What is the quality in a CFI you find most helpful?

[rumpletumbler]

I'm curious as to what people find the most helpful quaility in CFI's they have had or have is.

 

[mayday1]

Patience - I've had too many CFI's in the past act like d!ckheads getting all frustrated and yelling at me -- totally takes away from the fun, and made me not want to continue flying. Everyone learns at different rates, and their skills develop with varying levels of experience. Not to mention, I'm paying ~$40/hr for their time.

I'm looking forward to getting my CFI.. and this is one of the biggest takeaways I have from my training. Respect your students, show patience for their learning ability and skill development - they'll appreciate me as a CFI, and really enjoy learning to fly.

 

[bobbysamd]

Dedication

Really great CFIs are dedicated. Though many instruct to build time for the next job, those who are dedicated realize for as long as they are instructing that it is incumbent upon them to provide the best learning and training experience possible. They might be tallying their logbooks every night and counting down the hours needed until they can apply to the airlines, but in the meantime they are enjoying what they're doing, continuing to improve and hone their skills, and realizing that they, too, are still learning from the best instructors around - their students.

If you are dedicated, the other qualities written above, such as patience and personality, along with good human relations skills (read that to mean "CRM"), will naturally follow.

 

[JAFI]

I agree with the previous posts. I will add:

Ability to explain in a way the Student can understand. To find examples the student can relate to, not just the instructor.

To have a pre-made list of teaching points the instructor wants the student to learn for each lesson. OH MY GOD, is that a specific, thought out, more than just pass the test LESSON Plan? What was I thinking......
Sorry, I just could not resist.

JAFI

 

[flyifrvfr]

To be a good CFI you have to be able to recognize that each student is different from the next. You have to tailor your instruction for the differnent learning styles. You must be able to adapt quickly. A good CFI also is knows that if he doesn't have the student's needs first in mind, the student will change instructors.

Lastly, a good CFI goes the extra mile for the student. Wether it's making airplane specific checklists, radio sheets for learning communication quickly, or just being available when the students needs to ask a question when you are home. My students have four different ways to reach me and can do so anytime.

 

[Levidog]

Patience, most of all. And, the ability to understand a subject thorough enough to explain, give example, and correlate answers. Not to sound sexist, but some of the best CFIs I've ever had have been women. LD

 

[FracCapt]

Young, hot, and big hooters.


Hey, somebody had to say it!

 

[Levidog]

Young, hot, and big hooters.


Hey, somebody had to say it!

ROFLMAO...don't hurt, does it!! LD

 

[FL000]

The way my CFI helped me most was to let me make mistakes, non-fatal ones, that is. If I was lost, he wouldn't say a word. I just had to manage that myself. He had me on the radios in flight #2, no matter how stupid I sounded. Once I forgot to swith tanks in a Cherokee...nothing. He just watched as the plane started to fly to the right and waited for me to figure it out.

All these things were, of course, after he had taught me these lessons the first time.

 

[Cutlass1287]

Letting me make my own mistakes, not jumping on the radio whenever I pause for a split second. Talking, on occasion, of things other than strict flight training. I had one CFI who wouldnt talk about anything outside flight training. Gets a little weird, but he was a good CFI. I have flown with 5 CFIS regularly, and about 10-15 on and off, and I can tell you that they all have their pros and cons.