Instructor or not????

[pitviper51]

on the point of other people flying there models for the first time.. i did that on my first plane... since then i do all my test flights mostly because if something goes wrong i can only blame myself...
mike

[JimC-MD]

A lot of good things have been said in this thread. Many times, relatively green pilots become instructor pilots. I have seen many planes go in that could have been saved due to instructor error. It was not intentional, it happened because the student was able to surprise the instructor and catch them flat fingered. Yes, there are people in the hobby that think they know all there is to know. Let them be. The best way to handle issues like this is to quietly demonstrate an alternative and let people make up their own minds.

Many seem to have an issue with the ability of the instructor's flying over the instructor's ability to produce a successful pilot. An instructors inability to save an airplane can cause us to lose a new member. I think that what and how the instructor teaches may be even more important. Failing to provide a solid foundation to a newbie can be just as bad. If you turn the loose just because they can take off and land, you may be dooming them to early failures as they learn things through busted balsa and checking account.

I have seen many new pilots turned loose that could only comfortably turn one direction, land one direction and so on. Then they are forced into a position to perform a task they are not comfortable with and lose a plane. I wish there was a more clear structure for skills required before a person earns their wings.

[wizard]

I'm going to use another example. For 10 years I was an active Motorcycle Safety instructor. I taught over 1000 hoe to ride motorcycles and to ride safely. I had students that had never even sat on a motorcycle before and students that had ridden for over 20 years. The motorcycles I currently own and have owned I could ride to the limit of their abilities and do so in a safe manner. The Motorcycles have all been street bikes of the "standard" or "cruiser" styles.

However just because of those qualifications I would not be able to get on a Motocross bike and make a 60 back flip jump. I also am not qualified to get on a "super bike" and ride a road course at 160 mph. Actually the experience that I have tells me that I'm not up to that type of riding and I would need many hours of additional training to be ready for it.

As an example of stalling the plane 9 feet off the ground during a dead stick. If I got on a street bike that I was unfamiliar with and had to make a "quick stop" (stopping in the shortest distance the motorcycle was capable of) I wouldn't be able to do it on the first try. It would take some time to get to know the characteristics of that motorcycle.

Just some thoughts from outside the box.

[sweetpea]

My point exactly.......trainer vs Yak. Two different airframes that behave different. You can be an expert in one but not the other

[pitviper51]

JimC-MD well said.. one thing i dont like hearing is. ' im not learning anything" as iv all was been told by full scale intrustors and flyers, if you stop learn you are very dangerous becuase in this sport there is no such thing and not learning, every flight is differnt and teaches us something, doesnt matter how small or simple that may be..
mike

[Stinger1]

I instruct . When I do, my goals are to teach a student how to fly the aircraft not just keep it in the air, also I teach how to fly at fly-ins, that is safely and with the proper etiquette . I make it clear that I don't care if they do or not but on the chance they will they're going to know how . Last year alone I probably had dozens of hours on trainers and buddy box neglecting my big aircraft . I try to explain to the student that his plane is safe and I will do all in my power to bring it back alive but if during a landing approach the student dumb thumbs it 5 inches off of the deck I have doubts God himself could save it much less me . All this is a great deal of responsibility with the only " payoff " being watching a capable pilot that you taught . Why do I put myself through this ? Self satisfaction . I can only hope that all competent pilots go out of their way to instruct otherwise there will be no new pilots .

[Rolling Thunder]

	Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpea
	Was that Rusty?? Heard he was gonna try some IMAC

Yep, He flew the second flight with a grin from ear to ear. As soon as his trailer arrives he will start getting it set up for his style. Until then it is parked in his shop.

[hovervt]

IMO when someone is going to be an instructor he should not try to instruct because of ego he should believe that he is truley capable of doing it. Like stinger said there is more to teach someone to fly than just flying the plane. Etiquette is important, learning the mechanics of a plane is very important especially in the age of plug and play, were anyone can go and have a plane ready to fly in a few minutes and not know a thing about saftey to himself or others. If your going to train someone then you really should be able to do it safely or leave it up to someone who can. Tony

[Stu_D]

Insrtuctors are what make our hobby continue to grow . They provide
all the obvious things and many of the not so obvious . Just as in this
case the pilot/ instructor did not know his limits and got burned in
the blink of an eye , the fact that the guy is a wanker is beside the
point . He just became an example of what not to do .

I am an instructor and while I am a member at three different clubs
I dont tell people of my rating because I know that I suck as a teacher .
Its all about knowing your limits again . I dont mind doing secondary
teaching pre and post flight but as for teaching a noob it takes a
special type of preson to do this and while your instructor may be full
of him self he does have a special skill .

Stu .

[GremlinX]

I have seen some solid pilots to very low rollers and rudder touches , yet know the gear out landing. Wizard summed it up well....

[MadMonkey]

	Quote: Originally Posted by bradonduley
	anyone else have the same thing where they fly, guys that think they are all that, but really lack in the flying dept.??

YES. I see it all the time. Luckily, our instructors are nowhere near that... they're excellent pilots (of trainers and sport planes), but just that doesn't make you a good instructor; you also have to be good at communication and teaching. I'm sure you know someone who is great at a certain activity but can't explain how they do it... I'd rather have the communicator.

My brother took his first plane to an instructor in Orange, Texas to check it out. Sure enough, this idiot (and I have no problem calling him that, not only because of this) crashes the plane and then blames the workmanship (which it wasn't... it was built by an expert and his mistake was OBVIOUS). My brother took the plane home, repaired it, and taught himself to fly it successfully.

	Quote: Originally Posted by Dan767
	When you really are "all that, and a bag of chips", you don't have to say anything.

That's why I'm so quiet







Yes, I'm kidding

	Quote: Originally Posted by yakwrecker
	I do a lot of instructing and I maiden a lot of planes every year but we have one guy that thinks he knows everything but believe me he just likes to think he knows everything. I'm not bashing him but he doesnt fly his own planes very well (funtana 40 flies it like a pylon racer) and he tells everyone to let him maiden there new bird. Most of the time they either walk from the field holding landing gear or and up putting some boots on and going hunting. Like i said not bashing but it is kinda funny to listen to his rants about an airplane and then go pick it out of a tree.

Luckily we don't have too many people like that at our field. Although we do have plenty that look great in the air, but fold under the pressure of the slightest emergency because they aren't prepared... then they blame it on everything else.

I've NEVER asked to fly someone else's plane, but I end up doing it a lot anyway. Maidens are starting to become commonplace for me... I guess those hours on the sim are paying off

I can't understand pilots (especially instructors) who panic during deadsticks... if there's one thing I've learned, you CAN'T stretch a glide. Better to concentrate on dodging trees than making it to the runway...

I do a little instructing but I suck at communication. Plus students scare me

[pitviper51]

	Quote: Originally Posted by MadMonkey
	YES. I can't understand pilots (especially instructors) who panic during deadsticks... if there's one thing I've learned, you CAN'T stretch a glide. Better to concentrate on dodging trees than making it to the runway...

this is why i request some glider training for my students, even if its with my 2m or hlg, learning how to glide properly will make deadsticks easy,, given you have the altitude you can make it to the runway. tho iv had one or two die low and had to ease in best i could.. deadstick hovers are the worse hehe,.. tho most students are not to that pint yet. anynothing thing im gonna start workign with my clubs students is the physics of flight... if you just point the nose up and add throttle with out knowing why it does what it does your not helping yourself...
mike