What Makes A Good Flight Instructor??

mtsu_av8er

mtsu_av8er

Well-Known Member
In an effort to ensure that I always provide the best instruction that I possibly can, I constantly evaluate myself against more than one standard. Obviously, the FAA has set it's own set of standards regarding my flight proficiency and aeronautical knowledge. These are standards that I have already achieved, and it's up to me to keep my skills at or above these levels.

The more difficult standards, however, are those which I am held to by my customers (for some reason, that term seems just as appropriate to me as 'students'). My customers are evaluating me on a number of things. Quite frankly, I don't believe that many student pilots ever attemp to evaluate the skill of their instructor. I believe that some things are assumed from the beginning. Therefore, I don't try to attract my students with the promise of " . . .being a great stick".

While thinking about this today, I thought that I would post this question here on Jetcareers:

What makes a good Flight Instructor?

Now, before you answer, I would like to set a limit. I'm asking that nobody that holds, or has held, an authorization to instruct pilots in any capacity (Civil, military, ATP, etc) answer the question. Why? Well, honestly, because alot of CFI's have some pretty silly ideas about what makes a good CFI. If I let CFI's answer, I'd get answers like "A good CFI is one that doesn't take crap from a student" or "A good CFI is one that charges more than the industry standard", or junk like that. Our views are different than the views of most of our customers, and I want the latter.

Thanks!!!
 
I would call a good flight instructor one that teaches beyond the standard. They teach you things that aren't necessarily required but may save your life some day.
 
Damn Lloyd. You already make a better CFI than the majority out there. How can you improve?
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Great post, Lloyd. I am pretty quiet around these boards and I have been a member since I was 14, back in 2001. I must say, I have an upmost repect for you. Your passion just drives me even more, and motivates me. The fact that you care enough to use your time to try and go "above and beyond" is even more respectable. Its people like you that make me want to be a "better than expected" CFI someday.

To answer you, I would have to say many things. I had a great instructor for my PPL, however I felt too much like we were "buddies" while we were flying. This distracted both of us at times, and I don't know if I was taught as "well" as I should have been. I think the best thing is to always make sure you teach them first, with honesty. Be a "buddy" second. That being said, however, try to develop a friendship. I think that it makes you both appreciate each other more, and the student more willing to take constructive criticism. Second, make it a continual challenge. Take them to a class B if possible. I wish I had a little more challenge, it would've helped my confidence after getting my ticket.

The last thing is something you already have. That is the absolute dedication and motivation to go above and beyond, to teach them real flying, stuff that is above, beyond, and harder than PTS. Sit down, or simulate, various emergency situations that aren't cut and dry procedures. Take an extra hour to review NTSB reports with them. Take them on a tour of an ATC facility. The fact that you posted that says that you have this. Just make the student feel like you really have a passion for them to be excellent pilots, not just PTS parrots. I can see you have this down pat already.

BTW, great photo blog!
 
I think it's the ability to tailor teaching methods, approaches & attitudes to each student. That's not easy, because everybody learns & responds differently.

My instructor and I got along like siblings. I swear there were times we wanted to strangle each other. The fact that we spent 8 hours a day, 4 days a week for 4 weeks together might have had something to do with that too..... He was known to smack me on the head if I was about to do something stupid, and I did my share of smart-@ss things to him too. But then he'd turn around and be Professional-Pete to people when he needed to be too.
 
What makes a good CFI is somebody who is very genourus and a nice person to be around. After all the student will start in a small plane, sitting side by side with a complete stranger (for the first lesson). Also this person will have to make the lessons fun. On my intro flight, my CFI was nice enough to let me takeoff and fly until the approch. My CFI also did some zero-g flying in the 172 we were in. That was a riot and is one of the things that makes me want to go back for more instruction, besides the basic factor of learning to fly!

Good Day
 
Patient
Competent
Fun
Knows the rules and flys by them
Experienced
Willing to go in the clouds!!!!!
Teaches bc they want to mold great pilots
Has a sense of humor
Safe
Good cockpit demeanor
 
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Damn Lloyd. You already make a better CFI than the majority out there. How can you improve?

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Well, thanks, Brian! I still have soooo much to learn, though. Each and every day, I learn something new. Each time I learn something, I realize that there must be a thousand new things for me to learn.

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I must say, I have an upmost repect for you. . . Its people like you that make me want to be a "better than expected" CFI someday.

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Aww, shucks...
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I do appreciate it, though. I try to project a positive attitude, because once you hear CFI's complaining about how much it sucks, it's hard to keep your head up. I remember every flight instructor I've ever flown with, and I know the ones I liked and the ones I didn't like. I never want to be on the "didn't like" list.

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Take them on a tour of an ATC facility.

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Funny that you mention that. . .I have a tour of the BNA TRACON this coming Friday with some students!!
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Thanks alot for the great responses, folks! I really appreciate you all taking the time to let me know what you think. Sometimes, it's hard to put yourself in the shoes of a student pilot. I just want to make safe pilots and return customers all in one!
 
All of the above is good, there is one thing that I'd like to add...

A few of my instructors have gone out of their way to find out what my goals were (such as what date have I set for myself to have a rating by) and went out of their way to help me meet those goals. In addition to making me feel like I'd get done when I wanted, it was very nice to know that those instructors were working for me, and not just working toward the next step in their career.

I just realized I still have my xmas avatar up, oh well, I don't feel like changing it right now.
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Speaking as a customer, I thought my cfi for the inst, comm, and cfi was the best teacher I've had because he trained for the real world, and not for the checkride.



He would go over accidents, train in weather at night, and he had a very methodical way of teaching where he would take things slow and step by step. He would have me explain the lesson of the day to him, making sure I understood what to do before flying. He put in extra ground time so we could minimize flight time for each rating, but he didn't charge down to the minute. In fact he usually just charged 0.2 ground no matter how much time we spent.

The ground time he put in meant his students finished in less flight time than average, so he logged less flight time per student. But the people he trained came back when it was time for that next cert (myself included). When we did fly it was always training for things way beyond the checkride. The comm pts calls for a power off 180 landing, so we did deadstick landings from cruise flight. For the instrument the pts called for 45* bank steeps, we practiced them at 60*. Instead of just partial panel, we flew partial panel with trim and power alone. Each flight was challenging but fun. By the time the checkrides came around they were non-events.

He did meaningful postflight briefs, and ended on a positive note. He was willing to fly at all hours of the night (and we had to since we both were preoccupied during the week). I knew I was getting my money's worth when I trained with him (actually it was a steal considering the quality). When I passed my ifr ride he even offered to fly with me free of charge if the weather was marginal. He knew it would be worth it in the long run in terms of repeat business.
 
What's a good instructor for me?

One who does NOT shake his head in dismay EVERY time I couldn't master a private pilot maneuver (esp. soft field landings).

That's the LAST thing I need when I'm learning.
 
What i liked most about my cfi is that he would occasionally challenge me with unexpected things to make sure i was paying attention 100%. after a stall or something he would make me whip out my handy dandy map and say where are we exactly, another important thing is to let the student set the pace, of course with your approval of them being a competent student pilot. i pretty much caught on to things pretty quickly as far as the presolo req's are concerned so we moved at a quick pace, theres nothing worse then doing 20 more touch and goes after logging about 100 as long as they are done correctly and consistently and most importantly safely, I know when i first soloed I felt like it was a great accomplishment make the student aware of that and if he/she is of age take em for an adult beverage thats always nice. my cfi had this thing about well your paying me for instruction and paying for the plane theres no reason you should have to push back the plane and tie it up when done, that was a big no no because when i went up with the chief pilot for my progress check and he got out when we were done i was left with this dumb look on my face holding the rope in my hand not knowing what to do with it. Lloyd your dedication on this board says alot about you I can only hope that when i am teaching students i can give them the same dedication as you do.

-Rabbi
 
not as a student pilot, but a student in general a good teacher is one who can explain the same concept multiple ways. If you explain something to me the first time and I have a blank look on my face, try explaining it a different way. Don't just write me off as a lost cause because I can't understand something the first time (and way) it was explained.

Realize that people have different ways of learning. Some people are audio learners and others are more visual. Ask your student which they prefer and try to accomodate that as much as possible. For example, for a visual learner, instead of just demonstrating a manuver and talking them through it, perhaps it would be better to diagram it out, or show them a short movie of it being performed from the ground so they know what it is supposed to look like.

One of the other huge things which applys accross the board to all teachers - respect your student. Realize that it is a two way street and it is earned at both ends. I always hated my teachers who had the arrogance to demand respect from their students, not give it in return, and then get pissed when people didn't respect him.
 
A concerted effort to get to know your students ... who they are, what they do, and what they want to do. Take an interest in your student as a person opposed to seeing them as walking dollar signs.

Challenge your students ... give them a live-IMC encounter. I asked my instructors where he normally sends his students for x-countries and they were to the south to class D and E airports.

I asked him to take me on trips into the DC ADIZ, Class B airports since I would be flying through it to go home to DE.

Teach the student about the mechanics. I think a lot of pilots receive their private cert. knowing how to fly an airplane, but not necessarily knowing their aircraft intimately as far was what are the components of a an engine and how do they interplay--myself included.

This will be a difficult and lengthy process, especially for someone who is not mechanically inclined.

Weather, Weather, Weather. Trends, what can we expect from different fronts, different pressures, why is it that we have winds blowing from the south, etc.

and always be willing to realize personal handicaps ... i.e. a Marine accomplishing an Air Force mission -- flight
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. . .and always be willing to realize personal handicaps ... i.e. a Marine accomplishing an Air Force mission -- flight
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Doh!!!!
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