rayonline

Are they common? I'm in for hobby flying only so just PPL. So I am thinking of changing establishments now even though the former staff may not be there, the culture might still be present.


2006'ish.
I bought a 3 flight package, went ok but on the last flight the guy put the climb into a aerobatic move, think he was showing off as he said that he knew the guy at the farm and we saw his truck.

2008'ish
After going overseas and I got a new job I resumed flying. I bought a 15hr package in advance. First I got a instructor, the first time up we were doing straight and level and stalling exercises. But between each time he got me to try them, he would steeply climb the plane or steeply descend the plane and/or turn it to the point that you could feel g-forces on your face and this pressure would pop out once the plane straightened out. I looked at the instruments and we were banking about 75 degs. I prebooked a few sessions with him in advanced, so I cancelled them and requested the CFI.

About 12hr into the package. The school was a Aero Club so it has social activities like fly away BBQs and so forth. I was interested in going as a passenger as I was still not comfortable flying. I could barely just get the plane done myself, maybe on one or two different days. They persuade me to pay more to get some long distance flying but my usual instructor has already been booked for someone else. So this other person was going to go with me. He just complained thru-out the trips (there and back), he taught me map reading which confused me, he said he knows I can fly better, he said that he knows I don't like flying with him and that I was the pilot so fly it. When we landed back home, I managed to balloon the aircraft and because he threw himself off the controls, he got a fright. Instead of me waiting for the others to get back, I just went home and didn't go back to the club for a good month.

I think the reason they persude me to fly was because they needed someone to cover the costs as that instructor I rarely flew with had to come back and fly the charter plane. Hence we departed earlier than all the other people.

2009
I had a cardiac arrest, pending medical may get back into it but I am thinking of changing establishments.

I've heard before from another CFI who lives far away from me that this practice is not uncommon.

Perhaps I should of complained to FAA equiv here.

DirectTo

Where are you at?

Stupid CFIs are not exactly rare, and there are others out there who decide to act macho with students (I've seen it with discovery flights in particular). Even as simple of an act as stalling can be quite unsettling for someone who's not familiar with what's going on. You should definitely be looking for an instructor who is safe and competent and who wants you to learn, not to show off for you and definitely not to push past any limits where you are comfortable.

On another note, I wish you the best of luck getting medically signed off to fly again. It can be done!

Cubdriver

Ray, sorry you had some rough experiences. You may very well have had some poor handling and there are some immature instructors out there. The FAA does not certify their professionalism, only their general competence. I try to gauge the reaction of a student to the suggestion of performing a difficult maneuver before attempting it with them. We are not up there to show how large our private equipment is, we are there to help others learn. I suspect you do not like flying with young bucks which is fine, so why don't you try and find a female instructor or a late middle-aged instructor? In my experience young lady instructors tend to be a little more tame than than their male counterparts, and both sexes are more tame after middle age.

How old are you? Cardiac arrests are an older person's issue normally. If you have heart problems, aviation may not be for you. You may have trouble keeping an aviation medical. If you can settle for sport piloting this may not be an issue as they use drivers licenses in lieu of medicals, but flying is not for people who have heart problems by and large. There is an adrenaline factor and a weak heart is not a good thing for a pilot.

rayonline

I am in New Zealand.

Yeah the 2 instructors were C cat's youngish and left now. The guy who flew the charter plane was actually quite older, he didn't do dangerous flying but had a attitude. He's left too. At the time he was a C cat too.

I am 33, the heart block it was said I was born with it, slow heart rate. I've now got a pacemaker installed for 2yrs. Didn't know about it until I found myself in hospital. No recollection either.

wizepilot

Believe me, there are PLENTY of incompetent and immature CFI's out there. I have been an instructor for over 36 years, and I have seen it all. Some of the instructors I have worked with: taking off into 300/ 1/4 with no flight plan or clearance with a student; causing an accident with a private owner in his own airplane and not taking responsibility for it. The owner decided not to do anything about it, took the responsibility because he did not want the instructor's "career" to be tarnished. He should have had him tarred and feathered. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of good instructors out there, it just seems, sometimes, they are few and far between. I am proud of everyone of my students, past and present. A lot of these people could not remember signing off someone for a ticket 6 months ago. Ego and that almighty total time is all that matters.

Cubdriver

Again, you had better get a professional opinion or two on whether you are suited to flying if you have a history of heart problems. Do it now; don't wait for any more lessons to get this cleared up.