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Excited but nervous......
- Thread starter N8157B
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Welcome to Flightinfo.com
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Timebuilder
Entrepreneur
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
- Posts
- 4,625
knelson
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 184
Congratulations!!!
First of all, a well deserved congratulations are in order. Your first paying job in aviation is one that you will never forget. The tips I can give you, you probably know already, but I will share them anyway.
Use the time between now and when you start to develop some lesson plans based on the type of students you will be teaching. Don't waste time now on plans you will not use for a year or so (in other words, it's probably not the time to be preparing lesson plans for single-engine instrument approaches in a twin if that's not what you will be doing!).
Also, make a promise to yourself that a bad day with one student will not affect what you will do with your next student.
Use your briefing time wisely, make it entertaining and effective, your student's progress will depend on it. You only have their undivided attention for so long before each flight where they are actually focusing on what you are saying. After that point, they tunnel vision on getting in the air!
A couple of final thoughts: treat your students with respect and they will do the same in return. They are your greatest asset, and one of them may be the captain you are sitting to the right of someday. . . it has been known to happen
And as with any job in any field, treat your employer with the professional respect/courtesy he/she deserves, that person will be your ally when you persue other aviation interest and the background checks will reflect that.
Finally, HAVE FUN!!!! you will have the time of your life getting paid for what you love, and remember: not many peopla can say that!!!!
Again, Congratulations.
Fly safe!
Kevin
First of all, a well deserved congratulations are in order. Your first paying job in aviation is one that you will never forget. The tips I can give you, you probably know already, but I will share them anyway.
Use the time between now and when you start to develop some lesson plans based on the type of students you will be teaching. Don't waste time now on plans you will not use for a year or so (in other words, it's probably not the time to be preparing lesson plans for single-engine instrument approaches in a twin if that's not what you will be doing!).
Also, make a promise to yourself that a bad day with one student will not affect what you will do with your next student.
Use your briefing time wisely, make it entertaining and effective, your student's progress will depend on it. You only have their undivided attention for so long before each flight where they are actually focusing on what you are saying. After that point, they tunnel vision on getting in the air!
A couple of final thoughts: treat your students with respect and they will do the same in return. They are your greatest asset, and one of them may be the captain you are sitting to the right of someday. . . it has been known to happen
And as with any job in any field, treat your employer with the professional respect/courtesy he/she deserves, that person will be your ally when you persue other aviation interest and the background checks will reflect that.Finally, HAVE FUN!!!! you will have the time of your life getting paid for what you love, and remember: not many peopla can say that!!!!
Again, Congratulations.
Fly safe!
Kevin
bobbysamd
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2001
- Posts
- 5,710
First CFI job
Congratulations. And don't worry, you'll do fine. Everyone was new once.
Always remember that you need a lesson plan for every lesson. You don't have to prepare a formal document on paper for each flight, but just have a plan in mind for each student that day. Use lesson plans in the school's syllabus if you're teaching at a school. Students can tell if you're meeting them unprepared, and they won't like it. Have a plan "B" in case you are maintenanced or wx'd that day. Something like sims or oralling. Students hate to come to the flight line and be sent home, about as much as instructors do if they have no activities that day.
One other point to remember is you are now the professional and the authority. Although you may have students who are your age and who could be your friends under other circumstances, you have to deal with them at arm's length. Meaning that you must retain your objectivity and maintain a professional distance. That doesn't mean that you have to be stiff and formal, but now's not the time to fraternize.
You'll have plenty of students requesting you as an instructor if you have the reputation of giving students their money's and time's worth, and if you are fair and professional. You have to earn that reputation. No reason why you cannot.
Good luck with your instructing.
Congratulations. And don't worry, you'll do fine. Everyone was new once.
Always remember that you need a lesson plan for every lesson. You don't have to prepare a formal document on paper for each flight, but just have a plan in mind for each student that day. Use lesson plans in the school's syllabus if you're teaching at a school. Students can tell if you're meeting them unprepared, and they won't like it. Have a plan "B" in case you are maintenanced or wx'd that day. Something like sims or oralling. Students hate to come to the flight line and be sent home, about as much as instructors do if they have no activities that day.
One other point to remember is you are now the professional and the authority. Although you may have students who are your age and who could be your friends under other circumstances, you have to deal with them at arm's length. Meaning that you must retain your objectivity and maintain a professional distance. That doesn't mean that you have to be stiff and formal, but now's not the time to fraternize.
You'll have plenty of students requesting you as an instructor if you have the reputation of giving students their money's and time's worth, and if you are fair and professional. You have to earn that reputation. No reason why you cannot.
Good luck with your instructing.
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Congratulations on your job! You will have a lot of fun instructing. You have gotten some great advice from other members, but I'd like to add a little more. You are the PIC in all flights... Act like it. Let your students screw up, but don't ever let them put you in a position where you feel your own skills can't get you out of. Don't be afraid to take the controls, but don't do it too often, and try not to have your hand floating right over the controls either... it lowers the students confidence. Don't ever get complacent. Use the time in the airplane as efficiently as possible. Don't fly 15 minutes straight and level out to the practice area w/ a student that has already soloed. Every student is different, be able to alter your teaching style to fit the student. Be professional, and remember you are the instructor. And most importantly.... have fun!
Congratulations again!
Congratulations again!
wil
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2001
- Posts
- 488
Way too go!! I remember my first solo back in 98! I think I was more nervous them he was! I have some students at the regionals and I have a great feeling of pride knowing that their first hours were spent with me in a c-152! Welcome to an elite club and never let your certs expire!!!!!!! All the best- Wil
AZaviator
El Capitan
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
- Posts
- 623
One more piece of advice. Remember that you do not know everything. There will be plenty of questions students ask that you won't know the answer to. Don't worry about it. Just admit to them you don't know and try finding the answer. Or, tell them their homework is to find the question to that answer and to have it for you the next lesson.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Cardinal
Of The Kremlin
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2001
- Posts
- 2,308
Congratulations!
It may sound trite, but know the aircraft you'll be teaching in. I found myself teaching in a C150, and aircraft that I'd flown occasionally, but never trained in. Thus I'd never really bothered to memorize the exact speeds, etc. I jumped in on Day One, cranked up, an realized I couldn't ask my student to maintain Vx because I didn't know what it was! Anyway, avoid the embarassment. Teaching is hard, simple as that. It took me a month to master most of my schpiels, took another couple months before I was really comfortable, and six months before I was doing less harm than good
It can be a battle sometimes, but try to keep smiling, even if things aren't peachy. You are the face of the industry to every student you fly with. Don't take the Introductory flights to seriously, just have fun for half an hour. Usually they're so overwhelmed it doesn't matter terribly much what you do or what you say, just keep talking, have a good attitude and they'll be back.
Enjoy the time spent gazing at the country-side while doing nothing.
The next year will contain alot of learning, and one can only guess what else. In fact last February 19th was my first day of instructing. Now I'm settling into life as a regional FO. Ya never know.
It may sound trite, but know the aircraft you'll be teaching in. I found myself teaching in a C150, and aircraft that I'd flown occasionally, but never trained in. Thus I'd never really bothered to memorize the exact speeds, etc. I jumped in on Day One, cranked up, an realized I couldn't ask my student to maintain Vx because I didn't know what it was! Anyway, avoid the embarassment. Teaching is hard, simple as that. It took me a month to master most of my schpiels, took another couple months before I was really comfortable, and six months before I was doing less harm than good
It can be a battle sometimes, but try to keep smiling, even if things aren't peachy. You are the face of the industry to every student you fly with. Don't take the Introductory flights to seriously, just have fun for half an hour. Usually they're so overwhelmed it doesn't matter terribly much what you do or what you say, just keep talking, have a good attitude and they'll be back.
Enjoy the time spent gazing at the country-side while doing nothing.
The next year will contain alot of learning, and one can only guess what else. In fact last February 19th was my first day of instructing. Now I'm settling into life as a regional FO. Ya never know.
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