Prepare yourself for blasphemy. It pains me to write this, but it is true.
Not all flight instruction is good. Not all flight instructors are sharing beneficial information. Not every flight school is acting in your best interest.
This is jarring information for some. Especially for those who want to learn to fly and have carefully saved their pennies awaiting the day they can begin their training. Perhaps it’s equally disconcerting for those who are making their way back into the cockpit after a long layoff from flying.
Flight instruction is a buyer-beware situation. That’s regrettable, but it’s unassailably accurate, too.
My own experience of learning to fly is as good an example as any. I had no intention of becoming a career aviator. I just wanted to learn to fly recreationally. My entire goal was to get from here to there faster and with a better view than I’d get using any other form of transportation. So flying was my choice. Off I went to the airport.
My ground school instructor wasn’t a pilot. He was a nice guy. He showed up for class on time, dressed well, and was consistently in a good mood. But he only knew the book, not the experience the book was intended to prepare me for. He could give a lecture, but couldn’t share any insights beyond what I could get from reading the book on my own.
It wasn’t an ideal situation.
He encouraged me to book simulator time while I was in ground school. So, I did. It was on my third sim session that someone interrupted to ask the instructor a question about using the sim during ground school before actually flying the airplane with a CFI. Exactly what I was doing. The instructor explained that it was largely a waste of time and wouldn’t be of any benefit. That particular lesson didn’t end well.
Confusion and frustration became a regular and highly counter-productive part of my training.
When I finally got into an airplane things were no better. Over the course of my first dozen hours of flight instruction I flew three different types. My CFI told me it didn’t matter, so I assumed he knew what he was talking about. Flying a Piper Cherokee and Tomahawk and a Cessna 152 interchangeably meant I was following very different checklists, looking at radically different panel layouts, and making very little progress.
My first instructional flight took place in Special VFR conditions. As a result, I learned almost nothing of value. A dual cross-country showed up in my logbook before I’d hit five hours of flight time.
I don’t actually remember any advice or insight my CFI shared, but considering what we were doing in my early hours of flight training, I’m fairly certain there wasn’t anything worth remembering. Considering the number of hours we spent together, that lack of positive transfer is almost criminal.
Eventually I realized my primary role at this particular school was not so much to learn how to fly as it was to feed their cash register. So I left. It was the best decision I could have made.
Unfortunately, my experience is not as rare as it should be. While many flight instructors are quite good, there are more than a few who give the industry a black eye. Most are aware the primary task of a flight instructor is not to build time but to share insight, to teach procedures, to instill the methods of risk mitigation that will make safety a primary concern in every phase of every flight. Flight time is a by-product of doing the job, but it’s not a good reason to seek a job filling the right seat.
As a student pilot it’s often difficult to see your instructor as anything but a seasoned pro. And maybe they are.
Then again, perhaps your CFI has been flying for only a year or so longer than you have. Their youth and relative inexperience doesn’t mean they are a bad instructor, but it does suggest they have limited insight into the art and science of flying.
And with an overwhelmingly male dominated field that slews to the younger end of the spectrum, there is often a testosterone driven tendency to show off, explore unknown territory, and generally behave in a way that is contradictory to the goals of a good CFI.
I was lucky. My bad experiences with flight instruction happened early. The financial losses weren’t so extreme I couldn’t continue. And the lessons taught by subsequent flight instructors stuck. Good lessons. Insights I continue to share and live by to this day.
Over the decades I’ve been flying I’ve had a multitude of instructors. Most were male, some were female. Almost all were very good at their job. Some were young, ambitious, and had their sights firmly set on going to the airlines. Most of them did just that, too. But they provided me with exceptional educational opportunities when we flew and briefed together.
Over all those years I’ve only quit one flight instructor, and requested a new instructor one time. That’s it. Overall my experience has been very good. But the lingering memory of the bad instructional experience I had, and the knowledge that flight school drop-outs far outnumber flight school success stories, tells me we still have a lot of work to do in this industry if we really want to reach the level of professionalism and reliability we seek.
I think we’re going to get there. The tools necessary to up our game are available for the student, the CFI, and the flight school. Each of us can certainly act as our own advocate, ask intelligent questions, tour facilities, and meet with instructors before we sign up for lessons.
But each flight school can meet those prospective students half-way by managing their own internal procedures, practices, and employee training to be sure they’re providing the best service they possibly can.
Flight instruction is very much a two-way street. Let’s commit to getting that traffic flowing smoothly, efficiently, and safely in both directions.
Great post Jamie. In hindsight, the 3 things that I wish I had done whilst training was to be a little more demanding of my instructor, to chair fly and to fly using a simulator to reinforce the day’s learning. Highly recommend these to all student pilots.
The club I went to was good, my young instructor was on his way to becoming a commercial pilot and was knowledgable, capable and experienced enough to instruct me from the outset. My questions were always answered although the mistake I made was thinking that flying plus exams plus study was all that was required to obtain my PPL.
The reality was that I needed the reinforcement learning / practice – call it what you will – every day. Whilst the club would happily take the money, it was still up to me to show up and be instructed. If I didn’t want to fly with a particular instructor, I would ask to fly with someone else.
There were days when touching the yoke instantly zapped all brain power leaving me in a state of being a poor student; and the instructor would normally recommend not to fly – after flying! 🙂
Yes all great comments and can relate to some,went on a cross country run,I was lost and way off my heading,he just sat there waiting for me to get back on track without giving any advice,a complete waste of time and money which cost me dearly.
Another relevant article, Jamie. Thank you.
Often, students try to find the cheapest solution… at any cost. Including bad instruction. Those of us providing good, quality instructions aren’t always the cheapest.
Sometimes, I’ve found students have stayed away because they don’t like the cost.
That said, you often get what you pay for .Look for the cheapest instructor, you’ll get the cheapest instruction.
Instruction is a highly personal decision – don’t go necessarily with what the flight school suggests. Don’t go with the cheapest – go with what works for you.
GREAT Article. I had no idea there was an 80% Flight School drop-out rate.
A CFI is not only an instructor but a guidance counselor. When a new student starts wit you learn to respect his wishes and do your best to get him started towards those goal. At this point you are not finished but just getting started..These goals are constantly being amended. A good CFi reguarless of there experience is only as good as there next hour of dual given
Thank-you Jamie for another thoughtful article and this one hit close to home (as the current director of SAFE). Our stated goal is to elevate the professionalism of aviation educators out there and unfortunately, many CFIs that could use improvement (and yes, this is painful for everyone!) But when you have an industry with a continuous 80% drop-out rate you could almost assume there is work to be done? Every pilot must be a careful shopper for their CFI, and so many factors should be considered it is impossible to enumerate here. Ask for local recommendations, references and test drive the experience for compatibility. You are spending a lot (and your life is literally at stake) Insist on the right person as CFI.
My first flight instructor did not impress. I though my landings were terrible I found out later he was constantly trying to make control corrections without telling me he was taking over we were fighting each other on the controls and since I was concentrating on the runway and the airspeed indicator I dident realize it. I had to take a break while I got my medical straightened out with the FAA and had a different instructor and my landings were instantly better. I later found out that I was the first instructors first student after he got his CFI and he was even younger than I was. Maybe it is just me but I think that this situation where we have instructors with only a few hundred hours (for time building) is not helpful to the students. The instructors should be the guys with a few thousand hours that really know what they are doing. I am up to about 170 hours at this point and I am nowhere near ready to teach students. maybe when I reach a thousand I will consider it.
Every instructor has his/her first student. Be it that the instructor has the minimum hours or 1000s. If you are serious about becoming an instructor, start now at 170 hours. Work on your instrument, commercial, then CFI. The best way to learn to be a better pilot is try to teach it. Example: try to teach this phrase: Pitch up to a baseball or soccer player. How about the word Flare? To an office assistance (secretary) she will hand you a pen. How about “at 55 knots rotate” pitch the aircraft up? How far? Yes, flight instructors build time teaching others to fly because their end goal is a corporate or airline job but they should pay attention on what they are doing now “Teaching”. Others like me do it for fun and enjoyment of introducing people to the world of Flight. An instructor is your employee. If things are not working out in two or three flights, Find one that you connect with. The first thing out of the chocks with a new student I tell them. If we don’t connect well in two or three lessons: “Fire me.” spent your aviation money wisely. It won’t hurt my feelings. I have had instructors at both ends of the spectrum. One building time and one plus or minus 10 feet of an altitude was too much variation. (Too critical for my low time I had). Learning to fly for a job or for recreation so be fun . at least that’s how I see it……….
Flight instruction is a service industry, like it or not. The first question I would ask a prospective instructor would be “How many more hours do you need before you can join the airlines?” If you get an immediate answer, move on, that person’s heart or passion isn’t in aviation. Any good tradesman or professional is personally involved in their field and their output shows it, whether it’s laying bricks or installing a prosthetic knee.
I’ve been collecting Social Security for more years than I care to admit but I’m currently n the process of earning a CFI rating. I have the hours, I feel I have some experience to pass along, both an educator (any lesson has to be enjoyed before any knowledge can be transferred) and as a pilot. that just might assist someone in reaching their goal. At this point, the gratification of seeing a student smile the moment they realize they “get it” is more important than anything else.
The recommendation to change instructors, if it is not working out, is a good one. My first assigned instructor treated me so poorly we never got into the air for what was to be an intro flight. I complained to the flying school owner and he agreed I had been treated badly. He offered to set me up with another instructor, if I was still willing to deal with his school and I agreed. This next instructor was a part time guy who was great. Setting up lessons was a little difficult at times but I didn’t mind because his insights and attitude were superior. I stayed with him for my private licence and 2 additional ratings. We are still in touch 25 years later. Since that time my work has put me in touch with a number of other flying school owners and their message has always been the same. If things are not working out look into changing. The other tip one of them passed on was to look for an instructor who is busy. He may be your best bet.
The first rule of being educated is to take responsibility for your own progress and learning curve. If you expect to be spoon fed or given flashes of magic insight by other human beings you will ALWAYS be disappointed. In fact, when someone tells you something, even an instructor…VERIFY and EXPAND on it so you know the principal better than the instructor. Take nothing on face value from anyone…
I agree with your point of view gbigs, and would add… Not so much a label “good” or “bad” instructors but, COMPATIBILITY. We are not robots and each and everyone of us learn and teach our own way.
I’ve worked in many training environments. ‘Absolutely no two pilots are alike’ and we each have to find our closest match up. Learning to operate machinery is not the same as learning arts and history. Incompatible people can get themselves killed in any piece of equipment (even a car or boat). The instructor can only point you in the direction, you have to take the responsibility to study and learn.
Read your Aviation history. Based on this article, most instructors the first 50 years of flight wouldn’t have met today’s expectations. Yet, we still got this far.
I had a GREAT private instructor and learned a lot from him he also would fly when ever I wanted. Then came my instrument instructor and being young and not knowing better stuck it out with him he didn’t want to be there and was working because his wife was making him. It came time for my commercial and was going to have the same instructor only then did I say something and was told you can switch anytime you want I wish I would have known that earlier would have finished my instrument a lot sooner. My commercial instructor was GREAT also if I was having a problem and stuck he took the time to involve others and things started to click just hearing it described another way. Even though I wanted flying as a career life got in the way but looking at getting back in and instructing and thanks to my private and commercial instructors I know how to approach students and thanks to my instrument instructor I know how not to instruct. Good luck to all of those out there working on their tickets. The view is always better in the air.
One of the benefits of being trained by the military was that the instructor was being evaluated as well as the testee…
Anyone can pooch a manoeuvre or fail a flight test. But several failures from the same instructor was cause for inquiry from ‘higher up’…
Do I have a written lesson plan for each lesson no.Do I have a mental lesson plan for every flight absolutely. I keep notes and a checklist for all my students.Just prior to there arrival I review these notes and devise a mental lesson plan.I mentally set an objective time materials needed fill it with content and a completion standard. This is reviewed in the pre brief.After the flight we de brief with reference to the completion standards and a plan for the next and subsequent lessons.After the student leaves,I update his file.
My first flight instuctor did your same kind of mental preperation, it led to many countless hours of redundant lessons and no way for a student to prepare for an upcoming lesson.
He threw a fit when I asked him if we could work from a syllabus. We parted way soon after that and I was glad we did!
I went all the way across the country to FXE just to get my ticket and I had three instructors before I found a good one. Ground school was to start at 0800 but the first instructor never showed up until after 9. This is when the winds started to come up and I was having a hard time with my landings as such. I asked to start my touch & goes earlier so that I could land with lighter winds but he had to takes his kids to school in the mornings. The second instructor had me meet him at a coffee shop for ground school. I hated this non classroom environment with all the noise , him giving me lessons and asking questions while this fat fuck consumed his breakfast. The third instructor did whatever I wanted when I wanted. He picked me up at my hotel in the mornings and took me back in the evenings after school. Touch & goes first thing in the morning…no problem. Skip lunch for more ground school…no problem. Night flight whenever I wanted…OK. A couple of times we took a day off and we went swimming at the beach in Miami. One evening we went to a party and another evening we went out for dinner. No I am not gay…we just became very good friends. I feel that the most important thing you can do is find an instructor that you feel the most comfortable with no matter how many it takes. I got my license in 28 days!
When I started working on my commercial ticket, I was hooked up with a less than satisfactory instructor. He would routinely tell me to preflight the airplane and would meet me there. We’d go fly with no pre-brief or any apparent lesson plan. After the flight he would spend a couple minutes telling me what I screwed up, then move on to his next student. I was using the GI Bill, and he was charging the VA (and me) 0.5 hours for pre- and -post-flight training. When I called him out on it, he said it was required by the VA to charge it. He got angry when I pointed out that if he was going to charge for it, he should actually provide it! We parted ways after that.