Teaching the significant other to fly...

killbilly

killbilly

Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
Have any of you CFIs out there done it? Doug's thread about the scanner got me thinking. Just curious.

My girlfriend has never been up in a GA plane before, which is strange because her father was a CFI for years, but her mom would never let her go up with him.
 
killbilly said:
Have any of you CFIs out there done it? Doug's thread about the scanner got me thinking. Just curious.

My girlfriend has never been up in a GA plane before, which is strange because her father was a CFI for years, but her mom would never let her go up with him.
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Always heard it was a bad, bad idea.
 
My ex wanted to get her private and she was low on cash, so free instruction from me would have really helped out. However, I just didn't see it being healthy for the instruction, or the relationship, so I said no. I did offer to help with ground instruction and other topics, but I didn't want to be the main source of her training.
 
In the past I've tried to give a significant other drum lessons. That didn't work out at ALL. I think it would be best to find another CFI.
 
To me, it would be very hard to be objective and to give criticism where it's needed. That's why I would never teach my wife (or my son should he choose to learn) how to fly.
 
People do it, and do it well. I'm not going to recommend that you don't, but you do need to be aware of the unique challenges associated with it. As the instructor you must remain objective. As the student, she must realize that your student/teacher relationship is completely and totally seperate from the rest of your lives together. If she (and you) can not grasp and embrace that concept in its entirety, then the student/teacher relationship will suffer, and perhaps the rest of your relationship as well.
 
I have never been able to teach either of my brothers to fish, ever! In guiding fly fishing trips for seven years I have only had two clients that caught nothing at all, one was an Orthopedic Surgeon that asked me if I wanted a touch of his Yukon Jack at 6:05 am, he was falling over in the river at about 7:05. The other was the wife of a client that just didnt care. My brothers; I can put them right on a fish, point to where it is, and they just wont do what I tell them. I dont know what it is about family not listening, but I think it depends on the individual and the relationship. My wife caugh a fish on her first cast, but she has no desire to learn to fly.
 
Here's a litmus test...

If you can take your SO out and teach them how to play golf... and still be married afterwards... then you can teach them to fly too. ;)

Short answer... Don't do it. :)

Bob
 
No thanks, any girlfriend I ever have is going to be pissed enough that she's with me; I don't need to get her MORE angry at me for trying to explain to her why her steep turns suck and how it's not personal, that they just suck.

killbilly said:
Have any of you CFIs out there done it? Doug's thread about the scanner got me thinking. Just curious.

My girlfriend has never been up in a GA plane before, which is strange because her father was a CFI for years, but her mom would never let her go up with him.
Click to expand...
 
At some point I will pay SOMEONE else to show the wife how to land the plane when I have that stroke/heart attack.

As for working with wife, I had to let her go from the company as secretary. See kept sleeping with the President!
 
kellwolf said:
To me, it would be very hard to be objective and to give criticism where it's needed. That's why I would never teach my wife (or my son should he choose to learn) how to fly.
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I am leaning from my dad, but fly with another CFI every once in a while to get an objective view from someone else. Of course other CFI is an employee of my dad and therefore also fellow co-worker.:D

It all depends if you can tell your SO that something sucked, and thet s/he'll learn from it and not ball up in tears or rip you a new one.
 
ComplexHiAv8r said:
At some point I will pay SOMEONE else to show the wife how to land the plane when I have that stroke/heart attack.

As for working with wife, I had to let her go from the company as secretary. See kept sleeping with the President!
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Agreed. Since I own a plane, it only makes sense for my wife to learn some basics. She actually wants to do the "Pinch Hitter" course..have heard good things about it.
 
I'm chiming in here only to point out a critical safety factor to consider here:

I tried with my wife way back when I was a young instructor.

During a cross-wind landing, during the final float/flare-keep-the-nose-straight/wing-down manuvering, I said someting that ticked her off, and about a foot from the runway in a bad crab, she let go of the controls crossing her arms, and yelled "Well - YOU land it, then!"

So, if you try, expect the unexpected like no other student.
 
My girlfriend and I are both are pilots. When we go up we make sure to assert who is "captain". That way there are now arguments. We still tell each other that I the PIC is doing something that could you improvement to let the other know. That way we are still teaching each other!
 
nosehair said:
I tried with my wife way back when I was a young instructor.

During a cross-wind landing, during the final float/flare-keep-the-nose-straight/wing-down manuvering, I said someting that ticked her off, and about a foot from the runway in a bad crab, she let go of the controls crossing her arms, and yelled "Well - YOU land it, then!"

So, if you try, expect the unexpected like no other student.
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LMFAO . . . nice!!!
 
Never work with a SO or Family.
Never teach a SO anything. (flying, Golf, Bowling, Driving or otherwise)
Never go into business with a family member.
Never loan money to a family member or friend.
Never give marital advice to a friend or family.

Thats part of the list of Nevers anyways. :)
 
Here's a litmus test...

If you can take your SO out and teach them how to play golf... and still be married afterwards... then you can teach them to fly too. ;)

Short answer... Don't do it. :)

Bob
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:yeahthat: . A good one, Bob
 
Well, although I agree with the above... I am currently teaching my wife and she has basically completed her private training and we are going to begin her instrument training in the near future. We knew from the start that in the plane it is strictly a student/instructor relationship and it has worked out for us. We had a few "moments" but nothing that we couldn't work through. So although it is a good rule to not do this, I say to give it a shot and if it doesn't work out then at least you can say that you gave it a shot and you will have something to look back on and laugh about in the future.
 
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