Exciting first week as an instructor...

It was relatively cool so I dont think the engine overheated, the oil was at about 6 but the student noted it was practically BLACK as he checked it... i think they changed it after the incident though.

You nailed it on the head with the fuel pump though, I dont believe we had turned it on for maneuvers and another instructor asked me the same thing. He said the fuel pressure falls pretty noticeably during maneuvers if the pump is not on. All my single engine time has been 99% cessna (all twin time was in the seminole though) so learning the quirks of the piper will be interesting.
Some of the Cherokee family is sort of marginal when it comes to vapor suppression in the fuel system. A lot of them actually require an extra fuel pump to be run on avgas. So I would guess that with the low airspeed and attendant high temperatures in the cowling, you got vapor lock in the fuel system up there. I would hazard a guess that if you run the boost pump during maneuvers you won't have this trouble. As a side note, as a new Piper driver coming from Cessnas your first reflex after an engine failure (or even hiccup) now should be switch tanks, pump on. That will serve you well if you ever fly the Big Six, four fuel tanks feeding one engine.
 
My first week of being a CFI included 2 students trying to kill me... I love when you tell them to "go around" and they just pitch up without adding any power and stall the aircraft 20 feet off the deck :eek:
 
No GUMPS (or similar checklist) before power-off stall practice? If so you were taught wrong.

On the arrow stalls we always did a gump check. Usually went prop 2500 and mixture rich. Fuel pump stayed off. I had different instructors for my private and commercial.

As I said in my post earlier, I wasn't claiming that the fuel pump isn't needed, I just said I was never taught to use it on stalls and never had any relates hiccups.


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I did my private and commercial rating in pipers. I haven't ever been told to run the fuel pump during maneuvers and never had any hiccups related to that. Not saying that was correct, just that I have never heard it was needed.

It backs up the engine driven pump which could fail...not good if that happened during 8s on pylons or some other low to the ground maneuver. Its on during maneuvers for the same reason it's on during takeoff and landing.
 
It backs up the engine driven pump which could fail...not good if that happened during 8s on pylons or some other low to the ground maneuver. Its on during maneuvers for the same reason it's on during takeoff and landing.

Yeah, I understand the point of it. Thanks for the information guys.


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I always laugh when CFI's claim students try to "kill" them. While in reality, it's really the contrary.

The CFI gets riled up because he/she failes to remain in control of the situation by not staying far enough ahead of the student.

Come on... A student pitching up without adding power or sucking up the flaps on a go around???? That's almost a given! That stuff should be briefed on the ground as common errors and IN NO WAY WHAT-SO EVER should be a surprise to a CFI.
 
I always laugh when CFI's claim students try to "kill" them. While in reality, it's really the contrary.

The CFI gets riled up because he/she failes to remain in control of the situation by not staying far enough ahead of the student.

Come on... A student pitching up without adding power or sucking up the flaps on a go around???? That's almost a given! That stuff should be briefed on the ground as common errors and IN NO WAY WHAT-SO EVER should be a surprise to a CFI.


MY favorite is when a new CFI talks about how the student put them in a spin during stall practice, and how they saved the day!
 
MY favorite is when a new CFI talks about how the student put them in a spin during stall practice, and how they saved the day!

This is probably the same group that gets on their student for not calling out "GUMPS" check, as they cross the fence in a 172...
 
MY favorite is when a new CFI talks about how the student put them in a spin during stall practice, and how they saved the day!
I kinda enjoyed it when that happened to me. I hadnt done any spins since selling my share in a 150 Aerobat, so it gave me the opportunity to get another spin under my belt.
 
I kinda enjoyed it when that happened to me. I hadnt done any spins since selling my share in a 150 Aerobat, so it gave me the opportunity to get another spin under my belt.

I know it's a common error, and I don't feel like a hero when I recover from them. However, I do enjoy the students reaction when the 150 goes over for the first time.
 
I always have a little smile on my face when we do power on turning stalls for the first time. Knew they weren't expecting that! :D
 
You guys have more interesting students than me, I have to work to get a spin to develop in a Cessna, really dont know how you can do it accidentally.
 
You guys have more interesting students than me, I have to work to get a spin to develop in a Cessna, really dont know how you can do it accidentally.

I agree. It does take a little practice for a proper spin. Even then, some 172's are better than others. There's one at our school that spins like a top. Either way, I give most of my spin flights away to other instructors. I've installed the bolts that hold the tail on. Those things aren't exactly built like an Extra 300.
 
Am I the only one who thinks it strange that you were instructing in a plane you had never flown and were guessing what best glide speed should be?
I've taught in / flown many aircraft without knowing the best glide speed. It's impractical to know every V speed when switching between multiple aircraft on a regular basis.

And it's not really dangerous, either. Remember, best glide speed will always be close to Vy, and varies with weight, so it's not an exact science anyway.

But yes, if you're giving primary training in a plane every day, one should probably memorize the best glide speed.
 
I've taught in / flown many aircraft without knowing the best glide speed. It's impractical to know every V speed when switching between multiple aircraft on a regular basis.

And it's not really dangerous, either. Remember, best glide speed will always be close to Vy, and varies with weight, so it's not an exact science anyway.

But yes, if you're giving primary training in a plane every day, one should probably memorize the best glide speed.
I'm not sure I could quote the exact number of, say, Vne of any of the aircraft I fly regularly.

It's on the indicator for a reason!

(best glide is even bugged on our EFIS's, but it's 100 MPH/87 Knots)
 
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