So - my position and my flight instructor's position, puts us in a difficult place. I'm training with a one man flight school in Toronto. He's limiting himself to four or five students, and I totally get that.
Our one big issue is that my summer vacation schedule means I will miss somewhere between 6 and 10 lessons over the summer, and as a one man flight school, this presents a very real financial issue to him, being already 3 months in the hole now. So we've at least agreed that the best way forward is to pause my flight training. He will give me first priority upon my return and I will abandon all other training to return him.
Like I said, it's a one man flight school, and the cancellation of this many lessons is a burden I cannot expect him to shoulder. As much as I would like to continue training with him, he will need to offer my slots to other students; he needs to earn a living.
So I'm in the "I may need to change flight school" position, with a twist - it won't be a clean break, and I would like to return to my original FTU. Now add to that - I am not willing to pause flight training again. I will very likely end up training in a different aircraft, with a different instructor, for a short time, yet with full intentions of returning. My idea was to do taildragger or float training until then.
I'd be going from a Grob 115, a very slippery and responsive aircraft, likely to a C172 or a 7ECA, and hopefully, back again. I'm not sure which yet.
I'm asking for other people's opinions on changing aircraft halfway through training. I am also a glider pilot (but 20 years out of date), so it's not like I haven't landed more than one aircraft. I think mixing aircraft will hurt me less than most PPL students, but perhaps my ego is getting the better of me.
Changing FTUs when you don't want to
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RedAndWhiteBaron
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Changing FTUs when you don't want to
I will dance the sky on laughter-silvered wings.
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Pilotdaddy
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Re: Changing FTUs when you don't want to
As you probably remember, I too, had to go through the same thing (change planes) during my training, although for a different reason. At the time, I was pre solo and when I switched planes, especially in the very beginning, I thought I'd lost all of whatever small 'feel' I'd gained in the first ~14 hrs or so of flight training. I thought I'd have to redo everything again.
I can tell you that, after say 2-3 hours or so, I was able to readjust to the new aircraft and the skills definitely transfer over more than you think it does. As a glider pilot, I can only imagine you'd do the same, if not better, on your transition. I think you'll do just fine and won't hurt your progress if you switch planes.
If anything, I think the instructor switch would probably be a bigger impact. I'd heard stories of furloughed airline pilots coming back to instruct and also disgruntled instructors butt hurt as they now have to add another two years to their gig... I'm not sure I'd like to spend time in the cockpit with folks who are in a less than optimal state of mind... maybe I'm just overthinking.
Anyway, bottom line is, if you can find another instructor that's a good fit, I think the plane change won't hurt or set you back as you think it will.
Best of luck.
I can tell you that, after say 2-3 hours or so, I was able to readjust to the new aircraft and the skills definitely transfer over more than you think it does. As a glider pilot, I can only imagine you'd do the same, if not better, on your transition. I think you'll do just fine and won't hurt your progress if you switch planes.
If anything, I think the instructor switch would probably be a bigger impact. I'd heard stories of furloughed airline pilots coming back to instruct and also disgruntled instructors butt hurt as they now have to add another two years to their gig... I'm not sure I'd like to spend time in the cockpit with folks who are in a less than optimal state of mind... maybe I'm just overthinking.
Anyway, bottom line is, if you can find another instructor that's a good fit, I think the plane change won't hurt or set you back as you think it will.
Best of luck.
Re: Changing FTUs when you don't want to
You have to remember flight training isn't the end-product; you're training towards a goal - to become a pilot. Every different instructor will teach you something new, as will every airplane. And the best instructor in the world can do nothing for you if your schedules don't work.
Flying lots of different types of airplane - at every stage of experience - is a really good idea. You want to fly as many different types as you can, collect them in your logbook, like stickers. And there's no "right' or "wrong" time to do that. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Play the hand you're dealt. Etc. Etc.
Finally, there's not much point planning too far ahead in this industry: the events of the last four months stand as testament to that.
And finally finally, you're over thinking things. Learning to fly is like learning to weld or drive a digger. It's vocational training, not induction into a mystical religious order. Ten thousand people across Canada can teach you to do it competently.
Flying lots of different types of airplane - at every stage of experience - is a really good idea. You want to fly as many different types as you can, collect them in your logbook, like stickers. And there's no "right' or "wrong" time to do that. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Play the hand you're dealt. Etc. Etc.
Finally, there's not much point planning too far ahead in this industry: the events of the last four months stand as testament to that.
And finally finally, you're over thinking things. Learning to fly is like learning to weld or drive a digger. It's vocational training, not induction into a mystical religious order. Ten thousand people across Canada can teach you to do it competently.
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
Re: Changing FTUs when you don't want to
I looked through my old log book recently and saw how many times I switched instructors and schools doing my PPL and CPL. At the time, instructors came and went, and aircraft changed. My solo was delayed because of TC not sending things back too. I thought it was all taking forever at the time. None of this mattered. I got the training I required, and I think I am a good pilot because of my good instructors. The goal is your PPL and YOU learning how to become a good pilot. Do what you have to do.
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TalkingPie
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Re: Changing FTUs when you don't want to
As someone who's changed schools and instructors multiple times, I'll chime in with my experience.
I've had three main instructors. All have been, in my estimation, decent instructors and good people. An issue that comes up, though, is that each one has a different style of flying and is a product of a different school. One school insisted that a C172 not be landed at less than 65-70 kt with full flaps and that instructor freaked out about stalling at 60 on final. Another freaks out about floating down the runway if I nudge over 60 on final. Each time I've switched I've found that it takes some time to adapt to the habits and preferences of the new instructor, some of which are quite contradictory.
My first switch of schools was also because of scheduling issues as it was also a one-man show. I'd go for weeks without being able to fly and that was really hurting my progress. I don't regret switching schools to be able to fly more frequently, but in my opinion every time you switch, it comes at a cost. I'm now at over 90 hours over a year and a half and still no PPL (although I certainly can't blame that only on my infrequent flying). On the flip side, multiple schools at multiple airports with multiple instructors do expose you to a bigger variety of experiences and styles. On balance, though, I think it's more productive to get the PPL done without too many changes and then start throwing in variety once you have the basics handled.
I recommend you do whatever lets you get your training done in the shortest stretch of time possible - not because it saves time, but because your learning will be far more productive. If you decide to leave your one-man-show instructor, I'd suggest not going back to him once you've found a good replacement. As an aside, your instructor limiting himself to only a few students is a good thing, in my view. It means he's probably putting a priority on getting his students flying frequently above having a constant income stream of many infrequently-flying students. if that's the case, you may want to consider waiting until he's available to offer you the same, assuming you can get your schedules to match up.
I've had three main instructors. All have been, in my estimation, decent instructors and good people. An issue that comes up, though, is that each one has a different style of flying and is a product of a different school. One school insisted that a C172 not be landed at less than 65-70 kt with full flaps and that instructor freaked out about stalling at 60 on final. Another freaks out about floating down the runway if I nudge over 60 on final. Each time I've switched I've found that it takes some time to adapt to the habits and preferences of the new instructor, some of which are quite contradictory.
My first switch of schools was also because of scheduling issues as it was also a one-man show. I'd go for weeks without being able to fly and that was really hurting my progress. I don't regret switching schools to be able to fly more frequently, but in my opinion every time you switch, it comes at a cost. I'm now at over 90 hours over a year and a half and still no PPL (although I certainly can't blame that only on my infrequent flying). On the flip side, multiple schools at multiple airports with multiple instructors do expose you to a bigger variety of experiences and styles. On balance, though, I think it's more productive to get the PPL done without too many changes and then start throwing in variety once you have the basics handled.
I recommend you do whatever lets you get your training done in the shortest stretch of time possible - not because it saves time, but because your learning will be far more productive. If you decide to leave your one-man-show instructor, I'd suggest not going back to him once you've found a good replacement. As an aside, your instructor limiting himself to only a few students is a good thing, in my view. It means he's probably putting a priority on getting his students flying frequently above having a constant income stream of many infrequently-flying students. if that's the case, you may want to consider waiting until he's available to offer you the same, assuming you can get your schedules to match up.
