Dear Instructors

AviatorGator said:
Alright, then what happened? Is this a general, blanket statement or did someone prompt you to start this thread? Just curious.
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The simple statement not to fly by the seat of the pants settled it for me.... At this point I am watching in amazement.

This one should be framed, it is so true:
But you and I both know instructors whom don't like what they are doing. And it is time for them to leave. Sure we all have goals and dreams in aviation. But, tooo many look down on the job as a means to an end and can't wait to get the hell out. Unfortunately, it comes across to their students. That should not happen.
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meritflyer said:
Think about what you're doing before you do it.

Be it simulating engine failures on a twin/single, stalls, spins, reckless maneuvers, and irresponsible weather flying just to name a few. I am absolutely appalled at the limits (or lack thereof) that some instructors have.

Know your limitations. If you're uncomfortable or unfamiliar with an aspect of teaching, learn it or responsibly turn your student in the direction of an instructor that is competent.

Being an instructor has an awesome responsibility. Don't impose upon your students your own inabilities or lack of. Don't fly by the seat of your pants.
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Why not?
 
jrh said:
Whoever trained the instructor on how to be an instructor should have done a better job. This goes in to the idea of schools needing to train for more than the checkride.

Also, whoever hired the instructor should have screened the applications more closely. Good management shouldn't hire any old CFI who applies. They need to make sure the CFI is the right fit for their operation. My philosophy is that it's better to be understaffed with fantastic instructors and have to turn away business than it is to hire the wrong people for short term profits. Even then, management has to be involved with the instructors to make sure everyone is doing a good job after being hired.


Then, the sub-par instructors get hired by schools that don't really care to treat instructors well enough to get high quality, long-term instructors. Add to this a lack of involvement from management at many places and there is little oversight of the instructor.
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This is so true. Our school has been getting these traits due to a management that doesn't care. If one has done all of their training at the school, then you are guaranteed a job as a CFI. There isn't even an interview anymore? :banghead: We are over-staffed but only get payed for when we fly or charge for ground so all the company is doing is making the "pie slices smaller". :banghead:

Lots of CFI's doing questionable things in questionable weather, stealing others students, and ripping off students on CDV gov't programs. Its all about how many students can I cram into my day so I have enough beer money. Not just our flight school but the neighboring one as well. (and I am not saying everyone is doing this but there is a small trend of it) I have watched instructors openly tell their students they cant wait to quit and go fly for "xyz" regional airline. One even went on a rant to his student and in front of other student and instructors, as to why he deserved to have mesaba call him for an interview because he reached 400tt and he felt ready! (this was when they hired last fall)


jrh said:
Then, the student comes and takes everything at face value, or if they have a problem with the instructor, they don't bring it up for one reason or another, so it never gets solved.
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Reminds me of finding out that instructors are telling them they need 15 hours of multi time before add-on rating checkride. Dual x/c's for multi add-ons. Students needing 50 hours of dual hood x/c for instrument (a twist on the 50 PIC requirement) etc...

Or that the instructor is doing all of the flying or recovering the aircraft from the student after a wing dips on a stall or something similar of that nature. A lot of these students are not being allowed to learn from their mistakes. There is definitely a lot of preparing for the checkride type of business going on.
 
meritflyer said:
Think about what you're doing before you do it.

Be it simulating engine failures on a twin/single, stalls, spins, reckless maneuvers, and irresponsible weather flying just to name a few. I am absolutely appalled at the limits (or lack thereof) that some instructors have.

Know your limitations. If you're uncomfortable or unfamiliar with an aspect of teaching, learn it or responsibly turn your student in the direction of an instructor that is competent.

Being an instructor has an awesome responsibility. Don't impose upon your students your own inabilities or lack of. Don't fly by the seat of your pants.
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TheresaPilot said:
I think OP did this because of the "fake it til you make it" thread. :whatever:
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meritflyer said:
You thought wrong.
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I simulate engine failures on both singles and twins, I teach stalls, and (gasp) spins. Unless you can be more specific I have no idea what you are talking about. All of these maneuvers can be safely taught.
 
For every unprofessional, overly self-interested, and inconsiderate time-building instructor, there are 10 students that don't do their homework, chronically cancel lessons, need to be told the same stuff over and over again, and think they're on their way to being super-pilots because they were inspired by Top Gun.
 
flyinguitar said:
For every unprofessional, overly self-interested, and inconsiderate time-building instructor, there are 10 students that don't do their homework, chronically cancel lessons, need to be told the same stuff over and over again, and think they're on their way to being super-pilots because they were inspired by Top Gun.
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The problem with that is that any one of these students has no way of affecting that unprofessional instructors life. Instead the unprofessional instructor is imparting his/her lack of knowledge, experience and sometimes even bad attitudes onto the students who will then go out and teach the word and style themselfes. Guess it's really a "Chicken & Egg" discussion, and really lousy instructors seem to be the younger appearance in this equation. We are attracting Highschool dropouts to be pilots. What can we expect?
 
as was said...chicken and the egg.

Treat us like professionals and maybe more of these bad apples will go away. Treat us like dime a dozen scumbags...

It is very hard to act the pinnacle of professional when you are treated worse than the part time fry guy at mcD's.

I love instructing and I take it very seriously. just throwing it out there.
 
flyinguitar said:
For every unprofessional, overly self-interested, and inconsiderate time-building instructor, there are 10 students that don't do their homework, chronically cancel lessons, need to be told the same stuff over and over again, and think they're on their way to being super-pilots because they were inspired by Top Gun.
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And that affects you as a professional CFI how again?
 
poser765 said:
as was said...chicken and the egg.

Treat us like professionals and maybe more of these bad apples will go away. Treat us like dime a dozen scumbags...

It is very hard to act the pinnacle of professional when you are treated worse than the part time fry guy at mcD's.

I love instructing and I take it very seriously. just throwing it out there.
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Yup, but that goes two ways as well. Can't really treat unprofessional people like professionals, because they either don't talk the talk or won't walk the walk. You could turn the wheel anyway you wish and the bad apples would stick. Unfortunate, but collective punishment seems to rule this game. The one thing that always struck me is how Flight Instructors could really compare themselfes to burger flippers at a McD? If this is what is put in, this will be what comes out.

If I owned a flight school and heard a CFI compare him/herself with a McD employee, that person would be history in no time. Nothing against greasy burgers or the people who make and sell them, but really??? The world around us changes when we change and the way we approach this profession is how we are perceived. Instead we keep cranking 200 hour pilots out to be CFI's. High debt, low experience = downfalll of profession.

Off my soapbox...
 
If I was an hourly CFI, I would love slacker students! More money for me to re-teach the same crap over and over... whats wrong with that?
 
TheresaPilot said:
It gets old QUICK.
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And I am evaluated on the fact that I need to get students done in a reasonable amount of time. The frustration is that it is out of my control when a student has no motivation and Im stuck looking bad. But here, that is few and far between.
 
Cessna414JJB said:
Off my soapbox...
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...and stay there.

I am getting sick and tired of people ragging on CFIs.

There will always be bad apples, in every type of teaching job.

Thread after thread you talk as if you were beaten as a student pilot.

Cowboy up and get the certificate and join the ranks of the ragged on.

I am a damn good full time instructor, and I am just passing through.
Part-time for life.
 
flyinguitar said:
For every unprofessional, overly self-interested, and inconsiderate time-building instructor, there are 10 students that don't do their homework, chronically cancel lessons, need to be told the same stuff over and over again, and think they're on their way to being super-pilots because they were inspired by Top Gun.
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Yes.
 
Douglas said:
...and stay there.

I am getting sick and tired of people ragging on CFIs.
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I don't care for the hate that comes with speaking up when I see a crooked system. Afterall I don't live in Cuba where I can be ordered to not complain... I know some people would love to change our country towards that style, but I guess they havent suceeded yet. There is no bouncing red dot on my chest. Why are you even taking offense to what I say? I thought you are a damn good instructor?

:rolleyes:
 
Cessna414JJB said:
I don't care for the hate that comes with speaking up when I see a crooked system. Afterall I don't live in Cuba where I can be ordered to not complain... I know some people would love to change our country towards that style, but I guess they havent suceeded yet. There is no bouncing red dot on my chest. Why are you even taking offense to what I say? I thought you are a damn good instructor?

:rolleyes:
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Are we going to start calling each other Nazis *before* page 5?
 
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