explain the situation
B) change instructor (& possibly talk to CFI if you want)
C) change school
D) give up flying,
E) continue as is.
Rule out option d & e.
Wheter a,b or c is the solution for you, is up to you.
Personally I'd just change instructor. I wouldn't bother saying why, just request to fly with a particular instructor. If some asks you why, then I'd just say personality differences, and leave it at that. Chances are you won't be asked why. They will already know, because you won't be the first to ask to change.
Where I learnt we had different instructors for each lesson. After a while, there were some I liked, and some (one in particular) I didn't like. (No abuse, just didn't find his teaching methods parted much information to me.) When I was making bookings, I requested to fly with the instructors that I wanted to, and if they wern't available, I ask about the next day, or the next, until I found one they were free on. Later having meet some other SPL's at a social function, I discovered all the other students were doing the same!! Nobody wanted to fly with this particular instructor. I suspect your instructor will be the same. Other people will be trying to change.
Look at the problem constructivly and decide whether solution a, b or c is best for you. But pick one.
You shouldn't have to put up with that sort of abuse.
a) not enjoying your flying
b) not learning because of the environment you find yourself in.
Solutions:
A) talk to instructor, and explain the situation
B) change instructor (& possibly talk to CFI if you want)
C) change school
D) give up flying,
E) continue as is.
Rule out option d & e.
Wheter a,b or c is the solution for you, is up to you.
Personally I'd just change instructor. I wouldn't bother saying why, just request to fly with a particular instructor. If some asks you why, then I'd just say personality differences, and leave it at that. Chances are you won't be asked why. They will already know, because you won't be the first to ask to change.
Where I learnt we had different instructors for each lesson. After a while, there were some I liked, and some (one in particular) I didn't like. (No abuse, just didn't find his teaching methods parted much information to me.) When I was making bookings, I requested to fly with the instructors that I wanted to, and if they wern't available, I ask about the next day, or the next, until I found one they were free on. Later having meet some other SPL's at a social function, I discovered all the other students were doing the same!! Nobody wanted to fly with this particular instructor. I suspect your instructor will be the same. Other people will be trying to change.
Look at the problem constructivly and decide whether solution a, b or c is best for you. But pick one.
You shouldn't have to put up with that sort of abuse.
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Essex, UK
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You should definately change instructor.
Flying is not by any means a cheap thing to do, so if you are spending all that money, you should at least enjoy learning to fly; after all, thats the purpose of getting the license isnt it?
Down to Le 2K, Jersey, all around the coutry, flying in different countries all around the world, that is the reason yopu are getting the license, so dont let any idiotic instructor stop you.
Flying is not by any means a cheap thing to do, so if you are spending all that money, you should at least enjoy learning to fly; after all, thats the purpose of getting the license isnt it?
Down to Le 2K, Jersey, all around the coutry, flying in different countries all around the world, that is the reason yopu are getting the license, so dont let any idiotic instructor stop you.