CFIs Needed

Awesome post, George!

I recently received an email from one of my former Shanghai Airlines students. In addition to wishing me a happy holiday, he thanked me again for my efforts as his instructor. It's hard to believe that he has 500 hours in a 737 now. It also feels pretty cool when I think that I was the one who taught him the basics of being an aviator.

This was just one memorable chapter in what has been an exciting (and somewhat turbulent) journey. It's too bad more people don't see it that way these days. 'Cause when you get that jet job, you ask yourself "What was all the hype about?"

Things I learned at Castle:
Always check your 8 o'clock when you come over the prison for 31.
Always backup Nav 1 with the GPS map in the Alarus.
Don't let a Chinese national take photos of airliners on the SIDA ramp in Eugene, OR.
Lo mein noodles and french fries do indeed taste good for breakfast after a night of drinking.
You can never have too many night cross-country flights to Willows. (Nancy's pie rocks.)
The most time I've ever spent instructing in an Alarus in one day is 8 hours. I swear. My logbook says so....

Fly safe guys. And for the love of everything holy, quit drinking so much!
 
That was EPIC and all very true. The job is very rewarding but also very grueling at times. Get a student with excellent english and is motivated, it's a cakewalk teaching them. Get one with poor english and is un- motivated to learn on their own, it will increase your grey hair count. I came into this job knowing I would stay for the full 10 months. My 10 months has now turned into 17, which has allowed me to dramatically pay off debts and save money at the same time.

Coming from another flight school in SoCal where the equipment and location was WAY BETTER, but the pay was MUCH WORSE, i've seen the "other side". Thanks but no thanks. When I find myself going crazy teaching the same thing over and over again, I think of that first year in SoCal struggling to pay rent, and bills, and then I'm calm again. Teaching flying to students with broken english, aka "Chinglish" isn't so bad after all.......especially when they finally get it and you can sit back and enjoy the view.
 
I agree, Japanese students can be just as tough.......

Still, the income to rent ratio at Castle is hard to beat!!!
 
aviator747 said:
1. Where else can you violate company policy by drinking your guts out on a daily basis till 1am then get up in the morning and go flying with your students without being terminated. Let alone being reported to the FAA
2. Where else can you totally do what you want when you want with no consequence????
Click to expand...

Sign me up for a place that fosters an environment where management turns a blind eye to willful FAR & company pilocy violations, doesn't promote personal responsibility, and whose welcome letter is filled with grammar so bad that looks like it was written by a third grader.
 
Nihon_Ni said:
Sign me up for a place that fosters an environment where management turns a blind eye to willful FAR & company pilocy violations, doesn't promote personal responsibility, and whose welcome letter is filled with grammar so bad that looks like it was written by a third grader.
Click to expand...

Well we do our very best to cater to you all....... given the fact that you all act like a bunch of third graders, one would assume you have the reading comprehension of one.


Happy new year
 
OK now on a serious note to all current, former and prospective CFI's

The only reason I posted initially is to bring to light instances from the past where instructors at this school needed to take a good look in the mirror before criticizing and bad mouthing Sierra. The points I made above are all true. A lot of that did happen in the past not so much anymore but the point I wanted to emphasize was that the school was sympathetic and pretty lean on peoples mistakes.
No they didn't turn a blind eye, they forgave and gave people as SECOND CHANCE. They are what they are but at least they didn't BURN you as another employer would have..........THATS THE POINT OF ALL THIS.
You guys are quick to burn this school with your negative and sometimes damaging remarks, but fail to look at yourselves and ask the QUESTION - how professional is my behavior?..........NO remark on that one,,,,,, you all know what the answer to that question is.

I sincerely hope that all of you try a little harder this year to try to make this school better. It does not take much when everybody works as team to better things. You would be surprised what a positive attitude can do. Even-though we all know how management is up to you guys to make the best of it. You all know that I would do anything for you all at the drop of a hat.(hell.... they fired me twice so far for sticking up for you guys) , but lately I do not know why I am doing it anymore!!
 
aviator747 said:
OK now on a serious note to all current, former and prospective CFI's

The only reason I posted initially is to bring to light instances from the past where instructors at this school needed to take a good look in the mirror before criticizing and bad mouthing Sierra. The points I made above are all true. A lot of that did happen in the past not so much anymore but the point I wanted to emphasize was that the school was sympathetic and pretty lean on peoples mistakes.
No they didn't turn a blind eye, they forgave and gave people as SECOND CHANCE. They are what they are but at least they didn't BURN you as another employer would have..........THATS THE POINT OF ALL THIS.
You guys are quick to burn this school with your negative and sometimes damaging remarks, but fail to look at yourselves and ask the QUESTION - how professional is my behavior?..........NO remark on that one,,,,,, you all know what the answer to that question is.

I sincerely hope that all of you try a little harder this year to try to make this school better. It does not take much when everybody works as team to better things. You would be surprised what a positive attitude can do. Even-though we all know how management is up to you guys to make the best of it. You all know that I would do anything for you all at the drop of a hat.(hell.... they fired me twice so far for sticking up for you guys) , but lately I do not know why I am doing it anymore!!
Click to expand...
Dude, you've proven yourself valuable for Sierra. Whether folks liked you or not doesn't matter. The fact that they fired you and then rehired you is because they know what you bring to the table.

The teamwork. I remember when things began looking dire for Air China in terms of meeting the deadline and everyone took on extra students to pitch in. I remember the examiners working like crazy to crank these people out. Teamwork indeed.

I reiterate, it wasn't perfect, but this experience is very valuable to me. From the all-night flying to IMC approaches to minimums at OAK, STS, MRY, etc to being stuck overnight at STS for an MX'd 152, it all pays off when, as Matt said, I get that email or MSN msg from one of my students stating how excited they are to be flying back in China. I even have pics of them from their training at Shanghai.

That feeling of accomplishment far exceeds the trials for me. I guess everyone has his/her price.
 
aviator747 said:
Well we do our very best to cater to you all....... given the fact that you all act like a bunch of third graders, one would assume you have the reading comprehension of one.


Happy new year
Click to expand...

George, I would like to think that I at least act like a 4th grader. Come on, a 3rd grader, how insulting.
 
Nihon_Ni said:
Sign me up for a place that fosters an environment where management turns a blind eye to willful FAR & company pilocy violations, doesn't promote personal responsibility, and whose welcome letter is filled with grammar so bad that looks like it was written by a third grader.
Click to expand...



QFT hahaha!
 
Ohh my god this is awesome. So I'm done with OE and everything at AWAC and I have to say this, everyone knows how much I hated Sierra when I was there working. But I can say, looking back at it, my god was that a fun time. Christ where else could I spend 200 bucks at a bar, and know it was a write off? Now that George has posted on here about how great it is, I can openly say now, that I'm gone, it was fun. I mean my 600 dollar honda was turned into a freakin mexican squad car....and I helped paint it. It was awesome, and I can't wait to come back in February and party Castle style, but I promise George I won't be too much of the BOSTON of old.....yeah right, I'm worse now, I FLY JETS!!!!
 
well, i guess in aviation, when you're not flying, you're bound to find something to complain. airplane sucks, wx sucks, mx sucks, food sucks, students sucks. great post btw george. really answer alot of questions people are trying to find out about sierra. i got what i need from sierra while instructing there and i have no regrets. if i have to go back an do it all over again, i would choose the same place. met some awesome people there and got i what i needed from castle.

hey george, you still sitting reserve? you gotta come out to LAX instead.
 
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