Just Got Off Work - Welcome To My Hell

[Palerider957]

I know how thick I was for my first few lessons, I'm sure I drained a few instructors. It doesn't end with the basic ratings either. When you get into the sims and have check airmen trying to drive procedures, profiles, callouts, immediate action items, etc., etc., into your head, it's like being a student pilot all over again.....suddenly you can't even get the A/C through basic maneuvers let alone more complicated things.

To instuctors who keep good cheer and a pleasant tone, you have my respect and admiration.

 

[Singlecoil]

This thread reminded me of something I have been contemplating lately, and that is how important the first 5 or so hours of instruction are. I have flown with a lot of pilots who were never taught how to use the rudder properly, and I've often wondered how this happens. Do the instructors not notice, not care, or not know themselves?
I have a hard time bringing the subject up with the person sitting next to me, because its something they should have learned a long time ago. My biggest pet peeve is when you move the power levers/throttles in a prop plane, you need to move your feet. More power, right rudder, less power, left rudder. This should be learned in the first couple of hours in the 172. I think a lot of people arrive at the regionals with multi experience exclusively in a Duchess or Seminole with counter-rotating props. No torque-induced yaw in those planes. Now hop in a Dash-8 and watch the thing get sideways when you put the spurs to it, or chop the power to descend. I'm sure the SAAB and Brasilia are the same way.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that an instructor who hammers this into his/her primary students from day one is doing that pilot a huge favor.

Another good one, is the tendency for some people to pump the yoke in the flare. Drives me up and down the wall. Simply another bad habit that was allowed to develop and will be very hard to extinguish.

 

[bunnyfufu]

i just thought of a possible cause for the constant "right rudder" reminders.. parallax error of reading the inclinometer from the right seat will make it look like the ball is to the right when it is actually in the center.... so when the student thinks it is perfectly centered, you might think it is to the right

 

[Colonel Cairo]

right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder.

Isn't that all instructing is about?

Had a student I got in a "let's swap our nightmare students" deal who had soloed a year or two before I flew with him. He was Ukrainian-American and was an engineer at P&W. Maybe "rudder" means "aileron" in Russian or something but I think he thought he was flying one of his jets because power-on stalls were a feet on the floor affair. Nose starts yawing/turning left? No problem, crank in more right aileron! After trying everything I could think off I got to the point where I would make him sit on his hands so all he had control of was the rudder. I had the power and the ailerons and what did he do at the break? Grab the yoke and, you guessed it, full right aileron!

"I'm running out of money. Why won't you solo me? Uh, 'cause if you do that at a couple hundred feet on takeoff you're gonna leave nothing but a smoking hole and a flight school with one less airplane."

He wanted to keep flying so I resigned myself to practicing my spin entries and recoveries until I could get him on the Chief Instructor's schedule. He never came back after that. Do you think it was something I said?

Sometimes I really do miss instructing.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Originally posted by starvingcfi
ok. watch your heading. you're 100 feet high. you're 100 feet low. you're high again. why do you like 2600 feet so much? you know, if you put that effort into holding 2500, you'd be doing great. right rudder. right rudder. right rudder...

Wait, I know this student! You mean she still hasn't found someone who'll sign her off?

Those of you who are/were perfect instructors with the patience of Moses, feel free to criticize. The rest of you...chill. Even the best instructors I ever knew had days like this.

 

[100LL... Again!]

starving cfi-

Sorry that the thick headed ones did not seem to realize that this was a humorous montage of a cfi's career.

Parallax error on the ball? Not likely. I don't need the ball to know if the aircraft is trimmed. Also, any good cfi can tell if the student has the aircraft trimmed without looking . It's a feel thing.

My favorite overheard quote: Let's try flying a hundred feet HIGH now just for the change of pace.


I once told a multi student his two choices were me being sweet as pie and the rating taking 20 hrs, or I could crank him through in 10 hours if he could take a whuppin'. Being a cheapskate (like any pilot worth his salt), he chose the whuppin' method and finished in 11 hours. Everything's a trade-off.


It really is true: If you want the student at 2500, tell 'em to hold 2400.

 

[starvingcfi]

whew. thanks a lot. i thought this thread was going to turn into a flame on me. there's too much starch around here.

anyway, i'm glad other instructors/or ex's (lucky bast*rds) can relate. thanks a lot. off to work again.

starvingcfi

 

[Simon Says]

Where do you fly out of?

 

[list2002]

Yeah, if you fly out of Bravo airspace "comms" bring a whole new dimension to primary flight training.

 

[Chickenhawk]

Too many people don't know the concept of "venting". I thought it was funny.....only came on to warn you about taking any advise from ksu_**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**cat. He eats little boys.

ROOOOOCK CHAAAAAALK!