Misconceptions

USMCmech

Well-Known Member
Inspired by a question in another thread.

What are some common misconceptions you have run into while working as a CFI. Many cases are company SOP that everyone assumes are FARs. A few are good general rules, yet they are not actually regulatory.

I'll start.

A "checkout" is required for every different plane you fly. The word checkout is nowhere in pt 91 or 61. If you have the apropriate liscense for that catagory and class and the nessecary endorsements you can hop in and take off. Anything requireing a type rating or a LOA would be the exception.

You must wear close toed shoes to fly. The only thing you have to wear is you seatbelt.

You must take off and land on the runway Provided you do not do so in a "careless or reckles" manner you can take off from anywhere including country roads.

Spin training requires a parachute Since normal spins are required for a certificate (namely the CFI) you may do spin training with any student seeking any certificate or rating. This is per a letter from the chief counsol's office whichi I'm too lazy to lool up now, but it's in the book "FARs Explained".

What are some you guys have run across?
 
The FAA's three definitions of night cause a lot of misconceptions....
"I can only log night when it is an hour after civil twilight"

"The Twinstar autofeathers."

"The magnetos require battery power to work"

I'm sure I'll think of some others.
 
That if you land with less than the required fuel reserves you can get busted.

How VORs work. I have heard some very interesting explanations there; some involve laser beams.

How my medical certificate "changes" from a first, to a second, to a third class.

How GPS distances are not "DME" and do not have any slant range error.

What WAAS is and how it works. Some of those misconceptions are actually published errors.
 
Logging flight time is only during flight. You start up, taxi to do run up, and a bad mag is found. You taxi back to the ramp. Yes, this time can be logged.
 
Logging flight time is only during flight. You start up, taxi to do run up, and a bad mag is found. You taxi back to the ramp. Yes, this time can be logged.

Some guys I know that were washing the planes at my school were logging the time required to taxi to the wash rack, lol.
 
Logging flight time is only during flight. You start up, taxi to do run up, and a bad mag is found. You taxi back to the ramp. Yes, this time can be logged.
While this has been debated endlessly here on JC, I'm curious why you personally believe the 2nd part of the definition of flight time: "and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing," doesn't apply.
 
I always thought that the acid test was "intent to fly". Now, I can't deny that I've come pretty close to lifting off before while taxiing airplanes around the airport....
 
Anyone who is teaching this should not be a CFI.
I think he's talking about misconceptions you come across as a CFI, not necessarily those that are perpetuated by CFIs.

I had a student who was convinced that the prop would stop if we shut off the master. So I did. Of course nothing much happened other than the sudden increase in the cockpit humidity.
 
A "checkout" is required for every different plane you fly. The word checkout is nowhere in pt 91 or 61. If you have the apropriate liscense for that catagory and class and the nessecary endorsements you can hop in and take off. Anything requireing a type rating or a LOA would be the exception.

FAR Part 61.195(f) Training received in a multi-engine airplane, a helicopter, or a powered-lift.

A flight instructor may not give training required for the issuance of a certificate or rating in a multiengine airplane ,a helicopter, or a powered-lift unless that flight instructor has at least 5 hours of pilot in command time in the specific make and model of multi-engine airplane, a helicopter, or a powered-lift.

So there is a time requirement for multi trainingbut no CHECKOUT.
 
So there is a time requirement for multi training but no CHECKOUT.

Only if that training is toward a certificate or rating. If it's a BFR, IPC, proficiency, or anything else, you don't need a minute of time in that make & model.
 
An instrument rating is required to fly at night.

No one told me that was a FBO rule until I brought up night currency during training . . . . those were the good 'ole days back when I was young and impressionable. :confused:
 
How VORs work. I have heard some very interesting explanations there; some involve laser beams.

Aaaah, funny... never heard that one before. Was someone pulling your leg?

I'm curious why you personally believe the 2nd part of the definition of flight time: "and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing," doesn't apply.

Sure thing, here is why... Can you get into an accident or incident during taxing? If so, then who is responsible? Is the pilot in command not? I have never taken advantage of this and I believe it would be pointless to do so (may as well just jot down numbers in your log). If the aircraft is still moving forward is the aircraft at "rest"? I'm curious why you personlly believe the aircraft is at rest as soon as the wheels touch the runway. If your talking airline pay then that is another story.

If I fly an amphib from one airport to another airport without touching down in water is it SES time that I log or SEL? Does one need a SES to fly this trip in this aircraft? I believe it is SES time and yes, you do need a SES add on.
 
Only if that training is toward a certificate or rating. If it's a BFR, IPC, proficiency, or anything else, you don't need a minute of time in that make & model.

That is good to know and I'm sure it gets overlooked very often.
 
Sure thing, here is why... Can you get into an accident or incident during taxing? If so, then who is responsible? Is the pilot in command not? I have never taken advantage of this and I believe it would be pointless to do so (may as well just jot down numbers in your log). If the aircraft is still moving forward is the aircraft at "rest"? I'm curious why you personlly believe the aircraft is at rest as soon as the wheels touch the runway. If your talking airline pay then that is another story.

I believe Ian J is talking about your original scenario, where you taxi out, discover you have a bad mag and taxi back. This cannot be counted as flight time because the aircraft never came to rest after a landing, landing being the key word.
 
I believe Ian J is talking about your original scenario, where you taxi out, discover you have a bad mag and taxi back. This cannot be counted as flight time because the aircraft never came to rest after a landing, landing being the key word.


I thought there was something that said "intending" flight.
You cannot log the time while taxiing the aircraft to the wash spot unless you plan to take off and fly there. The FAA has revoked a few or more certificates after they found two idiots taxiing a twin around the airport (2 Pilots) and one was taxiing and the other one acted as the safety pilot...

On the other hand during a checkride I once had, we taxied out to find something wrong during runup, and logged the time, as the initial intention was to go flying. The examiner demanded to put this into my logbook, as a large part of discussion preceded the runup. It was part of my flight test, and there it went.
 
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