Should I opt out of CFI program?

Update: I flew today with a Commerical Multi Engine Indian student who just finished his training. We did a short flight to Okeechobee airport. He did not use a checklist. I mentioned it he said don't worry about it. Now I started to doubt his flying skiils. His radio calls were sloppy. On the decent he did not turn the carb heat I reminded him. Turning base to final he applied 20 degrees of flaps. I told him it's not good to extend flaps while banking. not only was he high but his airspeed was 80 for a C172P when approach speed is 65. So we had to do slips. So I gusse I kinda got a feel of whats it's like to be an instructor. On the way back he said "Go ahead man, land from the right seat." I did an awesome landing from the right seat on my first try!
 
Those damn Indians:sarcasm:

So the moral of the story..........give yourself a little more credit. Like I tell my son "try it, and then if you don't like it, you don't have to eat it, but you have to try it first."
 
jspeed87 said:
Update: I flew today with a Commerical Multi Engine Indian student who just finished his training. We did a short flight to Okeechobee airport. He did not use a checklist. I mentioned it he said don't worry about it. Now I started to doubt his flying skiils. His radio calls were sloppy. On the decent he did not turn the carb heat I reminded him. Turning base to final he applied 20 degrees of flaps. I told him it's not good to extend flaps while banking. not only was he high but his airspeed was 80 for a C172P when approach speed is 65. So we had to do slips. So I gusse I kinda got a feel of whats it's like to be an instructor. On the way back he said "Go ahead man, land from the right seat." I did an awesome landing from the right seat on my first try!
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so you corrected a more experienced pilot than you? bold.
 
Brian Z said:
I would bet even our TX guy would agree he would be a better aerobatic pilot if he had to teach it.
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I wouldn't DARE say I have the knowledge, skills, or ability to effectively and safely teach aerobatics to a student!!!

I'm not a teacher. It's not in my personality. yeah yeah you can learn it as a skill. BS!

I'd like to think I'm a pretty personable guy, I genuinely think most people would agree too. But, teaching things to people is not something that meshes well with me.

I don't have patience to teach things. Its just not something I am interested in doing. I would be just robbing someone of their money if they paid me to "teach" something.

Try to tell me every schoolteacher with a teaching certificate is a "good" teacher? no way!


Would I be a better pilot learning to "teach" acro, or going out and practicing acro for X number of hours?? uh, ill take the practice time on my own, thanks.
 
so many people come to this forum with the pretense that they want advice but really they already know what is best for them and then just want to argue other people's advice because it is not what they have their mind set on. Is there any sliver of chance that the people posting from a position of experience have something to share that might be useful and helpful (especially those that didn't get their cfi and are now regretting it)? I really learned to fly only when I started teaching people to do it.

They say they are thirsty yet when you bring them to the water, they refuse to taketh a sip.
 
TXaviator said:
I'm not a teacher. It's not in my personality. yeah yeah you can learn it as a skill. BS!

I'd like to think I'm a pretty personable guy, I genuinely think most people would agree too. But, teaching things to people is not something that meshes well with me.


Would I be a better pilot learning to "teach" acro, or going out and practicing acro for X number of hours?? uh, ill take the practice time on my own, thanks.
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You think I was born an instructor? I had never instructed a course prior to becoming a CFI. It is a skill that one develops....I haven't instructed in years and I'd feel intimidated having to return to teach something know, knowing how comfortable and "in the groove" I was before.

I'd say you'd be a better pilot if you could do Acro and were capable of demonstrating, monitoring, and correcting a students flying.

I think guys don't like the idea of instructing because it doesn't always offer instant gratification. (Sometimes it does!). That or they aren't confident in their own skills as an instructor, they feel impotent and don't really know what's going on.

My favorite moments instructing was when I could clearly see a difference in a students learning. When there were problems the key was to clearly identify them -
-What went wrong
-Why did it happen
-How will we fix it

Man...I'd love to get back into GA.....It really was more enjoyable than 121 flying.
 
TXaviator said:
so you corrected a more experienced pilot than you? bold.
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Just because somebody has more experience than you doesn't mean they are following protocol and procedures correctly. Most people I fly with have more experience than me but when something isn't right you can bet the situation gets corrected.
 
jspeed87 said:
Update: I flew today with a Commerical Multi Engine Indian student who just finished his training. We did a short flight to Okeechobee airport. He did not use a checklist. I mentioned it he said don't worry about it. Now I started to doubt his flying skiils. His radio calls were sloppy. On the decent he did not turn the carb heat I reminded him. Turning base to final he applied 20 degrees of flaps. I told him it's not good to extend flaps while banking. not only was he high but his airspeed was 80 for a C172P when approach speed is 65. So we had to do slips. So I gusse I kinda got a feel of whats it's like to be an instructor. On the way back he said "Go ahead man, land from the right seat." I did an awesome landing from the right seat on my first try!
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Until your Indian friend changes his attitude about flying safely, you should never step foot in a plane he's PIC of. Sounds like an incident/accident just waiting to happen.

Just my advice. Take it or leave it.
 
I can't really remember using normal checklists IN FLIGHT when I taught.

However, on the ground I was a large advocate of them.

I just had the students memorize the Line-up, Climb, Cruise, Descent, Approach, Before Landing checks. That usually worked pretty well.

Did the indian guy touch down at ref+15? I mean, approaching faster with a long runway is not necessarily a bad thing. If he is coming in hot with a short runway, then we can start clinching.
 
jspeed87 said:
Update: I flew today with a Commerical Multi Engine Indian student who just finished his training. We did a short flight to Okeechobee airport. He did not use a checklist. I mentioned it he said don't worry about it. Now I started to doubt his flying skiils. His radio calls were sloppy. On the decent he did not turn the carb heat I reminded him. Turning base to final he applied 20 degrees of flaps. I told him it's not good to extend flaps while banking. not only was he high but his airspeed was 80 for a C172P when approach speed is 65. So we had to do slips. So I gusse I kinda got a feel of whats it's like to be an instructor. On the way back he said "Go ahead man, land from the right seat." I did an awesome landing from the right seat on my first try!
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Are you a student pilot? why were you landing from the right seat without an instructor on board?

That seems a little more irresponsible than putting flaps down during a bank. Especially for the commercial PIC on board. How does the school feel about that? Its a HUGE liability.

I know you are very low time so I wont bust your balls too much, but you have a lot to learn kid.
 
jspeed87 said:
I don't agree on that. If your training for a job that will include flying IFR most of the time, why spend it in the traffic pattern? I even asked this question to my instructor. He said we are all here just to build time and get the hell out. Being a flight instructor should be a career not time building.
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This statement right here is WHY you should become a CFI for a while.

Here is my view (from my own experiences and instructing) on the general progression in training

Student-Can fly traffic patterns

Private-Proficient enough to not kill yourself and others. Still not very good. Pretty much along for the ride as the airplane flies you.

Instrument-Same as above, but in clouds.

Commercial-Learn a lot about systems, aerodynamics, regulations, etc. Can make the airplane do what you want it to do when you want it to do it. Finish and think you're gods gift to aviation

CFI- Realize you actually still didn't know much about anything. Study harder than you ever thought possible to not only figure out the "what" but also the "why and how".

CFII- Same as above but in clouds.

Not doing something because "I won't enjoy it" is a cop-out and is simply used to hide one's laziness. You WILL be a better pilot because of it. Many things that are good for you aren't fun. Suck it up and do it.

Besides, there aren't any jobs out there right now for a wet commercial anyway.

There are two people on here that spring to mind who decided to skip the CFI step. And they're both out of work from aerial surveying/traffic watch jobs and are complaining a lot. Just an observation.
 
TXaviator said:
FWIW - the skydive outfit here has a twotter, but you need 1000TT to fly it because of insurance.

and about the stick and rudder nonsense....cut the crap. being a CFI is just letting yourself fumble around the airplane while another noobie fumbles around and by stroke of luck you manage not to both crash it.

you want stick skills? take a 10 hour acro class.

ill flatly guarantee i know i can handle a plane better than some 500 hour CFI who has probably done maybe one or two spins, ever.
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Screw that, stick and rudder is the easy part of flying. There aren't many crashes from people just sucking it up on the controls. Its usually people doing something stupid...which is something you learn a lot about while instructing.
 
TXaviator said:
Would I be a better pilot learning to "teach" acro, or going out and practicing acro for X number of hours?? uh, ill take the practice time on my own, thanks.
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Actually you would. Two reasons. You get paid so that you can then afford to practice acro on your own. Besides watching others fly and make mistakes will help you in the future more than you can think.

Anyway, you say you don't have the patience or the ability to teach, but you have not tried it before. Speaking of something you do not know or have even experienced is not helping you in the argument.

No one is forcing anyone to CFI, but getting a CFI certificate opens more doors than it closes. Heck, worst case scenario is that it ends up being a resume boost as a lot of prospective employers like to see a CFI certificate and dual given over someone flying loops all day.
 
OK all, you can stop the rants. I talked with him this morning and he's pretty sure he'll get his CFI/II/MEI. Enough already:D
 
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