Frustrated : about some CFIs, TSA, dumb people

[Ralgha]

I went to a big name flight school and compared to where I teach now, the quality of the pilots at the big aviation school are trained in a very professional manner compared to the smaller FBO training.

Someday you'll learn that the quality of "big name flight school" is no better, and usually worse, than that received from a good CFI under part 61.

 

[check6]

I agree that the quality of the CFI's may differ, but an organized, well layed out curriculum of a "big name flight school" ensures everything is covered.

An organized part 61 instructor will be better off than one that is not.

 

[JAFI]

When I was the Chief Pilot of a Part 61 Flight School I interviewed CFI's all the time due to the regionals hireing (then they were called "Commuters"). I took a not so new CFI on a short check out flight in a 172. He proceded to teach me how to roll the 172 correctly. (I never asked) I just looked at him during the first roll. I told him we did not do that at our school and he said "No, it is real easy just do it this way..." He did not get the job. Another CFI I interviewed told me he did not like to talk, he woud just show the student what to do. I asked another CFI to teach me about "what makes an airplane fly". He spent thirty minutes telling me about two air molucules named "Moe and Joe" and at the end of the half hour I had no idea what he was talking about.

But hang in there, I have met many good CFI's who provide good instruction and are good employees.

As to the rifle range storys, Let's see... Teenagers (Coed no less) at a rifle range with shotguns. I can see why you left the range.


JAFI

 

[FL000]

...some of the CFIs I interviewed are plane dumb!

That's a pun, right?

 

[Mtnjam]

ticket to learn

I agree with the Theory about the CFI is a ticket to learn. When I passed my CFI checkride my examiner said "let me explain something to you." He exlained how I was not a CFI, but just a pilot who held a CFI certificate. He said it was a ticket to learn. At the time I was like, "yeah whatever!" I had trouble finding a CFI job because this was back in Late 2001 and early 2002 I was looking for CFI work but finally somebody gave me the chance.
I learned so much in my first two hundred hrs. of Dual given, but the learning curve never stopped. If the guy has a "can do" willing and eager to learn attitude then hire them because they will work hard to be the best and they will get better.
Fact is that a 400 hr. pilot is still getting aclimated and comfortable in airplanes and to top that off unless you're military trained. a 400hr. Pilot has no business doing these "Daddy expense account" courses like Gulfstream and then coming to airlines and running Jet's off runways and into the ground!!!! Being a CFI is a great thing for everyone.

 

[say again]

- CFIs.. I am not an old fart but some of the CFIs I interviewed are plane dumb! No matter where they come from, they lack communication skills, inability to fly a single engine aircraft (A Piper Warrior) but if you ask them they are the best pilot since Chuck Yeager.. One I interview was +/-300 feet in the pattern in a Warrior.. This guy had 190 hrs of Seminole time.. Another was a graduate of a school with G430s and didn't want to fly an aircraft with a KX170B. None of them heard about the rule of TSA security training that they had to complete by January of this year. I guess their "big shot" schools didn't care except the $$$.

It's great to see what money can buy, and it's certaintly not SKILL!!!!! Scary, but it's happening more now than ever.

 

[check6]

MTNJAM,

You said it. I'm learning a lot.

 

[CUEBOAT]

When I was the Chief Pilot of a Part 61 Flight School I interviewed CFI's all the time due to the regionals hireing (then they were called "Commuters"). I took a not so new CFI on a short check out flight in a 172. He proceded to teach me how to roll the 172 correctly. (I never asked) I just looked at him during the first roll. I told him we did not do that at our school and he said "No, it is real easy just do it this way..." He did not get the job. Another CFI I interviewed told me he did not like to talk, he woud just show the student what to do. I asked another CFI to teach me about "what makes an airplane fly". He spent thirty minutes telling me about two air molucules named "Moe and Joe" and at the end of the half hour I had no idea what he was talking about.

This is down right comical, moe & joe. I can't help but feel bad for the guy "instructing" how to roll a 172 on a CFI interview flight, what a jack*ass!!!

 

[JediNein]

Another was a graduate of a school with G430s and didn't want to fly an aircraft with a KX170B...

If the KX170B is in good condition and has a decent VOR head on it, I'll fly it. If it's a worn out single comm/nav POS that has 'features' to its operation, I wouldn't want to fly it either, but then, I spend a lot of time instructing in IMC in busy airspace. There is also a time where I throw a towel over the panel and have the student fly on the outside world, sound, and feel.

I agree with your comments, FlyingToIST. We've run a lot of CFI interviews and have had very _very_ few hires. It's not like we're asking them to do an inverted flat spin with a recovery on a heading, either. If the 'kid' is willing to learn, we can bring them up to a proficient skill level, even with glass cockpit stuff. But, and the reason for most of the rejections, I won't take on changing an entitlement attitude.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[FlyingToIST]

Jedi,
I ended up hiring a very good instructor who ended being a great person as well. Actually, his personality was speaking volumes to me. He is working full time in a warehouse full time and teaching in the afternoons and weekends as much as he can.

He is only 23. He is paying off loans for a big aviation school but he got a lot from the training he received there..

I guess eventually good things (and good CFIs) come to those who wait..

 

[awacs941]

As any flight school or major flight training academy you will have the ones that are good and care about you, and you will have the ones that could careless and the ones that do not have any commonsense... Their everywhere! Not just part 61 vs part 141

-Brian