Cut to Instruct

saxman

saxman

Well-Known Member
Well my chief talked to me about performance that last 90 days, in my first instructing gig. Pretty much it was bad news. So I don't get my expected raise for another 30 days. So yeah I'm bummed. 3 of my 6 students requested new instructors for the fall. Probably because I should be more prepared for each lesson. Now that I look back, yeah I sometimes wasn't ready to teach, as we'd end up doing something else that I wasn't ready for, or something like. So I certainly want to be a good instructor, and not be the one none of the students want. Anyone else have the first time instructor gitters??

My chief is a nice guy, yet I am mad about not getting the raise. He made some suggestions, like read Kershner's books, which I have been. I'm still debating on if I should take another job in October doing surveying. We shall see.
 
Feel for you man. The raise stuff sucks, but at least you still have the job. The money is pretty much poop wherever you instruct though. Personally I just worry about how many hours I'm getting, and if I can pay rent of course.
 
You'll get better with time if you put forth the effort and have a good attitude. It's part of the game. Don't get down about it.

If you are low time and free to move about the country, so to speak, I think that survey job sounded pretty cool.
 
I don't know anything about your personal situation, but I do know about MY first couple of months as an instructor. And they weren't that great. Came out of instructor school (not exactly the same process in the military as in civilian life, but close enough) and thought I knew a whole lot. Turns out I didn't, and every time I answered a question off the cuff without looking up the answer I got PWN'D! (Or however that word is supposed to be spelled!)

It's true what they say about learning more in your 1st 100 hours as an instructor than in your 1st 100 hours. What I personally learned most is that I already knew how to fly, but I had some work to do to learn how to TEACH...

And I think I STILL do. And now I'm sitting about 400 instructor hours or so!

So long story short is don't give up on it, and be humble... IP, (or as you civies call it, CFI) doesn't mean you know everything yet. No one becomes a great (or even good) instructor overnight.
 
I know several high time, low dual given CFIs who have learned CFIing isnt for them. There is absolutely no problem with that. There are some other very respectable ways to build high quality hours.

I personally would love to do a survey job.
 
saxman66 said:
My chief is a nice guy, yet I am mad about not getting the raise.
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although i feel for you, raises are usually based on preformance, NOT entitlement (read jack welsh's GE and the omega six books about what entitlement is)

i wish you luck on getting better, but it seems like you know where you are deficient...so fix it.

the more you do this the easier it gets, even when questions come about that you dont know the answer to
 
I've flown with CFIs who shouldnt have been within 50 feet of an airplane. One was an Embry grad, one from a much smaller 141 college program, and the third just took out a 80k loan that his dad co-signed for and trained at a cheap FBO type operation in florida. He had some money left over, didnt want to instruct, and is now at gulfstream. I'm actually glad there was a gulfstream out there in this case, otherwise it woulda been those poor, poor students.
 
Here's my take... I don't think it's the "jitters." You have to really WANT to instruct. It has to excite you. It has to be a passion. Do think if you had a strong passion to instruct you would have prepared better?

I think some of the other responses are dead on... if instructing isn't for you, don't do it. Save you AND your students the hassle.
 
I wish my boss would sit down with me and give me a performance evaluation, but he doesn't even have time for that:mad: Anyway, like everyone mentioned already, instructing is not for everyone. Personally, I like the whole instructing thing, I'm just sick of the place I'm working at right now and decided to accept another job offer somewhere else. Yeah, the pay sucks, but you learn a lot and get to meet and network with people. I wouldn't give up on the instructing, it takes time and you serisously learn a lot!
 
Yeah, the pay sucks, but you learn a lot and get to meet and network with people.
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Thats what its all about...networking. Once you learn the ropes at a big crappy school (in my opinion big=crappy) get a job or make yourself a job at a small outfit where you are the only instuctor, or one of 2. You want networking how about hearing this around the airport-
"oh you need a BFR, go see xxx, great guy, hes the man around here, taught so and so to fly, does instrument work with all the club members to keep them current, when so and so's plane broke down in podunk he was johnny on the spot to pick him up"

whats the downside, cell phone rings constantly, and the flying can be spead out all over the clock if you try to work around other peoples scheduals.
 
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