Originally Posted by
Otto123
Those are all good points for sure. I have not really taken the time to research the instructors in my area to help me fulfill the sign off for the practical. I do know the before I left my training to take care of work needs, that most of the CFI's were so young, that I was starting to feel that I knew more than they did and wasn't confident in their ability to teach me what I needed to know.
I understand that finding an instructor is MY investment and that I need to take the time to find someone capable and compatible (sounds like a marriage, lol). I will definitely take a look in the area though at some local instructors that might be willing to do this.
In any case, I do live in Michigan and already have nearly 100 hours actual IMC time, so if anyone knows of some good instructors either down in Florida, or out in Arizona I would definitely appreciate some contact information so that I won't be forced to wait due to Michigan's notorious weather.
Is that
just because they were young or did they say or do things that would cause you to question their level of knowledge or professionalism? I was a relatively young CFI (at 21) and flew with a few students that were my parent's age. With some you could definitely detect a sense of...hesitation, for lack of a better word...but I found that the best way to overcome that was through some good ol' professionalism. Just have to show them that yes, I may be the same age as your idiot kid who is pub crawling his way through college, but I am also a professional aviator who takes my job seriously. Are there some punk kids running around with a CFI ticket in their back pocket? Absolutely. But for every one of those there are more than a few who are serious about teaching, who enjoying instructing and who are good at it. So if the age thing is the only hangup, I would suggest you try to overcome that. Also, I'm not sure what kind of CFIs you expect to find at an accelerate or finish-up program but usually at places like that you have a high rate or turnover in the CFI ranks as they quickly build time and move on.
I like your comment about it seeming like a marriage.
Sometimes it can definitely feel that way, especially if you plan to spend a lot of long days together in tight quarters. However, I think a better way for you to approach it is to think of hiring an employee. You don't have to be each other's best friend, just need to get along for the few hours a day you spend together and find someone who can adapt to your learning style.