best way to handle this situation

[gdub]

at the school I attend, our chief flight instructor is scared to fly.
we have to go through stage checks, I assume just like any other 141 school. Getting a stage check is like pulling teeth. I passed the oral part of the final stage check for my private without a problem, when it came time for the flight portion he said "I just really don't feel like flying today, the weather is going to get bad" The forecast was for clear and a million. This is the third stage check with this guy and every time I fly with him, its an experience. Everytime the plane hits a bump, he grabs the controls. If you bank the airplane he immediatly grabs the controls. He is just scared to fly. I dont know what to do..I'm spending my hard earned money here...$80 an hour and I'm frustrated..my flight instructor (who is great by the way) says he's always been like that (he went through the same program).
Just looking for a solution to the problem. Any advice would help.

 

[dmspilot00]

Then why the he11 is this guy a pilot, let alone commercial pilot, let alone flight instructor, let alone Chief instructor!?

At a 141 school I went to, they had "check instructors" that were allowed to do stage checks and checkrides. If you do not have check instructors and your school, and since it is your "final stage check," maybe you can arrange to take the private checkride with a DE instead. I'm sure its doable since 141 schools that don't have self-examining authority have to use DEs (designated pilot examiners) anyway.

 

[bobbysamd]

Fear of Flying

Apologies to Erica Jong.

at the school I attend, our chief flight instructor is scared to fly.

Now, I've heard everything . . . .

[E]verytime the plane hits a bump, he grabs the controls. If you bank the airplane he immediatly grabs the controls. He is just scared to fly. I dont know what to do..I'm spending my hard earned money here...$80 an hour and I'm frustrated.

I agree with the above, primarily from the $80/hour frustration factor standpoint. There's a certain amount of nonsense that is endemic to 141 schools. I know; I worked at three well-known 141 schools in my time. But this is ridiculous.

My $0.02 advice would be to finish your Private and find another school.

Taking recurrent 141 rides must be a trip with this guy. I'm sure that your instructor is thrilled about having to do so.

Good luck with the rest of your training.

 

[stlpilot]

Being a former Assistant chief instructor of a 141 school I can tell you most likely the guy did not get the position because he was "scared" to fly. Of course you never know what may have happened to him along the way, Iv seen guys get pretty shaken up by certain events such as "close calls" or an accident itself. I remember my ACFI supervisor who every student thought was :gay, crazy, a jerk, and well, you get the idea. Some of the students that went on stage checks with him were so paranoid they lost sight of the task at hand, truth was he knew more about flying them most of them ever will. If you one day want to instruct, you need to experience what its like flying with people that have a different personality or fly differently then you do, of course not jeopardizing safety, standardization, and other important factors. That being said, you should get what you pay for and I would quietly seek out the upper management of the flight school, if there is any, and address your concerns with them, so long as you have already gone through the normal channels. I'm not discounting your concerns in any way. Many students came to me thinking they were being singled out unfairly when a stage check of theirs was repeatedly cancelled. But if its a large school, its gonna happen. Again you should stick up for yourself, it is your money, just don't draw any unnecessary attention to yourself by making any accusations or conclusions about the chief instructor, it will reflect bad on you and attract unwanted attention If you still have trouble or think its to much hassle, go elsewhere. Just giving you the management perspective on things as viewed by them.

 

[gdub]

thanks for the advice, keep it coming

Maybe I should have mentioned this earlier..The school is very very small..only 5 aircraft and only about 20 students. Only about 3 flying this summer. The aviation department is a department of the university.
I tend to agree with the above, close calls with a student, because he is really anal.
He has tenure..like 10years..so he is not going anywhere anytime soon. But I did find out that I can schedule stage checks with a DE that lives in the area, but from all accounts he may be worse.
I do agree with the above that he probably knows more about flying than I will ever know. I dont know it may be short-mans complex--he's really short and Im over 6'4"..you never know

about the check instructors...not allowed anymore..the ex-check instructor gear upped a 172RG on a stage check.

 

[bobbysamd]

Small program

Excellent comments from STL, above, especially about avoiding unnecessary attention.

Maybe I should have mentioned this earlier..The school is very very small..only 5 aircraft and only about 20 students. Only about 3 flying this summer . . . .

Therefore, there shouldn't be any trouble scheduling your stage checks - and flying as much as you want.

I remember that in the summer at aircraft-poor ERAU there were plenty of instructors around, but not enough students. Those students could fly as much as they want, and instructors had no problems getting them aircraft. It should be the same for you.

I would guess that the situation in your school has been the way it is for a very long time. You would not be the first to complain - and, by the same token, may not get satisfaction. Just the same, you are paying good money for your training. Don't be afraid to go elsewhere if you must.

Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[EMBATP]

GDUB,

do you go to NSU?

 

[gdub]

very observant

very observant mr S. from
one of our distinguished alumni!!!!

 

[vossdr1]

If you can't get your ride done where you are, you might try finishing under part 61.
If you want to stay 141, you could also transfer to a different 141 program. Unfortunately, if you don't have your Pvt and transfer, only 1/2 of the work can be credited (at the discresion of the chief at the facility you are transfering to) so that is not your best option.

 

[labbats]

Even if you DO have your private, you'll lose 1/2 your training with a lateral 141 transfer. It's irregardless of rating.