Becoming an Instructor & related FI questions
Whirly, it sounds to me that it's not your flying - even allowing for your PPL stuff - but your confidence. I always had the same problem. I'd start out nervous, that would make my flying worse, I'd get more & more nervous etc etc until I couldn't do a thing.
It was so bad my instructor had me fly my Restricted PPL (as it was then) with the CFI but without me knowing it was a flight test! My instructor just told me it was a requirement for a check flight with the CFI prior to a test being scheduled.
Oblivous me thought the the ground grilling & extra long flight wasjust part of a thorough 'check'.
It wasn't until we landed he told me I now had a PPL.
It took me years & years of tests & renewals before I started to overcome that handicap. The navigation part of my PPL, my CPL, my IR, a goodly number of IR renewals, my initial instructor rating, upgrades to that to get instrument & multi, my CP & CFI approvals...
Even now if it's something new I have to really fight against it during the test.
I think in your current case you have a very intensive rating course to add to the situation. An FI course is bloody difficult. Unfortunately only those who have ever done it appreciate what was required.
Those who haven't only ever see the (usually) relaxed - & deliberately cultivated - persona of his/her instructor, see him/her making a few appropriate comments about what's happening, what should be done next etc etc etc.
No one except instructors ever think about what was involved in becoming able to do those things. It is NOT easy to fly an aircraft to a consistantly high standard AND talk about what is happening/you're doing about it in a way that stays ahead of events AND offload the workload to keep one's student within his/her best learning curve AND manage events to best meet the objectives of the exercise etc etc.
It's no fun trying to demonstrate one's competance to someone who is not just a professional colleague but is in a position of authority. We all know that the testing officer usually knows the area of knowledge backwards. Bear in mind you aren't expected have that level of knowledge - until you in turn become an examiner! Until then it's 'only'
the level for the rating sought that is required.
Good luck!
PS: And standing up in front of someone to give a brief or lecture? I *HATED* it! I've never been so nervous in my life until then.
It was so bad my instructor had me fly my Restricted PPL (as it was then) with the CFI but without me knowing it was a flight test! My instructor just told me it was a requirement for a check flight with the CFI prior to a test being scheduled.
Oblivous me thought the the ground grilling & extra long flight wasjust part of a thorough 'check'.
It wasn't until we landed he told me I now had a PPL.
It took me years & years of tests & renewals before I started to overcome that handicap. The navigation part of my PPL, my CPL, my IR, a goodly number of IR renewals, my initial instructor rating, upgrades to that to get instrument & multi, my CP & CFI approvals...
Even now if it's something new I have to really fight against it during the test.
I think in your current case you have a very intensive rating course to add to the situation. An FI course is bloody difficult. Unfortunately only those who have ever done it appreciate what was required.
Those who haven't only ever see the (usually) relaxed - & deliberately cultivated - persona of his/her instructor, see him/her making a few appropriate comments about what's happening, what should be done next etc etc etc.
No one except instructors ever think about what was involved in becoming able to do those things. It is NOT easy to fly an aircraft to a consistantly high standard AND talk about what is happening/you're doing about it in a way that stays ahead of events AND offload the workload to keep one's student within his/her best learning curve AND manage events to best meet the objectives of the exercise etc etc.
It's no fun trying to demonstrate one's competance to someone who is not just a professional colleague but is in a position of authority. We all know that the testing officer usually knows the area of knowledge backwards. Bear in mind you aren't expected have that level of knowledge - until you in turn become an examiner! Until then it's 'only'
the level for the rating sought that is required.Good luck!
PS: And standing up in front of someone to give a brief or lecture? I *HATED* it! I've never been so nervous in my life until then.
Last edited by Tinstaafl; 9th Mar 2003 at 20:23.
The Original Whirly
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Tinny,
Agree with all of that. Giving lectures, especially unprepared ones, is the stuff of my worst nightmares.
I've improved over the years...but change of that sort is only possible up to a point. Which is why I have to know the stuff backwards, and be beyond the standard required for both the theory and flying, to take account of the fact that I won't do myself justice in the test. It was the way with my CPL - I flew extraordinarily badly compared to how I normally would, but still passed. It's been the same with everything I've ever done. But neither I nor anyone else allowed for it here. Next time I will.
Agree with all of that. Giving lectures, especially unprepared ones, is the stuff of my worst nightmares.
I've improved over the years...but change of that sort is only possible up to a point. Which is why I have to know the stuff backwards, and be beyond the standard required for both the theory and flying, to take account of the fact that I won't do myself justice in the test. It was the way with my CPL - I flew extraordinarily badly compared to how I normally would, but still passed. It's been the same with everything I've ever done. But neither I nor anyone else allowed for it here. Next time I will.
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Celebrating? I hardly think sitting playing with your cats, drinking coffee and saying you want to go to bed counts.
Pass the bubbly!
Well done, I guess I can tell everyone now?
Pass the bubbly!
Well done, I guess I can tell everyone now?
Very well done Whirly. Was it with Fred Cross again? Hope the hangover doesn't hurt too much!
The Original Whirly
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Thanks people. I'm hoping I might still have a job to go to, but I don't know yet. Who wants to be my first student?
crab , I decided to do the test with Mike Smith. I spent three days at Thruxton getting up to speed on the flying again, did the test yesterday, and drove home last night.
crab , I decided to do the test with Mike Smith. I spent three days at Thruxton getting up to speed on the flying again, did the test yesterday, and drove home last night.
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Hi Whirly - Congratulations - it brings back memories!!
Not being a fan of long threads, I have only just managed to get the enthusiasm to follow all 6 pages. This thread should be saved, preserved and published for the next generations of FIs
I remember the pain of doing my course and always having the pressure of having a finish date. I expect you are feeling relief like you've never felt before.
Wish you the very best of luck getting a job. Your first lessons will be a little nervewracking, but by the end of the first week, you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about. Enjoy the world of instructing; I thoroughly enjoyed it and I miss it now that I cant instruct anymore (geographically challenged)
Hope you manage to find the energy to start a thread about instructing.
Not being a fan of long threads, I have only just managed to get the enthusiasm to follow all 6 pages. This thread should be saved, preserved and published for the next generations of FIs
I remember the pain of doing my course and always having the pressure of having a finish date. I expect you are feeling relief like you've never felt before.
Wish you the very best of luck getting a job. Your first lessons will be a little nervewracking, but by the end of the first week, you'll be wondering what all the fuss was about. Enjoy the world of instructing; I thoroughly enjoyed it and I miss it now that I cant instruct anymore (geographically challenged)
Hope you manage to find the energy to start a thread about instructing.
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Try a gentleman called Chris Shiel , if he cant help you he can sure point you in the right direction , he has training schools in galway and cork +353 91 792111