jarinawoz

I have tried both... There are pros and cons.
My opinion is, that an old instructor can be more serious, and teaching not only regular stuff, but also all of his experience, as much as he can. Not as patient as a young and enthusiastic one, but the experience is more important.... I can learn things what trainees with beginner instructors can not.

When my FI was on holiday, I had a fun/training flight with other FIs, and I think, young ones are full with passion and explain everything , just to show their knowledge... and I also think that middle age people can reach burnout syndrome after teaching many years and not stepping up on the career ladder. Old guys have no burnout asif they still are in the aviation industry, they had no burnout at middle age, and as they are old and feel the world still needs them

The most important thing is trust. Your FI needs to know your mood and even mental problems, like if you have a huge family problem or whatsoever, you can not give 100%. And (s)he needs to know that.
It's possible only when you trust this person... with your life. Bacground check is a bit easier in the internet world but... just listen to your inner voice.
if you feel something is not okay, usually it's because something is not okay.

magoo6541

I know you already said you found a CFI. For those looking, there's no magical recipe for finding the right instructor for you. There's going to be a lot of chemistry involved with it and how well you and the CFI "mesh".

The first quality you should look for and it should be fairly obvious right away is: Is the CFI looking out for your best interest? I hated to see or hear about students throw their money away on useless training or flights that they didn't need.

I had 4 different CFIs along the way in my training. My first was the owner of the school and about killed me when he convinced me I was ready to solo with only having 6 hours. Fortunately, he hired a new instructor who was honest and had a desire to ensure I wasn't a danger to myself or others. We started from the beginning and he was an awesome CFI. My next CFI for my commercial certificates was again very young. We got along great and he also was knowledgable and only wanted to be a great CFI. My next CFI was when I wanted to be an instructor. He was the owner of the school and again, left a lot to be desired and had no interest in actual teaching. When I went for my practical, I wasn't prepared at all for the oral and it didn't take long for the DPE to fail me.

My experience with instructors is the opposite of what most people would expect.

November Seven

Back when I took my first and only 4-5 hours of flight instruction over 20 years ago, I thought Flying was very much like Golf in many respects. Flying has its cycle: Take-Off, Climb, Cruise, Descent, Approach and Landing. Golf has its legs that complete its cycle: Outbound leg (Front 9) and Inbound leg (Back 9). Flying has potential hazards and potential trouble. Golf has hazards and potential trouble. Flying requires very specific skill. Golf, unlike many other sports on earth requires very specific skill and command of the golf swing. A flight must be managed by the pilot. A round of golf must be managed by the player.

Flight Management. Course Management. Avoiding hazards in golf. Avoiding trouble in flying. Being conservative in the cockpit is wise. Being conservative on the golf course is often wise. Executing the right instrument approach to landing is important. Executing the right iron approach into a green is important. Placing the aircraft on the numbers during landing is important. Placing the ball under the hole on the approach shot is important.

I find lots of parallels in the mental attitude required to do both things well. Both Golf and Flying require you to stay out of trouble. If you can do that, you can have a good flight and a good round. Getting greedy can cost you in both. Allowing ego to run the show can cost you in both. Breaking the rules can (and will guaranteed) cost you in both. Both have Regulations and Rules. Both have penalties for breaking Regulations and Rules. Both require mental discipline. Both as fun as heck. Both provide the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.

One problem, however. The airplane has an Autopilot. I've never found a way to put my golf on AP! The airplane has GPS. I've also never found a good way to put my ball flight into GPS Nav mode all the way to the green or to get my ball to Track On Course via Waypoints during a putt. Someday, Id' like to simply call the Proshop for Vectors to the hole!

Good post!



Thank you both, jarinawoz and magoo6541. You've both captured the spirit of what the thread was supposed to be all about and you actually read the OP, clearly.

jarinawoz, that part about trust in your post is something I've found to be extremely important. magoo6541, the experience you had with CFIs that were not truly focused on being a good "teacher," is precisely what I've tried to avoid in my pre-training research. That's one of the primary reasons why I focused so much Teaching Competence in pre-training research.

I met again with my perspective CFI. I asked for his version of a "First Lesson" flight. He wholeheartedly agreed, said it was a great idea and stated that "it was often concerning to him that past students of mine did not ask for a first lesson flight, to test me as their prospective instructor." His words, not mine. He appreciated the fact that I asked for it and was more than willing to provide it.

He passed "the test" with flying colors. The test was not of his knowledge about flying. Of course, he's already a CFI and a former Airline Pilot. Of course, he knew how to fly. The "First Lesson" test was about his Teaching Competence. He blew me away with his ability to be the "Explainer In-Chief." He really knows how to communicate ideas, concepts and difficult to grasp theories.

He loves putting the aircraft in the hands of his student after modeling for them what's to be done. He connects dots from one concept to another by showing you how they relate to each other and why they are important to flying the airplane. We spent an hour in flight. I was so impressed that I asked for another hour. He was delighted to stay in the air for another hour. I felt it was money very well invested, not spent. I don't consider it "spending." It was an investment in myself and my future as a pilot.

You are right, magoo6541. Finding the right CFI can happen in different ways. I thought I would be making the rounds and doing a bunch of "First Lesson" flights with a number of different CFIs before finding the right one. That did not happen. Mine came through referral of all things from a Helicopter Instructor who went with me and made an in-person introduction with the guy he recommended. Completely unexpected, but that's the way it worked out for me.

You have to get out there and engage people. Talk about your intentions and see what unfolds by way of meetings, introductions or referrals. I'm now convinced you can meet a great CFI just about anywhere. It really all depends on Timing.

He created a custom Syllabus tailored for my training. He modified portions of his already existing syllabus, printed it out and brought it with him. This means that he listened to me during our first meeting and he took what I said to heart. He understands what it means to fly jets. He understands the challenges I have ahead of me in getting to the VLJ as single pilot. He completely agrees with me that there should be a custom tailored path for doing what I'm proposing. And, he can train me from Private and all other ratings through Multi-Engine in the Conquest II, where I plan to spend about 2-3 years developing real IFR/IMC/Night skill and awareness.

I was not going to post here anymore, but I did read both your posts and found them to be very much in-line with what this thread should have been all about.

Thanks! All the best to both of you as you make progress in your flying careers (personal or professional)!

TiredSoul

In the mean time us mere mortals with no concept of how to fly a jet or sliver of knowledge about flight instructing will be taking bets.

Subieguy14

Pick the one you click the best with.... you dont wanna be stuck in a cockpit with someone you are meh with in terms of compatability, i dont care how good of a teacher they are... if you have fun and enjoy who you are with it will be better than if you dread it.

The flight school i work at has lots of retired airline guys flying charter and working as a CFI in their down time... Some younger guys also, who i enjoy and wouldnt mind having as my own CFI.



older isnt always wiser either...

I had a 25 year old CFI and he was an amazing one... wanted his hours to go to a regional but didnt let that get in the way of what he was doing in the "now" which was passing all his students through their rides and helping them get to the point he was at.

goodluck

Taco280AI

Where I trained they have young instructors in their mid 20s who just became instructors. Plenty of Air Force fighter pilots including an F16 guy who did a three year tour with the Thunderbirds. Old, retired guys who wanted something to do and got into flying late in life. And an 80something year old chief pilot/instructor who was very sharp and, despite his sometimes grouchiness, a great pilot and instructor. He had lots of little tips and techniques to share.

My favorite pilot to fly with was the old, very experienced chief pilot due to all of his experience and no BS attitude. He had a lot to offer and you learned something new every time you flew with him.

jarinawoz

Gosh... magoo6541!! I can imagine, I had the same problem... Forcing a solo, when you totally feel you are not ready for it... But what to do? Just refuse it all the time, then.... ? How you will feel you are ready, when you are always stressed?

giannifly

Wise words, November Seven