Originally Posted by
MikeInTx
I've got other issues with this instructor:
*He has repeatedly bashed another one of his students in front of me, even using the guy's first and last name.
*My instructor just got his multi-engine instructor's permit, and has said that he "now enjoys instructing again."
*He is constantly talking about himself and the "better, faster" planes that he flies in.
*He is always talking about moving on to Regionals - he doesn't seem the least bit interested in seeing me succeed.
*He is overly cocky, arrogant, and full of himself (he's 24, I'm 29).
Should I just dump the guy? I know of another instructor there that I would rather have teach me...I just don't want things to be awkward at the FBO...
Any advice LAFF?
To address the original issue...
When I was an instructor, we charged for ground time (some instructors don't and I do not agree with that...same as airline pilots not getting paid for ground duty time ala mesa).
In the interest of being fair, I was pretty conscientious about what I charged for. I charged for all this stuff:
1) Preflight, ONLY if I participated (student pilot)
2) Briefing, Wx, Flight plans review and filing.
3) Logbooks, endorsements, and 8710's (if you don't want to pay a licensed professional to do your paperwork, just get your mom to do it instead)
4) Time the student spends on his cell-phone.
5) Billing issues (141 school, lots of paperwork)
6) Any legit classroom training. However, if class is in session, and you want to shoot the breeze, you still get charged.
I did not charge for:
1) Preflight done by student.
2) Me getting coffee.
3) Wasted time that was the company's fault (mx, etc)
4) Wasted time due to Wx.
5) Breaks on cross-country flights (the student traditionally buys dinner and beer anyway).
Basically if I was actually DOING something that required my license and/or expertise, I charged. Only one student had an issue with this, he came from an FBO environment where the cfi charged for flight time only...I asked him why he had left his previous instructor, he said the job wasn't getting done. After I explained that I would get the job done, he was OK with my billing policy
Addressing all the OTHER issues: Your instructor sounds like the bad-stereotype CFI...drop him like a hot potato!