Thoughts...

[Joshrk22]

Here is a question for all the CFI's out there. What would you say if your student asked you to fly into a pancake breakfast. I have been endorsed to do my solo stuff (that's all I have to finish) at airports that are having upcoming fly-ins. Would it be frowned upon if I stopped in to get a bite to eat and then headed back? Or is this better left to when you get that private certificate?

What would happen if your student flew in to an airport and had no idea something like that was going on? Do you see it as a safety issue (planes around people) or that stuff like that should be used when you do finish your training.

 

[woutlaw]

A CFI I knew sent a student on his first solo cross-country.

Unknown to both of them, there was a pancake breakfast/fly-in at the destination airport. Airplanes all over the place, typical uncontrolled airport chaos made worse by a bunch of guys who fly a couple times a year.

The guy did ok, got down and got out but it wasn't an enjoyable experience for him and the CFI would never do it again.

FWIW, I avoid fly-ins/pancake breakfasts like the plague and I fly six or seven days a week. Too many knuckleheads flying around and one little midair will really ruin your breakfast.

That being said, it's a good learning experience I suppose and it's a big sky.

If it were me, and you were my student and you really wanted to go, I'd suggest we head out together on a dual x-country to the pancake breakfast but I wouldn't send you out there on your own.

That's probably overly conservative, to be honest, but that'd be my call.