Cat Driver: I am tired of your instructor bashing

[Big Pistons Forever]

Cat Driver

I notice almost every thread you post on eventually contains a shot at instructors. The latest example is the 7 hr float rating thread on the Bush Pilots forum. The common denominator seems to be statements that imply low time CPL instructors are generally morons who don't know anything and have nothing tp offer on any discussion about any topic related to flying instruction. Also implied is all it takes to be a good instructor is a boat load of time. My experience in over 21 yrs of a variety of commercial flying experience including instruction up to the Class 1 level, for both airpalnes and aerobatics, is that the abilty to instruct is a skill. Like most skills, training in aplying the skill improves an individuals ability to apply that skill. Since the FI rating is fundamentally designed to teach pilots how to pass on knowledge I think it represents an important skill set in aviatoin, which unfortunately is frequently disrespected.

You are undoubtably an extremely accomplished pilot yourself. However your personal abilty to manipulate the controls is meaningless unless you can demonstrate and explain that skill in such a way that your student can do it. Your success as a flying instructor is measured solely by how much your student has learned when you are done with him or her.

A perfect example was when as a brand new FI, I was riding along in a checkout for a new PPL in a PA28. The owner was a very expereinced airline pilot who was going to let the guy fly his airplane. We were in a close in downwind when the tower asked for us to keep it in tight. The student was obviously uncomfortable so the owner took over and did a beautifull slippling turn right to a close in final, touched down lightly on on the numbers and easily made the first turnoff. So the young guy asked how he did it and the reply was Oh just put full aileron and control the turn with top rudder... no problem. What he said was factually correct, except

1) He did explain what he meant by top rudder

2)He did not explain about attitude control during the manoever so that he aircraft was at the correct speed when it straightened out

3) He did not explain the effect of the controls so that the student could understand what was happening to the aircraft


After the flight I offered to explain the manoever and we went out and tried a few. I used the instructional techniques I got from my FI course to demonstrate and explain a flying skill so that the student went from being unsure and unconfident to a position of being able to confidently and accurately fly the manoever. Now this may seem to you to be a trivial example but I think it goes to the heart of the value of the FI rating. Most instruction is not about some hairy assed takeoff from a gravel bar, or the mins NDB approach in a 40 kt crosswind, it is the relatively mundane passing along of basic flying skills and frankly you do not need 30000 hrs to be good at it.

So Cat Driver if you really want to contribute to this forum how about expaining in detail what examples, definitions, explainations, patter etc as appropriate to the subject, you used to demonstrait and explain to your students.

For example: How about you lay down what you would say to a float student prior to getting in the airplane for the lesson on glassy water landings.

[_dwj_]

Deleted

[Cat Driver]

BPF:

You are correct, I should not post anything regarding teaching flying on this forum....however now that you have made it clear where you stand may I respond to your post just this once.....

......Then I promise to never again make any direct comments on Avcanada that would or could be taken as criticism of all you Canadian flight instructors.

Cat Driver

I notice almost every thread you post on eventually contains a shot at instructors.

Really? haven't you noticed I also comment on TC?

The latest example is the 7 hr float rating thread on the Bush Pilots forum. The common denominator seems to be statements that imply low time CPL instructors are generally morons who don't know anything and have nothing tp offer on any discussion about any topic related to flying instruction. Also implied is all it takes to be a good instructor is a boat load of time.

Really? I went back and read it and don't see where I said that.

My experience in over 21 yrs of a variety of commercial flying experience including instruction up to the Class 1 level, for both airpalnes and aerobatics, is that the abilty to instruct is a skill. Like most skills, training in aplying the skill improves an individuals ability to apply that skill. Since the FI rating is fundamentally designed to teach pilots how to pass on knowledge I think it represents an important skill set in aviatoin, which unfortunately is frequently disrespected.

Really, 21 years huh, and a class 1, how about that.

Of course I wouldn't have a clue about it because I first got my instructors rating 50 years ago and let it lapse in 1965....it was a class 1 by then...but of course not to the level of todays class 1.

You are undoubtably an extremely accomplished pilot yourself. However your personal abilty to manipulate the controls is meaningless unless you can demonstrate and explain that skill in such a way that your student can do it. Your success as a flying instructor is measured solely by how much your student has learned when you are done with him or her.

Yes, I agree there is a vast difference between being able to fly and being able to teach same.......I no longer teach ab-initio....but I still teach sea plane flying and am able to get paid about ten times what a Ab-Initio flight instructor gets paid per hour. In that all my clients are by referral I must be doing something right. Then again you may be correct , my instructional skills are probably meaningless and I just get away with ripping my clients off by over charging them.

A perfect example was when as a brand new FI, I was riding along in a checkout for a new PPL in a PA28. The owner was a very expereinced airline pilot who was going to let the guy fly his airplane. We were in a close in downwind when the tower asked for us to keep it in tight. The student was obviously uncomfortable so the owner took over and did a beautifull slippling turn right to a close in final, touched down lightly on on the numbers and easily made the first turnoff. So the young guy asked how he did it and the reply was Oh just put full aileron and control the turn with top rudder... no problem. What he said was factually correct, except

1) He did explain what he meant by top rudder

2)He did not explain about attitude control during the manoever so that he aircraft was at the correct speed when it straightened out

3) He did not explain the effect of the controls so that the student could understand what was happening to the aircraft


After the flight I offered to explain the manoever and we went out and tried a few. I used the instructional techniques I got from my FI course to demonstrate and explain a flying skill so that the student went from being unsure and unconfident to a position of being able to confidently and accurately fly the manoever. Now this may seem to you to be a trivial example but I think it goes to the heart of the value of the FI rating. Most instruction is not about some hairy assed takeoff from a gravel bar, or the mins NDB approach in a 40 kt crosswind, it is the relatively mundane passing along of basic flying skills and frankly you do not need 30000 hrs to be good at it.

Thanks for the lesson B.P.F. you are not going to believe this but I also clearly understand all that stuff.....by the way I use a camcorder and record the lessons both visual and oral as an aid for after flying debriefing....do you?

So Cat Driver if you really want to contribute to this forum how about expaining in detail what examples, definitions, explainations, patter etc as appropriate to the subject, you used to demonstrait and explain to your students.

For example: How about you lay down what you would say to a float student prior to getting in the airplane for the lesson on glassy water landings.

Thanks but no thanks B.P.F...I think I'll just pass on your offer for several reasons, one being if anyone wants me to actually teach them how to do some specific task involved in flying I would prefer to do it in an actual airplane not here where guys like you can rip it all to pieces.....remember I am just a bitter old man who is envious of all you experts with those flashy neat instructors ratings and that is why you and I would not really be buddies.

Thanks for pointing out that I should stay away from commenting on flight instruction though.

Once again, don't worry I will not ever make any more comments that would be seen to be critical of your profession....and that you can count on especially the sea plane stuff if anyone here needs advice about that they can just ask you.

[mcrit]

Hi BPF,
That was a good post; I thought you kept a pretty positive tone overall. I would like to offer something for you to consider. I get the idea that Cat says alot of what he says just because he is looking for a fight. Everytime someone responds to him, they're are giving him what he wants. That's just my take on the situation.

[BoostedNihilist]

I was reluctant to post in this thread for a few reasons.. however parts of the above argument are just plain factually false

Read this thread

http://www.avcanada.ca/forums2/viewtopi ... =3&t=39883

BPF, you posted there. That was an excellent thread. Interestingly enough, everyone else who posted is a. non anonymous (besides myself, if you want to know who I am I will tell you) and b. a very experienced pilot. (I am not experienced, that's why I am active in the flight training forum)

This was the best thread I have ever read in this forum bar none. Also, there are others out there regarding aero and tailwheel airplanes where the only people with any credible input were experienced pilots, many of whom are subject to repeated constant personal attacks. You poke a dog with a stick enough times it is going to bite you, you keep doing it and eventually whenever the dog sees a stick it will bite you.. see where this is going? This does go both ways, but you have to see that it goes both ways.

People need to step back and understand what is being said. Often I see personal attacks levied at Cat and others based upon no fact but more blatant jealousy. This is sad, by the numbers and the content Cat has contributed more to this forum than many of us ever will. This should be respected.

It is sad to see that in this day and age that a stand on principle is boiled down to bitterness and hyperbole by those who perhaps have never had to battle for their lives or livelihood.

Anyways, it is a sad day when one of the only consistent posters with great information is brow beat off of a forum... a forum where he has the knowledge, experience and perspective to offer truely relevant information.

I am not saying give him a free pass, but at least cut him some slack. If you actually stopped to read what he is saying I think you would find that he is actually trying to improve the situation for all of the young inexperienced instructors out there. The fact that this is passed by speaks volumes and says to me that there 'is' a problem which needs to be addressed. This goes to other arguments as well.

By alienating the experienced set we are constraining ourselves to only one point of view, and with all the good info these guys have this would be a huge tragedy for those of us who actually read without bias.

This all being said, I read everything everyone says. If I disagree with it it is because I disagree, who you are and how many posts you have has no bearing on whether I agree or disagree with you. What I can't handle is when someone comes on here, puts his opinion out there and is then, by name, called out and attacked with generalizations. If I witnessed you do this to an employee at your company BPF, I would walk instantaneously, entirely unprofessional. This is an issue which you should have taken to P.M.

Boosted

[Cat Driver]

Thanks Boosted.

When I first started posting in the flight instructor forum I felt I had something to offer.

Time has gradually drifted my attitude to the point where it now stands, and I am no longer interested in contributing to the instructors forum period, the reason is obvious I am not good at this form of communication as evident from the confrontation I far to often end up in.

I have learned from experience in life that shadow boxing with the unknown is not only a waste of time but you run the risk of being damaged by being sucked down into arguing over things that were never the intent of what you started.

Anyhow for what it is worth B.P.F and his ilk are free to their own opinions and their own style of flying and teaching of same.....

Sometimes I truly do wish that I were anonymous here so I could say anything that I feel like without fear of being identified.

Anyone here who thinks that I am not to the standard of a licensed flight instructor may want to to do some checking around and contact people who hire me and know me.

If a flight instructor truly is top notch and is capable of giving top notch flight instruction why don't they get paid fairly for their services.....I can't count the number of times I have ranted about how poorly the flight instructors who work for FTU's are paid.

However like I said I get paid around ten times the rate the average flight instructor gets in Canada.....

So from now on screw it, I will agree that everything is just great with the training industry now that I realize my problem is I don't hold a Canadian flight instructors rating anymore, that must be the reason I can't understand why the pay is so low when the teaching skills are so high once you get that magic piece of paper.

So thanks boosted, I meant what I have said here.....I'm out of these discussions period and B.P.F. and mcrit and the rest of these experts can have the floor.

[Wacko]

Cat just likes to poke the bear... I guess when you are retired you have to keep yourself entertained. I disagree with Cat quite often and I stopped posting on threads (for the most part) where he posts something I disagree with. At the end of the day... it's a public forum and you're going to have vary different opinions.

In regards to your point... I completely agree. I don't think . is the only one. For some reason there's a general dislike for instructors.. specifically from those who had to grind it out for 2+ years before seeing inside an overgrown 172. Maybe they are jealous they had to work their ass off and end up flying right seat with a guy who did the instructor route? I don't know. Anyone who thinks it takes 2+ years to "learn the ropes" of the industry (washing planes and lugging luggage), IMHO, is f@cked in the head. Not that instructing is any better in some instances... but at least you're logging hours.

BoostedNihilist: I can assure you that most of the comments against Cat are not based on jealousy... jealous of what? 95% of the people posting here don't even know his background. . is just very firm about his views and they conflict with many people (young and old).

[Widow]

I don't think Cat's intent has ever been to bash the instructor group as a whole. I think his point is that it is difficult for someone who has little or no "real world" experience to teach the skills required to face the "real world". This goes for anything ... I wouldn't want a newly licensed person to teach my teen to drive.

Some people are naturally good teachers, and I would expect that, in the instructor world, those naturally good teachers do a very good job ... but it is undebatable that many under-skilled pilots are not teaching because they are good at it, or even because they enjoy it, but only in order to build hours to get to another job. Nobody is going to be very good at their job if the only reason they are doing it is as a stepping stone to get somewhere else.

If you don't like what Cat says, don't read it. If you read it anyway ... look for the diamond in the coalbed - it's usually there. Just ignore the fodder.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Widow

Low time instructors are a reflection of how this industry works. It absolutely is not ideal but it is nevertheless the reality. I think this forum is read by many new pilots. The more constructive ideas, best practices , personal experiences, best (and worst) moments, the better IMO. It bothers me that Cat Driver frequently ops to run down instructors, particularly low time ones, rather than take the time to explain the basis for his opinions. Providing a bit of background to how he arrived at his strong opinions would IMO provide a way that way those low time pilots could benefit from his considerable experience. Obviously my opinion is one data point and I have no control over where or how Cat Driver posts. He like, everyone else on Avcanada, is free to ignore my opinion and if he is offended well maybe he should look at the tone of his own posts before leaving in a big huff.

[200hr Wonder]

With regards to low time instructors (and I am one), I feel that . has a few major complaints

1. The industry supports low time instructors who are strictly there to build time and don't give a flying fcuk about there student, they just want lines in the old logbook. Who here takes issue with that?

2. That a 250 hour pilot has quite a bit to learn and has no real credentials. Agreed, an instructor rating is way to easy to get. I was not at all ready to start instructing when I got mine! Thanks to an amazing class 1 and some luck I am still here and I think a do a good job.

3. They do not get paid fair dollar to attract talented dedicated people. The good ones move on ASAP.

So yes Cat has some major beefs with the instructing industry agreed, but I think when it comes to instructors he tries to help low timers out. Now sure he hates TC and a lot of things and uses AvCanada as his soap box for them. It is a public forum and part of reason it is here. So remove the ranting about things he is trying to get awareness out about, the same way Widow is on her safety crusade, and really a lot what he says is decent. I have to agree with many points, alas I am stuck in as a minor cog in this industry and can't do much alone.

[Wacko]

With regards to low time instructors (and I am one), I feel that . has a few major complaints

1. The industry supports low time instructors who are strictly there to build time and don't give a flying fcuk about there student, they just want lines in the old logbook. Who here takes issue with that?

2. That a 250 hour pilot has quite a bit to learn and has no real credentials. Agreed, an instructor rating is way to easy to get. I was not at all ready to start instructing when I got mine! Thanks to an amazing class 1 and some luck I am still here and I think a do a good job.

3. They do not get paid fair dollar to attract talented dedicated people. The good ones move on ASAP.

So yes Cat has some major beefs with the instructing industry agreed, but I think when it comes to instructors he tries to help low timers out. Now sure he hates TC and a lot of things and uses AvCanada as his soap box for them. It is a public forum and part of reason it is here. So remove the ranting about things he is trying to get awareness out about, the same way Widow is on her safety crusade, and really a lot what he says is decent. I have to agree with many points, alas I am stuck in as a minor cog in this industry and can't do much alone.

Interesting. How do you suggest the instructor rating should be amended to prepare you to become a better teacher? I mean.. you can't teach common sense and I doubt you could teach someone how to read another (poker). It all comes with experience, does it not? Do you feel there should be a 2 year college program?

I'm not saying it's a good system... far from it. I just don't see how else you could do it. I think we both know someone with 15000+ hours of experience who, IMHO, is not a very good instructor. What's more important; knowing every little detail of flight, from theory to practice or be able to determine why a student is not progressing? I don't know... I think that's debatable.

200hr Wonder: Why did you get into instructing? At the end of the day... do you feel a calling to be an instructor? If they pay was good... do you think this is the career for you, OR are you there to build time to move on?

BS aside, there are VERY few instructors who look at instructing as their final career goal. Maybe 1 in 1000 "experienced" pilots would consider teaching after flying commercially for 30 years... and even so... who's to say they would be better instructors? How often does a captain for AC or WJ actually touch controls? How can they relate their experience to someone at the CPL level? 30 years is a LONG time to think back about.

I don't know about other people's experience but when I had 100 hours I just wanted to make sure I can home to an ADF/VOR while talking to terminal and holding the aircraft steady in the afternoon.

The only realistic way to make a CPL better than it is now is to introduce a work experience requirement like many vocational schools provide. But then you would need contrail, the insurance companies and the industry as a whole to redesign their way of thinking... good luck with that. Oh.. and let us not forget TC.

Going back to Big Pistons Forever original comments... A lot of the experienced guys have so many ideas on how to change the industry from the bottom up... yet you're asking people with the least amount of leverage to move a huge weight. Next time, before sh!tting on 200 hour guys or guys who chose to become instructors to get their time in... look at yourself. You are the one who can make the biggest dent in the industry.. not us.

Case in point... contrails... 2500 hours TT to fly a King Air... no matter how much I, and 2000 of my fellow >1000 pilots b!tch and moan, no operator in Alberta is going to bat an eye... flip that around... have even 50 captains threaten to walk off and I bet you contrails would be gone within a year.

[mcrit]

1. The industry supports low time instructors who are strictly there to build time ......., they just want lines in the old logbook.

True, but if you take a look at most entry level jobs, the people filling them are there for the the same reason. The fellow flying pop 'n chips doesn't plan to do it for a career, nor does the gal flying banner tow.
The point is that it is fine to do a job, any job, just for the hours, as long as your are professional about it and give it your best.
250 hrs is plenty of time to teach a person to fly properly, and to instruct properly. The key is adequate supervision. The CFI must ensure that the instructors are on the right track. This involves frequent supervisory rides with the students and mentoring the instructors. The instructors need to supervise the student's solos, especially for CPL students. (I can't count the number of times I've had a CPL student show up with 190hrs, of which 120 are GPS x-country).
There are some breakdowns in the system, and I have to point the finger at TC. I have seen some schools where there was no supervison. Both instructors (but not the ones I was responsible for) and the solo students (again, not the ones I was responsible for) were doing pretty much what ever they pleased. TC should have tossed the CFI (who was also the owner) into a room with strict orders to unfuck himself, and not let him have his OC back until he did it.
To be fair to TC, I realize that they are undermanned, and most likely face interference from higher when it comes to putting a leash on some operators. However, it does not change the root of the problem, lack of supervison.
PBF, you've been around flight training for a while, have you seen the same thing?

[mcrit]

How do you suggest the instructor rating should be amended to prepare you to become a better teacher?

The only way to learn how to teach, is to teach. Put another way, you can learn to teach, but no one can teach you to teach. Yes, someone can show you how to put togehter a lesson plan and the other mechanics of teaching, but you the only way you will ever figure out how to teach is to get up in front of a class and have at it.
The key to making a good teacher is mentoring. The novice teacher needs to be under the supervison of an experienced teacher. This is how it works in the school system. A new teacher will be under close mentorship for their first few years. This is also how it is supposed to work in our system, you'll see that if you read the supervison requirements for a class IV. These requirements are often not followed, and that is the crux of many of the problems people complain about.

[Doc]

BPF, I was a little disappointed to read your posts. I think 200hr Wonder summed it up pretty well. There are instructors out there to build time. And, they instruct for no other reason. Some are not bad. Some are. That's true in any walk of life. It's been (correctly) pointed out, that many of the "pop and chips" gang, are in it for the "time" as well. Of course they are! DUH! I "think" a point some are making is that the "instructor" is there for a "higher" calling? To teach others to fly. A point Cat makes on occasion, is the simple fact that at 250 hours, the "instructors" are really just starting to "learn" themselves. I've flown with a few "products" of new instructors. I'll leave it at that. I have had a few instructors turn to alcohol after giving me some much needed "dual" in the past, and I clearly remember THREE as being stand outs. One was a New Zealand school teacher, who instructed part time at Buttonville. One was the chap who taught me the "cross wind Ballet". The other was a young chap, who was on his way to becoming the youngest Captain in BOAC history till he lost an eye installing a window for a friend. The guy was an IFR wizard!
Good instructors are pretty rare. I mean, the really good ones. It's an important job. But viewing it as a "job" will not make you a good instructor. For "you" instructing will always be a means to an end. You may not cause your student's demise, but you will lack the passion to be one of the remembered few...and I'm willing to bet, that Cat is one of the remembered few.

[Hedley]

The key to making a good teacher is mentoring

Right - which involves, amongst other things, providing constructive
feedback on your performance. Which you can actually do yourself
if you videotape your performance.

Which . does. Oops!

Imagine if that dork walrus on Orange County Choppers
ever watched an episode of his show, and saw how he
abuses his family.

Anyways, back to the subject of . ... I am a firm
believer that money talks, and bullsh1t walks, even if
it offends the lefties and various idealistic idiots.

If . is such a crappy instructor compared to the
gods here, why does he earn 10x as much for his
instruction as the gods?

Hm.

[Doc]

"Our civil service is not noted for hiring from the top drawer......" Ain't that a classic line??

[iflyforpie]

., I have got quite a bit of knowledge out of you and I appreciate the wisdom you bring to this forum even though we butt heads sometimes. Years and experience are the best teachers.

There are good instructors and bad instructors, old instructors with tens of thousands of hours and new ones with hundreds. Nothing has changed in 60 years except better insurance which means us young 'uns can't just go bash around a float plane, tail dragger, or twin anymore and the industry that says you aren't a pilot unless you have a shiny diploma and have worked the ramp/dock for two years.

I laugh at the same stereotype of the 250 hour instructor with four gold bars with a white shirt and tie, big watch, fancy diploma; who would be lost if the Garmin ever gave up the ghost and who gives you hell over the radio for flying west at 7500 (hey, I was in a descent). But it is just that; a stereotype.

I'm willing to bet that at least 90% of the people here got there first lessons from instructors with less than 1000 hours and had any omissions or mistakes corrected by the CFI before they got their license.

Would it be better to have your instruction given by someone who has more experience? Of course it would! But most experienced instructors don't do ab-initio training and few experienced pilots are attracted to flight instruction.

[Widow]

When is the last time Transport did a review of the efficacy of the flight training systems?

[Doc]

Like that'd do a lot of good. Transport getting in on it, that is.

[BoostedNihilist]

look at yourself. You are the one who can make the biggest dent in the industry.. not us.

This is a part of the problem. with 250 hrs and two years in a college program you have a lot to figure out about life and the principled stand is one action that perhaps someone basically fresh out of highschool has yet to learn.

The ones who can make the biggest change in the industry are the ones who accept working for peanuts... these are the guys that are bringing the instructor set down. You're not going to find a lot of experienced guys who want to work 12 hours and get paid for four... All you have to do is say no.. but everyone has to do it. A few experienced guys bitching about the system is not going to change the system, it is the people who work within the system that can change the system. So, youngtimers working for peanuts, not to bash, but you are part of the problem. Unfortunately a unified stand is the only way to solve the problems but many of you are too caught up in the emotional side of the dilemma to see this one clear solution.

Also, lets look at this from a realistic point of view... 250 hours.. 250/40 = 6.25.. *6.25* people, thats weeks of work. 6.25 full time weeks of work to get an instructor rating.. it takes a mechanic 2080 hours of work to become certified to the point where he can teach other mechanics who can then be certified... a fricken mechanic.. so with 250 hours yeah.. that's a drop in the bucket when it comes to 'real' work I don't care how much you have to pay off.

So, some guy who has 'worked' for six weeks is good enough to teach me how to not kill myself, or is good enough to teach me how to figure out how not to kill myself? Something is not adding up here. Now, I know you will go on about all the books you've read and all the theory you have studied... you don't log the hours you study in the logbook so as far as I am concerned they do not count (the mechanic studies too).

anyways something to chew on

BoostedNihilist: I can assure you that most of the comments against Cat are not based on jealousy... jealous of what? 95% of the people posting here don't even know his background. . is just very firm about his views and they conflict with many people (young and old).

Nice, I can finally sleep well, I've been assured. I just don't buy that at all. If you have read avcanada for any period of time chances are you know all about .. Most of those who post are at least of a rank 1 (50 posts) or more. Yes, . is firm about his views, but people here tend not to read what is written. I have been around here long enough now to recognize most nicks/avatars, rarely does anyone log on and post a few messages and never come back (This is actually in the stats) or read a few threads. This does not count those who read daily yet never post. Therefore I have a hard time believing with his (chucks) 10k+ written articles that most people here who are registered are not aware of cats credentials.



boosted

[mcrit]

.. they went the other way!

so....DRINK!, DRINK!, DRINK!.......

[Big Pistons Forever]

When I started flying I had many less than stellar moments in my flying carreer. They often involved an element of ... It sure would have been nice if somebody had told me/showed me /explained that to me.... before I had to find out the hard way. I have looked at this forum and other forums as an opportunity to describe things I have experienced and learned over my flying carreer in the hopes a reader may find some value in my thoughts. I have also gotten personal value out of some of the insights of others , including Cat Driver. I found that I have gotten set in my ways and some of the debate has forced me to reexamine my own practices.

My problem with Cat Driver is I find many of his posts just involve him throwing rocks at people without any constructive dialogue. He is IMO particularly condecending and sarcastic with anything to do about the subject of pilots holding a Flight Instructor rating, paticularly low time CPL instructors. This group gets enough disrespect allready without more being added here. Taking shots at folks is easy, making an effort to explain where you are coming from takes more thought and work but in IMO sure adds value to this forum

To all the low time Instructor Pilots( from somebody who has been there, done that): My 02 cents

Flying Instructors are professional pilots. Yes this is likely your first job and you are probably hours building and will move on, but that doesn't mean you should not treat your job lightly. The work habits , airmanship, and attitude you bring to the job will be the foundation of your future , so work to be the best instructor you can be. Insist on proper supervison and aggressively fill all the personal knowledge and skill gaps you uncover in yourself as soon as they appear. Cultivate pilots from other parts of the industry and listen lots and talk less. Your students are your legacy, make sure you can be proud of what you tought them. Finally do not take any shit from anyone simply by virtue of the fact that you are a flying instructor. Your worth to aviation is no more and no less than any other kind of Commercial pilot.

[Widow]

Unless it's like the "floatplane safety review" that resulted in being "unable to find identify any specific solutions". Gave them a chance to have a shindig though, I'm sure.

[Big Pistons Forever]

Widow

Since we are on the subject of float palne ops it is unfortunate that Cat Driver did not take me up on my request in the first post,which was to provide some thoughts on teaching the glassy water landing. Since the fact that many float instructors are relatively low time as a result of the way the industry is structured, I thought his observations could have been of real value to those teaching the next generation of commercial float pilots. I have to say the fact that he chose not to post because some others on the forum may have other ideas and may not agree with everything he said....is rather lame IMO. Too bad as he certainly has a lot of relavent experience

[Cat Driver]

I have made a grave error in ever getting involved in this group, when I first decided to be part of Avcanada it was for two reasons, first I wanted to remain part of aviation from the sidelines of retirement, second was to try and help the young ones by passing on the things that kept me alive all those years that were learned the hard way.

Reading this makes me sick to my stomach because my real intent got sidetracked and I am now looking at total strangers discussing what they think I am and making it clear that in their opinion my posts are to negative.

So screw you all I am smart enough to understand when I fu.ked up that is what kept me alive all those years. I fu.ked up here by trying to communicate with people who can say anything they wish without fear of being identified the next time they go to an airport.

If you really want to know what I think of flight instructors go back and read what I have said on more than one occasion.

To be a top notch teacher of the art of flying is the highest level of accomplishment any pilot can aspire to.

It is wonderful to hide behind a computer screen and criticize someone else, at least I am secure enough in who I am to use my real name.