Worst Fall for Flying

ProudPilot

Aeronautics Geek
Hi Everyone,

I know Dick Shultz just sent out an e-mail about the weather, but my students have had a whole list of problems this fall, forcing many of them way behind.


  1. Financial Aid - A few of my students couldn't get any financial aid until mid october. Which you can say just go on arrangement, but they didn't know if they would ever get aid this semester.
  2. Aircraft availability - Having the split fleet made scheduling really tough, on top of that, the number of mx issues were high, causing further delays. On average, my students were getting 1-2 flights per week, causing proficiency issues.
  3. Weather - This has been the worst series of weather events since I've been here. The slow availability of aircraft were further hindered by the weather making some students average 0-1 flights per week, making proficiency basically non-existent. If it weren't for the mentor sim, I don't know what we would have done.
How have you guys fared this semester. I still see a lot of 102/14's for undergrads going through. I know I have 1 that's been on the 14 for 6 weeks now... no joke. Any stories you have?

BTW, out near devils lake right now, weather is bad, but you could still drive, hear it's nasty in GFK, and Fargo is on the weather channel with 1/8sm visibility.
 
Chyaaa no kiddin. I will definitely second that. I won't be able to even get past my stage 20 for 221 this semester because of a lot of bad luck(had to abort a solo night xc because the landing light went out mid-takeoff, had to divert and mx a flight because my alternator went out mid-flight on a solo xc, and blew a tire right before me & my instructor got our clearance to takeoff from tower), terrible WARG and WARR availability, and the weather. I have made every effort to get done and fly whenever possible but since November 1st, I have flown 3 times, yep just three times...
 
i mainly flew SEMI this semester, followed by the C172, and the ARRO. the only time i flew the WARG was on stage checks.

but the weather has sucked huge, i could get an A/C, just not the weather to fly the last 4 weeks.
 
well, right now:

[FONT=Monospace,Courier]KGFK 142053Z 35027G39KT 1/8SM -SN BLSN VV002 M24/M27 A2999 RMK AO2 PK WND 36042/2014 SLP186 P0000 60004 T12441272 53003 $

However, I'm out in Lakota, ND today with a bit of reprive, and it's about 1/4 sm visibility and no snow at the moment... just freaking cold.

But hey, who can see the cold front? :

ruc00hr_sfc_temp.gif

As for the fall, I have 2 102's that are on the 14. I got a 221 and a 222 basically done, but there have been at least 10 days this year that I pushed the aircraft just to get the lesson done, as in pushing myself, and my student got an experience, but maybe not the education I was hoping for. Anyways, enjoy the snow day.


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I have been flying the 172 and and overall availability has not been a problem. Weather of course is the factor for me sticking around Grand Forks during the Christmas break instead of going home. Hopefully my instructor being quite available plus weather cooperating I can finish up my current flight course. Definitely want a warmer locale right about now. Good luck to those sticking it out
 
I am going to be here all winter break too. I am stuck on my stage 99, I have to do my IFR XC before I can get put in for it though. Chances of going home are slim to none; my Instructor is leaving end of next week too so I am going to need to find a new instructor until I get done. :panic: I really hope I get done and get into CFI.
 
Sucks for the people in 323 who will earn a big fat F if they don't complete the course on time... where in this case is totally out of their hands. Way to go UND! Good way for them to make more money - make students retake the flight course all over again AND pay more money for review flights. Failing students = more revenue! Yeah!
 
Sucks for the people in 323 who will earn a big fat F if they don't complete the course on time... where in this case is totally out of their hands. Way to go UND! Good way for them to make more money - make students retake the flight course all over again AND pay more money for review flights. Failing students = more revenue! Yeah!
well, Aug, Sept and Oct were perfect, so if they can't find time in 80 days to finish 18 lessons then they deserve what they get
 
Well I can partly agree with that, but Buick, remember the Financial Aid issue. A lot of people had a lot of problems getting money this semester. Whether it be from family or from loans, things are really tight in this economy. I don't know exactly what is going on with the 323, but if you plead your case, they normally will extend if you have a valid reason. Financial worries are a valid reason.
 
CFI is similar to 323. You need to have 28 lesson complete by the 21st in order to request an incomplete or you get an F. I'm supposed to do 28 tomorrow and just got hired so I need to get going.
 
Sucks for the people in 323 who will earn a big fat F if they don't complete the course on time... where in this case is totally out of their hands. Way to go UND! Good way for them to make more money - make students retake the flight course all over again AND pay more money for review flights. Failing students = more revenue! Yeah!

I can't speak for everyone, but I think there might be some understanding from the weather we've had this semester... just sayin
 
well, Aug, Sept and Oct were perfect, so if they can't find time in 80 days to finish 18 lessons then they deserve what they get


No no no, you don't understand. In the world we occupy "today" it is never anyone's fault, there is always someone else to blame. Pfft, 80 days to do 18 lessons, a lesson every 4 days "roughly" HOW DARE YOU HOLD SOMEONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR TRAINING! :banghead::banghead:

I think UND is too easy on students and their performance. Waaaay too many cut and run for every break, snow day and any other excuse to "go home". Grow up folks, you are supposed to be adults now (that point can be argued), get your stuff done, THEN take a break.
 
No no no, you don't understand. In the world we occupy "today" it is never anyone's fault, there is always someone else to blame. Pfft, 80 days to do 18 lessons, a lesson every 4 days "roughly" HOW DARE YOU HOLD SOMEONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR TRAINING! :banghead::banghead:


HOW DARE SOMEONE HOLD A VENDOR (und) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCT THEY ARE SELLING!! (training)

where else can you go, buy a product, not have it delivered on time or on a schedule that works for you, and not only does the company say, no refund, but they never deliver the product you already paid for??

example please??

stop with the UND cheerleading.
 
well, Aug, Sept and Oct were perfect, so if they can't find time in 80 days to finish 18 lessons then they deserve what they get

I cant name a single semester at UND that they managed to have my funds to me by the beginning of October.

Institutionalized incompetence.
 
Well said TXaviator...

Yeah you can partially blame every student for not getting more lessons done in early fall but what about scheduling? Just being able to get a damn airplane is 90% of the battle. There were countless times this year where there were no airplanes to fly. It's just a little on the ridiculous side that you have to schedule a week in advance just get a plane and then hope that the weather turns out alright to actually go fly.

UND is slowly turning into Embry-Riddle (Unfortunately, I actually used to go there). What I mean by that is that they have more students trying to fly then they have instructors and/or planes available. They either need to get more planes or let less students into the program.
 
HOW DARE SOMEONE HOLD A VENDOR (und) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRODUCT THEY ARE SELLING!! (training)

where else can you go, buy a product, not have it delivered on time or on a schedule that works for you, and not only does the company say, no refund, but they never deliver the product you already paid for??

example please??

stop with the UND cheerleading.


Does UND no longer assign flight lab times and block off an airplane in AIMS for the student?
 
I cant name a single semester at UND that they managed to have my funds to me by the beginning of October.

Institutionalized incompetence.
i only had that problem 1 semester, and i had my funds by Feb (spring semester). if you start early enough and keep on top of the financial aid people you can get it done half efficiently
 
in theory as long as you fly at your assigned time you will have a plane


Ok, that is the way it was when I was a student and while I was an instructor. Never had a problem getting an airplane. The only kicker was if the student had an early or late afternoon launch and the flight had to be a "day" flight, but that was rare to have a student in a course that had that requirement for a majority of the flights, ie 102 or 323, etc to have flight labs that were even available very early or very late.

Either I and everyone I knew/know going/went to UND are very lucky or we just have our ducks in a row. None of us had any financial aid problems, scheduling problems, save for the few SNAFUs, like 325 night stuff and I worked 30 to 40 hours a week and paid for a good chunk of my training myself and still managed to get all my financial aid paperwork in on time.
 
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