The Sizzler
Member
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2003
- Posts
- 15
Wanted to ask for some advise regarding some poor training I received a week ago. I was going through a refresher course with a CFI who flew in from Vero Beach. Here is my list of issues with the guy:
1.) No positive exchange of flight controls, on two occasions he grabbed the controls out of my hands simply because he did not like the way I was handling the aircraft, in other words we were not in the pattern or low altitude where time may not permit conversation with the student. While doing this he would yell things like “ are you deaf” “what is your problem” over and over. I asked him to use positive exchange but he refused.
2.) He vectored me (under the hood) for a practice approach within 5 miles of the downwind side of a thunderstorm. While doing this we flew through hail and severe turbulence over Va.
3.) I had a bum headset so several times I would ask for clarification or a repeat of his instructions. He would again start to yell or get extremely arrogant and say “do you have ears” “am I talking to myself”.
4.) We were supposed to do an IPC and yet I only did one approach (not under the hood) and the other maneuvers consisted of basic attitude, steep turns, a stall and one arc. We did do a hold but not under the hood. Now I realized an IPC says “ a representative number of tasks for the instrument rating” but would you all really define this as one?
5.) We got on the ground and this guy says “now there were times I did not give you all the information you needed to complete the maneuver in hopes that you would ask me for the additional information you needed but you did not”. I’m sitting there thinking “yeah a$$ because every time I did you literally yelled at me about being deaf and other stuff”.
Looking back on it I don’t know that he did anything “illegal” per say but I know this guy is a danger to other students and should be reviewed or something. When we flew through the hail I was under the hood so I did not know we were going into it until it was too late and then I took the thing off and told him its time to go home or I will refuse to complete the flight. This was the first time in my life I thought I might have to literally hit someone if they put me in another dangerous situation but I figured the best course of action (for safety’s sake) was to let him take us home and address it on the ground, not fight in the air. Another reason I tolerated this guy as long as I did was because I thought to myself “better get accustomed to it, your going into the military world of flying” but after talking to some military instructors they have all told me no one treats anyone like that in the airplane.
I’ve instructed for about 5 years now and never met up with a guy like this. And know that my issues with this flight have nothing to do with me thinking I know everything since I’m a CFI, no in fact I always try to keep an open mind and learn from anyone whether they are students or professionals. So my dilemma is what to do with this clown. Go to the FAA? I would not know what to say, in fact if I were to do this I assume I could bring heat back on myself if not careful. I leave in two weeks for the USAF for flight training so its not like my career would be in jeopardy and Iv always kept my nose clean. So I’m not worried in case they would want to ask me some questions, but you all know how the Feds can be. I mean if they asked me why I did not end the flight ASAP it was because I was truly afraid I would have to physically take the plane away from this guy if I chose that option. Sure I would have done it but it’s a last resort. I know the FAA can quickly turn things back on you and the next thing you know it’s your fault since you’re a CFI yourself. Well I could go into a million bad scenarios with the FAA so please add your thoughts on how to approach this.
1.) No positive exchange of flight controls, on two occasions he grabbed the controls out of my hands simply because he did not like the way I was handling the aircraft, in other words we were not in the pattern or low altitude where time may not permit conversation with the student. While doing this he would yell things like “ are you deaf” “what is your problem” over and over. I asked him to use positive exchange but he refused.
2.) He vectored me (under the hood) for a practice approach within 5 miles of the downwind side of a thunderstorm. While doing this we flew through hail and severe turbulence over Va.
3.) I had a bum headset so several times I would ask for clarification or a repeat of his instructions. He would again start to yell or get extremely arrogant and say “do you have ears” “am I talking to myself”.
4.) We were supposed to do an IPC and yet I only did one approach (not under the hood) and the other maneuvers consisted of basic attitude, steep turns, a stall and one arc. We did do a hold but not under the hood. Now I realized an IPC says “ a representative number of tasks for the instrument rating” but would you all really define this as one?
5.) We got on the ground and this guy says “now there were times I did not give you all the information you needed to complete the maneuver in hopes that you would ask me for the additional information you needed but you did not”. I’m sitting there thinking “yeah a$$ because every time I did you literally yelled at me about being deaf and other stuff”.
Looking back on it I don’t know that he did anything “illegal” per say but I know this guy is a danger to other students and should be reviewed or something. When we flew through the hail I was under the hood so I did not know we were going into it until it was too late and then I took the thing off and told him its time to go home or I will refuse to complete the flight. This was the first time in my life I thought I might have to literally hit someone if they put me in another dangerous situation but I figured the best course of action (for safety’s sake) was to let him take us home and address it on the ground, not fight in the air. Another reason I tolerated this guy as long as I did was because I thought to myself “better get accustomed to it, your going into the military world of flying” but after talking to some military instructors they have all told me no one treats anyone like that in the airplane.
I’ve instructed for about 5 years now and never met up with a guy like this. And know that my issues with this flight have nothing to do with me thinking I know everything since I’m a CFI, no in fact I always try to keep an open mind and learn from anyone whether they are students or professionals. So my dilemma is what to do with this clown. Go to the FAA? I would not know what to say, in fact if I were to do this I assume I could bring heat back on myself if not careful. I leave in two weeks for the USAF for flight training so its not like my career would be in jeopardy and Iv always kept my nose clean. So I’m not worried in case they would want to ask me some questions, but you all know how the Feds can be. I mean if they asked me why I did not end the flight ASAP it was because I was truly afraid I would have to physically take the plane away from this guy if I chose that option. Sure I would have done it but it’s a last resort. I know the FAA can quickly turn things back on you and the next thing you know it’s your fault since you’re a CFI yourself. Well I could go into a million bad scenarios with the FAA so please add your thoughts on how to approach this.
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