| How to fail as a Certificated Flight Instructor / Jim Trusty |
Lrn2Fly writes "
I’ll bet you never thought you would see an article with this title and especially from an FAA National Flight Instructor of the Year. Well, it can happen to anyone. Please read closely to see if you are mentioned. If not and you can think of something to add to this list, drop me a line. My address and phone number are at the end of this article for your comments.
TELL EVERYONE that you are just doing this until you get on with the airlines (however many years that may take).
RELUCTANTLY TAKE PRIVATE PILOTS. (They are beneath you, and it takes forever to get them through. Remember when you were one?)
CHARGE LESS than everyone else. (Being called cheap is the least of your worries.)
BE EASY on your friends when they train with you. (They will remember this courtesy and tell everyone how totally ineffective you are as an instructor.)
The cockpit of a trainer is a GREAT place to ask for a date from a student. (And if you get turned down, drop them as a student. That’ll teach them.)
DRESS casual; shirt and shoes are an option (bathing and shaving, too).
MAKE NO DEMANDS of a student that make you uncomfortable as an instructor (stalls, spins, long cross-countries, hot days, dark nights, Class C and ?).
TRY TO MAKE MOST of the appointments with your students (unless you get a better offer).
SHARE NOTHING with your fellow instructors and ask nothing of them. (They will appreciate this more than you do.)
ATTEND NOTHING that offers new information, and expect your students to be guided by your wisdom. (Birds of a feather flock together.)
STAY AWAY from the FAA and any programs, seminars, or meetings they put together. (You certainly can’t learn anything from the enemy, and we certainly want our students to know who the enemy is.)
DO NOT go to any air shows, trade fairs, expos, fly-ins, or other gatherings of pilots and/or airplanes. (Why should you since there is nothing left to learn.)
ADD NOTHING to your ticket. It’s just temporary until the airlines call anyway. (From then on, it will be auto-pilot forever.)
DO LOTS of BFRs and ICCs. You can charge more, fly less, and ride in a lot of neat airplanes that you have never seen before. (Sometimes, you can also get a free meal instead of doing the flying if the weather is marginal.)
DON’T do ground school. If a student asks enough questions, he will eventually find out exactly how much you really know. (Besides, you can’t charge for it, can you?)
BE A GRABBER in the airplane. If a student does something dumb, take it away from them and show them how to do it, over and over again. (They may not get much from this demonstration, but it’s a great way for you to stay current.)
DO NOT SOLO them. (If they crash or bang up the airplane, it will reflect badly on you.)
STAY IN THE PATTERN for the first 20 or 30 hours. (It’s familiar territory for them and it’s convenient for you in case your beeper goes off.)
TAKE YOUR BEEPER and cell-phone with you on each flight. (The airlines could call.)
MAKE SURE your students’ cross-country work coincides with the cities where you need to put in applications. (What the heck. It’s just good planning on your part, and the student needs the time.)
CANCEL if you feel bad or can make up a good excuse. (Your health is important for your future job with the biggies.)
CHANGE AIRPORTS as soon as you have had a chance to make an impression on most of the student base and the other instructors. (Why limit your exposure, and the other instructors have started stealing your students anyway. What else could cause this slump?)
All these things and many more just as bad happen much too often, which makes a lot of hard working instructors look bad. If you are doing some of these no-nos, QUIT. We are responsible for ourselves and our actions. TAKE CHARGE TODAY! Upon receiving your certification, you agreed to become a teacher, an example, a role model, a professional. DO IT!
If you like this article, humorous and tongue-in-cheek about our profession, let me know. My next article will be: HOW TO SUCCEED AS A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. Just to whet your appetite, the first entry will be, “Do Not
Demonstrate. You Are A Teacher . . . Teach.”
I’ll see you at the airport! Always remember, pilots who don’t fly have no advantage over people who can’t fly. What’s your excuse?
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Jim Trusty was the FAA/Aviation Industry National Flight Instructor of the Year (1997) and the first-ever Southern Region Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year (1995). He still works full-time as a Corporate Pilot/ Flight & Ground Instructor/ FAA Aviation Safety Counselor/ National Aviation Magazine Writer at MQY in Tennessee. You have been reading his work since 1973 in over 120 publications worldwide. He appreciates your comments.
Do you have a comment or question for Jim? Click here: forum16.html
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