Do I need to change Instructors/schools?

deek

deek

New Member
I've been going to a small school in the Houston area for about 2 months now, and last week I soloed for the first time but haven't flown since due to weather/instructor problems, I can't change the weather but wondering if I should change my instructor.

My instructor already has one foot out the door, he's got a guaranteed slot at some company but has to wait till the end of the summer before he can start. He is always late, doesn't seem to give a darn. Never return my calls about scheduling flights, doesn't call me to cancel flights, and just really doesn't seem to care about instructing very much. But...I like his teaching style, and we get a long well when in the airplane, plus he's the only one who is willing to stay later on weeknights so I can get in some time after my 9-5 job, and I don't think they have anyone else who would do that and I don't want to just do weekend flying or this is going to take forever.

I haven't talked to him about it cause I don't want to make it awkward. But I think when we fly again I'll try to bring it up in a nice way, except I'm not very good at doing that. Any ideas? Thanks everyone.
 
deek said:
I've been going to a small school in the Houston area for about 2 months now, and last week I soloed for the first time but haven't flown since due to weather/instructor problems, I can't change the weather but wondering if I should change my instructor.

My instructor already has one foot out the door, he's got a guaranteed slot at some company but has to wait till the end of the summer before he can start. He is always late, doesn't seem to give a darn. Never return my calls about scheduling flights, doesn't call me to cancel flights, and just really doesn't seem to care about instructing very much. But...I like his teaching style, and we get a long well when in the airplane, plus he's the only one who is willing to stay later on weeknights so I can get in some time after my 9-5 job, and I don't think they have anyone else who would do that and I don't want to just do weekend flying or this is going to take forever.

I haven't talked to him about it cause I don't want to make it awkward. But I think when we fly again I'll try to bring it up in a nice way, except I'm not very good at doing that. Any ideas? Thanks everyone.
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Well the problem with him seems to be not with his instructing. Since it is everything else I would talk with him about it. He is taking up your time after all by being late all the time. If you want, you could always just leave if he isn't there on time so that he doesn't get payed. Although at this point it may not seem like it would change him as he has another job at the end of summer.


Basically, if his actions harm your learning and or increases the amount of time/money you spend, change instructors. If the other instructors at the school are the same way, leave the school. There are greener pastures in that case.
 
plus he's the only one who is willing to stay later on weeknights
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He is always late, doesn't seem to give a darn...doesn't seem to care about instructing very much.
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The above two statements are a little contradictory, so I think you need to first and foremost really identify what you have an issue with.

I haven't talked to him about it cause I don't want to make it awkward. But I think when we fly again I'll try to bring it up in a nice way, except I'm not very good at doing that. Any ideas? Thanks everyone.
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This is good - excellent, in fact - that you recognize his extra efforts and will go a long way toward resolving the issue.

This can be tough, though. Often, when we tell someone, even politely and diplomatically that they're displaying a lack of professionalism that needs a little correction, what they often hear is "you're a lousy person, a lousy instructor/engineer/lawyer/whatever" and they get bent. It does get awkward.

When you talk to him, I'd consider phrasing it like this..."look, I want to be a good pilot, and I need certain things from you...scheduling consistency, punctuality. I really, really appreciate your extra efforts for me after work, and I think that's great - no one else makes that effort. I think we could makes things work smoother if...."

Use the word "I" instead of "you" as in, "you're late all the time, you seem like you don't care enough...you've got short-timer syndrome, etc"

It's one technique for keeping people from feeling defensive and feeling accused. If you're earnest, polite, non-confrontational and you're telling him gently that you need a little more...commitment, I guess...then he's more likely to be a little diligent.

Just be clear, even-toned, calm. Smile a lot. Don't make him feel threatened and he'll be more willing to adjust to your needs instead of feeling defensive.

From what you're saying, it sounds like he's the right type of person you need to work with, you just need him to be more of an instructor.

Good luck. This kind of thing is the hardest part of relationships with anyone in any capacity - when things get a little sticky. Let us know how it works out. I'm interested.

(sorry this was so long - dealing with stuff like this is a part of my job, and it's sort of fascinating to me how different people react to different people.)
 
I mean it in that he does schedule a few extra days during the week to stay late and do some flights, but I might have a flight scheduled to start at say 1pm, and hell be ready to actually go at 1:20, 1:30. He'll either fly back really late from being with a previous student (not totally his fault, but he seems to be on the money with us getting back on time), or he'll have to make a few phone calls, or make a cigarette run before we go. Or hell BS with a student for a long time while I'm already done the preflight and sitting in the plane with my hand on the ignition.

He is a good instructor, and he called me today to apologize for standing my up last night, he forgot to look at his schedule and see me on it.

I will talk to him, and I do want to be positive because like I said, when we are flying, we're getting a long great and since his lazyness translates into his flying, I get a lot of hands-on flying, and self learning, but I can still ask him questions. Thanks for the pointers.
 
Haha, I'd like to hear his side of the story! If I believed everything my students told me as being 100% accurate...
Honestly, theres two sides to every story. I work 12 hour days, 6 days a week flight instructing, I only get to bill about 6 of those hours, and last two weeks I worked on my day off. With that said, I am good friends with few of my students, while some others pretend to be my friend when in reality they would have nothing to do with me if I wasn't their instructor. Some of them read this board,(I am sure as to use as ammo against me) so, I say this to them, " STOP READING THIS AND START READING THAT JEPP BOOK!!"
If you were my student, the scenario is probably more like this.. Your instructor has an incredibly busy schedule, works his butt off, and comes in on his personal days to help you out, 20 minutes late, and you want to rip his head off... Yep, sounds about right!
Oh yes, one day I had a student who wanted to get some early morning training in before his solo X/C, told me to show up at 4 am, I agreed. (I am not a morning person) I get there on time, he is not there, so I fall asleep on the couch expecting the worse. Sure enough, he slept in, said, "Oh, sorry about that, my alarm didn't wake me up"
Yes... call be a bit biased but I want to hear your instructors side of the story first...
 
Theres always two sides to every story, but if for whatever reason, right or wrong, the two of you aren't on the same page, it may be in both your best interests for you to get a new CFI. Have a good working relationship is paramount to success, so if you're going down the road of a rocky student-instructor relationship, that could be bad. You guys don't have to be best friends, but your relationship needs to be professional and that involves respect- which goes both ways.
 
I have no doubt he works a lot of hours, our school does a lot of work with foreign students and I think I'm only one of two of his American students. Yes I know 20 or 30 minutes late doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it is to me since I've been on time, every time. It's a huge pet-peeve of mine to be on-time, and when I'm late, I'll call, but I haven't been late yet, not once. On friday I was on the schedule to fly at 6, I showed up at 6, and he wasn't there. He had left about 30 minutes earlier, I waited for 30 minutes and he didn't show and no one could find him. He actually called me back the next day and said "I didn't see you on the schedule, so I had him look at it again, o yeah, there you are, sorry". I know it's not major, but I take this seriously, and this happens every single time we fly. It might just be my bad luck but it kinda gets on my nerves. And it's not like he's late for normal reasons, he's late cause he has to make a phone call that lasts 20 minutes, or go on a cigarette run that lasts 20 minutes.
 
get a new instructor.

dont let him ######## you.

how do you know if you 'like his style' if you havent been with any other instrctors?

hahah same goes for women!
 
deek said:
I have no doubt he works a lot of hours, our school does a lot of work with foreign students and I think I'm only one of two of his American students. Yes I know 20 or 30 minutes late doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but it is to me since I've been on time, every time. It's a huge pet-peeve of mine to be on-time, and when I'm late, I'll call, but I haven't been late yet, not once. On friday I was on the schedule to fly at 6, I showed up at 6, and he wasn't there. He had left about 30 minutes earlier, I waited for 30 minutes and he didn't show and no one could find him. He actually called me back the next day and said "I didn't see you on the schedule, so I had him look at it again, o yeah, there you are, sorry". I know it's not major, but I take this seriously, and this happens every single time we fly. It might just be my bad luck but it kinda gets on my nerves. And it's not like he's late for normal reasons, he's late cause he has to make a phone call that lasts 20 minutes, or go on a cigarette run that lasts 20 minutes.
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If he is late, be late yourself and anticipate it. If he is a good instructor to you, your chances of finding another great teacher are slimmer at another flight school. Just deal with it and anticipate his lateness. If you are scheduled at 6, come at 630, that way you will both be "on time".
 
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