Flight school sued for $50,000,000

[Workin'Stiff]

Nope. Only required to hold a 3rd class. As it was explained to me, as an instructor I'm being hired to teach, not to fly the airplane. In fact, if the student is capable of acting as PIC (not the case here) you don't even need a medical. Assuming the instructor was under 40, he's still got another 11 months on his medical before it expires.

So in this case, his medical was of no value for the purpose of flight instructing. He was required to act as PIC in this instruction. So for the purpse of the "commercial" flight and the "flight instruction," he was required to hold at a minimum a second class medical as per 61.23(a)(2).

 

[igneousy2]

I can see doing an IFR local flight for a student pilot but why an IFR X-Ctry.

Also, I would be curious as to what the forecast weather at the field was. If 200 and 1/2 was forecast in the main body I do not see how AF could have a defense.

I would not be "comfortable" flying a C172 down to 200 and 1/2 with me flying, let alone a student flying. Having more actual instrument time then this instructor has total time I cannot imagine this instructor being comfortable enough to allow the student to do the flying. What is the benefit to the student if they are not even allowed to do the flying.

When I was the manager of a flight school I found that instructors were always too eager to do approaches with the students. BAI is boring, the old pattern A pattern B stuff is boring but it is the foundation. Aside from using one to get back to the field from a lesson, approaches should be toward the end of the instrument program. The 3 hours for the private pilot should be used for BASIC ATTITUDE INSTRUMENT FLYING. Doing a 3 hour cross country does not do the student any good as most of it is S&L.

Later

 

[sky37d]

Also, I would be curious as to what the forecast weather at the field was. If 200 and 1/2 was forecast in the main body I do not see how AF could have a defense.

I think a lot of people would like to know what the forecast was at the time.

I cannot imagine this instructor being comfortable enough to allow the student to do the flying. What is the benefit to the student if they are not even allowed to do the flying.

Doing a 3 hour cross country does not do the student any good as most of it is S&L.

Later

I think that fundamentally, this is the basis of the suit.

 

[cale42]

Workin Stiff...

I beleive that even if you are are required to act as PIC during a flight that involves instruction a third class medical is still adequate. The FAR's specifically say you only need a third class medical to instruct. This includes instructing private students, where by default you have to act as PIC. So the same logic should transfer to a flight in actual that is for the purpose of instructing. Third class medical is adequate.

cale

 

[JimNtexas]

Was this school one of the ones that have FAA approval to give a combined private pilot and instrument rating with one checkride?

 

[Iceman21]

A third class medical is required to instruct period. You do not need a 2nd class if the student is not rated.

 

[Milkdud99]

Workin Stiff...

I beleive that even if you are are required to act as PIC during a flight that involves instruction a third class medical is still adequate. The FAR's specifically say you only need a third class medical to instruct. This includes instructing private students, where by default you have to act as PIC. So the same logic should transfer to a flight in actual that is for the purpose of instructing. Third class medical is adequate.

cale

you need a second class medical to act as a commercial pilot tho, which if being an instructor, isn't that acting as a commercial pilot...

 

[Iceman21]

Yes, but the FAR provide a specific regulation concerning medicals for flight instructors.

 

[LNKav8R]

According to the 'new' FAA thinking, we should try to start our students out as a Comm/Instrument student and if they decide to only go for the private license, then so be it. I don't know if I agree with the thinking about trying to start a private pilot student as an Instrument student too. I think that I'd have no problem taking a student into the soup, but it would have to be well after some initial training. What happened to the idea of looking outside the aircraft? I was taught to look outside more often than looking in. It's frustrating to me that flight schools often have to pay for the problems caused by and overzealous flight instructor. I've seen it happen a lot. A good flight school should have a full set of minimums(usually higher than the FAA mins) and a good Chief Flight Instructor that watches his/her instructors and makes sure they follow these rules. HUMBLE OPINIONS ONLY!!!!

 

[RichardRambone]

Whats IMHO stand for? Its been driving me nutz.