Is it just me?

Maybe it is just me, but my flight instructors hate answering any questions that are not directly related to my flight training.
Right now, I'm finishing PPL, and when I do the CPL I will do multi/ifr as build up time. But when I ask the instructors some things about multi/ifr that I have read up on, they always say 'it's too complex for you at this stage'. And they also try to discourage me on doing the multi/ifr rating as build up time.
To me it seems like they are acting superior. I notice a culture in flight schools where people who have never worked in multi-crew environments in the real world although they have a multi-ifr, or only have 100 hours to their name, somehow develop a smugness that they've 'seen it all and done it all.'
The only dedicated flight instructor I have met is that guy Ron Machodo from Microsoft flight sim.
But I'm in Canada so maybe it's just a Canadian thing.
 
You may need to convince your instructors that you are ready to move beyond the private pilot stage. If you haven't passed your check ride then they are probably right, you don't need to distract yourself right now. Finish your private and then look ahead.

When a mountain climber climbs Mt. Everest he has to make it to the first base camp before he can think about the second one. You are still working on getting out of the Sherpa village. I don't mean that to be harsh, just don't spend to much of your energy working on what is beyond your immediate grasp, it will just frustrate you.

Most instructors also really like it when you get their name right too.
 
You may need to convince your instructors that you are ready to move beyond the private pilot stage. If you haven't passed your check ride then they are probably right, you don't need to distract yourself right now. Finish your private and then look ahead.

When a mountain climber climbs Mt. Everest he has to make it to the first base camp before he can think about the second one. You are still working on getting out of the Sherpa village. I don't mean that to be harsh, just don't spend to much of your energy working on what is beyond your immediate grasp, it will just frustrate you.

Most instructors also really like it when you get their name right too.
:yeahthat:If I have a student that is still working on a checkride then I heavily discourage worrying about further ratings and certificates until after the present one is completed. To me is is simply displaying a lack of focus on the task at hand. I will answer basic questions to a point, but if I am working on a Single Engine Private Pilot certificate then being asked to explain multi engine aerodynamics is simply a waste of YOUR time with me, which you are paying for.
 
You may need to convince your instructors that you are ready to move beyond the private pilot stage. If you haven't passed your check ride then they are probably right, you don't need to distract yourself right now. Finish your private and then look ahead.

When a mountain climber climbs Mt. Everest he has to make it to the first base camp before he can think about the second one. You are still working on getting out of the Sherpa village. I don't mean that to be harsh, just don't spend to much of your energy working on what is beyond your immediate grasp, it will just frustrate you.
OTOH, it may just be too complex for the =instructor= and he's embarrassed he doesn't know the answer.

There is a balance between stifling interest and encouraging focus. It depends a lot on the question.
 
OTOH, it may just be too complex for the =instructor= and he's embarrassed he doesn't know the answer.

There is a balance between stifling interest and encouraging focus. It depends a lot on the question.

From reading some of his other posts I somehow doubt that.

Mr. 777 what exactly did you want to know?
 
Sounds like a couple of my students, Trying to teach them how to do a preflight and a jet lands and taxing on the ramp and their constantly asking about the jet with zero interest in the 172. I try and be polite though and answer what I can (then give them twice as much homework because they learned half as much during the lesson)
 
That sounds like an "academy" answer to me. Where are you training? If I were you I'd save you those complex questions until after you've completed your lesson and that gives them no excuse not to answer.
 
To me it seems like they are acting superior. I notice a culture in flight schools where people who have never worked in multi-crew environments in the real world although they have a multi-ifr, or only have 100 hours to their name, somehow develop a smugness that they've 'seen it all and done it all.'

I loved students who look so far into the future they can't focus on the now, then blame the instructors for their problems.:panic: First things first. It's smart to plan for the future but remember that everything in aviation happens like rungs on a latter. You have to take one step at a time. Make a plan but focus on where you are now.

You think that your instructors are inexperienced in multi-crew enviroments and may only have 100 hours of multi to their name. But thats 100 more than you and you don't know what experience they have. And although you're a future 777 captian, right now you're a student pilot.

My experience is that students' cockiness & know-it-all-isms is what develops that smugness in instructors.

A few years ago I had an extremely difficult student. He had been a flight attendant for 3 years so he knew how airlines worked. This apparently made him a self proclaimed aviation expert. I took him after another instructor gave up on trying to solo him. He wasn't too bad but definitely wasn't safe enough to solo. He was confused why he was having a hard time flying because he was "comfortable in an airplane, and had many airline pilot friends giving [him] advice."

While demonstrating steep turns he but us into a spin...which I had to recover.

Later I described the power curve and how that works in relation to an approach. because I saw that he was getting low and correcting with pitch and not using power. After describing that to him he said, "that's not how they land the 757." :banghead: Frustrated I explained that we were in a 172, not a 757 and this is how you land it. Then he asked, "well do you even know how they land a 757?" I guess my point is that this student wanted to point out that although I was the instructor he still knew more about something than me....that was smug.

After doing many touch and goes he was on final, on speed, on glide path. Things were looking good! In the middle of that approach at about 500' AGL, he turns to me and said, "Do you think that I'll get my instrument rating by..?" Needless to say the approach went to crap..:panic:

OH, and his excuse as to why I didn't solo him...because I couldn't see that he was ready to solo..:laff: (Say no to smokin' holes)

First things first. Like I said plan for the future but focus on today.
 
If you can not completely MASTER a 172, you will NEVER be able to fly any jet.

One step at a time. Right now, focus on being the absolute best private pilot you can be and let the next steps wait for later. Mach numbers, coffin corners, instrument aproaches, are somewhat intersting trivia, but they have nothing to do with flying a 172.

As a CFI, we learn that you can only feed students so much information each lesson. Too much, and your brain will automaticly dump whatever information it couldn't absorb. It is not that you are not intelligent, or that you won't become a great pilot, it's just that you need to master crawling before you can walk, much less run.


Ever see a toddler try to run? Guess what happens about every 50-100 feet? They fall down and scrape their knees. Same principle.

I have no doubt that my daughter will be able to do gymnastics and run like the wind one day, but right now she still hasn't mastered walking.
 
Future 777 Captain,

Not knowing exactly what questions you were asking, what sort of student you are, and who your instructor is, it's really hard to say. But overall, I find it quite frustrating when my students show even a minor lack of focus on the tasks at hand. I applaud the enthusiasm, curiosity, and motivation displayed by your desire to move above and beyond the material you're currently working on. What you might not understand, however, is the sheer volume of knowledge and skill that's involved in even the seemingly basic private certificate you're working on. It's a tremendous responsibility sending someone up for a checkride, from FARs to aerodynamics to emergencies to properly executing a short field landing to weather products to ... the list goes on.... What would really impress your instructor would be if you applied that extra energy to these things. Read Wolfgang Langewiesche's Stick and Rudder, and develop a seriously advanced understanding of angle of attack and pitch/power/airspeed, so that all your flying, from slow flight to soft field landings, benefits. Really know and understand the FARs, such as how you determine if an aircraft is airworthy and how to deal with inoperative instruments and equipment. Basically, take that energy and apply it to the PTS of whatever certificate and rating you're working on. If you apply it elsewhere, your instructor will inevitably be frustrated, because he/she knows you are distracted, even if only a little, from the material that is his/her responsibility to teach you.

I wish you the best of luck on your private. You are correct, there are a lot of superior-acting pilots out there. Just be humble, keep learning and striving to be a better pilot, and you will be successful and earn people's respect.

:)
 
Well said mxflyer. . .all of it.

Some students just need some sense knocked into them. . .just the way it goes. This can be a dangerous line of work. One day you wake up expecting to go out and have a great lesson on steep turns, and power on stalls. Only to never come home.

Feelings and emotions have no place in the cockpit, focus on the task at hand and complete it to the best of your ability 777captain. Your time to bask in the enjoyment (hah) of flying for a living will come eventually - but please - learn to fly that C172 or whatever trainer you're using to the best of your abilities first before even thinking about multi or instrument training.
 
Back
Top