Shoud I trust my Flight Instructor?

I can't believe this hasn't been said so I'll say it. If it was this hard to convince you about this flight instructor and now you trust him, don't ruin that trust and follow Capt Bill's advice.

Instead find a local jetcareers member to date and stick with the trust worthy CFI.

Signed the best happily married wing man ever.

Now that's funny.
 
I am still not sure at this point if I have the potential to get over my fear enough to attempt to do things on my own.

First of all Keely, you do have the potential and you can be an accomplished pilot if you commit to do it. Don't let the fear demons convince you otherwise. I have personally witnessed very challenged individuals accomplish things that nobody thought was possible, including them. Don't ever become comfortable believing you have limitations....you don't.
You're a smart young lady with the world ahead of you.... Go for it.
 
I am still not sure at this point if I have the potential to get over my fear enough to attempt to do things on my own.

h34A17150
 

Exactly what are you hoping I'll say? And why would I respond to such uncreative sexism?;)

(I will say, though, that those who said they rarely come across good female flight instructors have to remember that the field is dominated by men, and that if there are two female flight instructors and only one of them is good, you're going to think "most" female flight instructors suck, for some reason. I'm sure there are plenty of crappy male flight instructors, but the field is so penis-saturated that you're more likely to overlook the ones who suck because a good one might be sitting right next to him. Or next to the guy next to him. Or next to the guy next to the guy next to him.)
 
Last edited:
Well, I did it! I did much better this time. I was still ridiculously nervous, but I know I did a lot better because the weather wasn't great (cloudy and windy), we flew to another airport to get gas, and the battery wouldn't start when we went to leave, I got to hear the stall horn a few times, we were 'flying' 25 knots at one point. I looked down at the ground and it didn't look like we were moving. He also idled the engine to show me how we weren't going to fall out of the sky if we lost the engine...all of this and I didn't cry, freak out, or demand to land! I am still pretty afraid to actually do anything myself, but I flew a little and did a few turns. I get motion sickness when I do that, so I don't really know what to do about that. We also did a much more lengthy preflight this time. I got to climb up and check how much gas we had in the plane (flew the 172 today), and I got to talk on the radio! It was a lot of fun.

And yes, I'm meeting up with my instructor for a drink here in a few minutes. Have a good weekend, you guys! ;)
Keely:

Good job...each time you fly you will see progress, but don't be disappointed to have an occasional flight that you feel like you're regressing. It's normal.

I am not one to give relationship advice but I see a red flag developing. I think you have the potential to compromise your flight training if you start mixing it with "personal feelings" for, or with, your instructor. There are training scenarios that could be very awkward and potentially unsafe having a spouse, girlfriend, brother or close friend as a student.

It's do-able, just be aware of the no-no's and keep the flying professional...
I'd be interested to know what @Ian J thinks of a flight instructor and student going out for drinks. If same sex, would it be okay or still going beyond professionalism? And with different sexes?
 
I'd be interested to know what @Ian J thinks of a flight instructor and student going out for drinks. If same sex, would it be okay or still going beyond professionalism? And with different sexes?

I'm obviously not @Ian J , as I can not rock a mullet in such high fashion.

However, same sex or different sexes matter not. Is it just getting to know a friend, or is it finding out if you wanna do the Joey Tribbiani "How YOU doin'". ;)

@keely You will be hard-pressed to find a finer accomplished individual than @Capt Bill for advice and encouragement. He won't toot his own horn, but I can assure you as humble as he is, he has a list of accomplishments professionally most of us who know him in person are pretty amazed. (Sorry for the horrendous run on sentence - total schadenfreude for the Grammar Police)

Best of luck on getting over your fear of flying and enjoy the adventure you've embarked upon.
 
I'm obviously not @Ian J , as I can not rock a mullet in such high fashion.

However, same sex or different sexes matter not. Is it just getting to know a friend, or is it finding out if you wanna do the Joey Tribbiani "How YOU doin'". ;)

.

Well, same and different sex do kind of matter, don't they? Two heterosexual males/females going for a drink after a lesson leaves no question that the relationship will remain professional (unless they quickly become besties, but that still doesn't add to the relationship the fluttery giddy confusion of an infatuation). Man/woman heterosexual after-lesson drinks COULD lead to a misunderstanding or to one of them developing feelings. Even if the instructor has no intention of flirting or any interest whatsoever in the student, the student could easily imagine feelings are there, and the flirty-ha-ha could interfere with both learning and the ability to take instruction.
 
Well, same and different sex do kind of matter, don't they? Two heterosexual males/females going for a drink after a lesson leaves no question that the relationship will remain professional (unless they quickly become besties, but that still doesn't add to the relationship the fluttery giddy confusion of an infatuation). Man/woman heterosexual after-lesson drinks COULD lead to a misunderstanding or to one of them developing feelings. Even if the instructor has no intention of flirting or any interest whatsoever in the student, the student could easily imagine feelings are there, and the flirty-ha-ha could interfere with both learning and the ability to take instruction.

I agree with the quoted statement 100%. I didn't consider everyone that flies airplanes hetero though, so that's how I interpreted your previous statement. I agree strong feelings of attraction can detract from a professional instructor/student relationship.
 
I agree with the quoted statement 100%. I didn't consider everyone that flies airplanes hetero though, so that's how I interpreted your previous statement. I agree strong feelings of attraction can detract from a professional instructor/student relationship.
Sorry. Didn't mean to make the everyone-is-straight assumption. Just laziness on my part to not include the full LGBTQ spectrum. (Then again, a gay person isn't always obviously gay, so an instructor taking out a same-sex person for a drink may not be aware that it could get sticky, so the professionalism aspect is hazier there. Someone who knows things could get complicated is, on the other hand, potentially being consciously unprofessional.)
 
@keely if you plan on keeping this guy as your flight instructor I would advise keeping it 100% professional. I'm not trying to bring down the hammer here just speaking from experience... It was his responsibility ultimately and he should of drawn the line with getting drinks. I've made the mistake of getting too cordial with 2 of my students and I have to ultimately give them up to another flight instructor because when you lose that professional instructor/student relationship, it becomes more difficult to learn and way more difficult to teach (from my perspective). It's natural to be attracted to your flight instructor. it happens. But ultimately if you can't push that aside and keep the task at hand in mind then you are only compromising your training. just my .02...
 
Exactly what are you hoping I'll say? And why would I respond to such uncreative sexism?;)

You replied to the wrong person. I just tagged on a relevant picture to what the previous poster said. And my flight instructor was an older woman, who I picked specifically because she had the reputation for being good but tough, and I didn't want any breaks. ;)
 
Sorry. Didn't mean to make the everyone-is-straight assumption. Just laziness on my part to not include the full LGBTQ spectrum. (Then again, a gay person isn't always obviously gay, so an instructor taking out a same-sex person for a drink may not be aware that it could get sticky, so the professionalism aspect is hazier there. Someone who knows things could get complicated is, on the other hand, potentially being consciously unprofessional.)

My opinion? The best policy is "no fraternization" until the course of training is done. Sounds stupid to many people, probably, but it's just mine opine.

-Fox
 
@keely if you plan on keeping this guy as your flight instructor I would advise keeping it 100% professional. I'm not trying to bring down the hammer here just speaking from experience... It was his responsibility ultimately and he should of drawn the line with getting drinks. I've made the mistake of getting too cordial with 2 of my students and I have to ultimately give them up to another flight instructor because when you lose that professional instructor/student relationship, it becomes more difficult to learn and way more difficult to teach (from my perspective). It's natural to be attracted to your flight instructor. it happens. But ultimately if you can't push that aside and keep the task at hand in mind then you are only compromising your training. just my .02...
I don't know if I believe the story. (Not trying to be difficult. Keely seems very nice. But the story...I don't know. It feels a little too put together to me.)
 
Okay okay I admit it. We love to see you get riled up about this stuff. This time it didn't work though. :D
"Riled up" about "this stuff" is an interesting way to put it. If you mean "annoyed by sexism and not hesitant to call it out," I guess it's all for naught if it amuses you. Oh, well. You can lead a sexist to mature perspectives, but you can't make him think. ;)
 
I can't believe this hasn't been said so I'll say it. If it was this hard to convince you about this flight instructor and now you trust him, don't ruin that trust and follow Capt Bill's advice.

Instead find a local jetcareers member to date and stick with the trust worthy CFI.

Signed the best happily married wing man ever.
The words "JetCareers" and "dating" when mentioned together need a third term: "smoking crater."

But yes, @keely carry on! I mean, don't carry on with your CFI...until he isn't your CFI any more.
 
Back
Top