[David Wood]

This is not meant to be a scientific survey, but I'm quite interested in people's experience about the number of FIs that they flew with whilst learning for their license.

I ask because that the ATO where I am Head of Training we aim to have a situation where ideally a student is taught by only two FIs if possible; a primary and a secondary. For lots of reasons we don't achieve that target in very many cases. I'd be interested in hearing other poeple's experience of the number of FIs that they had, and whether they felt that a large(r) number of FIs detracted from their training or improved it.

[Miscellaneous]

Similar experience to your aims, a primary and a secondary. It was pretty much achieved, however I did do it over a few weeks with the secondary covering for primary's days off.

My view is that had the primary and secondary been swapped around I'd have come home from the USA without a licence.

So, with the critical proviso that instructor and student are compatible I'm a supporter of the method.

[cotterpot]

Had to check my logbook and it was three in total, but mainly two.

It splits roughly 50/50 with one instructor doing the first half of my training hours, the learning to fly bits, and another doing the second, which comprised of all the cross country stuff - Ex 18, 19, GFT Revision with some Ex12/13

No idea why the swap because both instructors were there long after got my licence. Probably just preferred that particular aspect.

I found it quite good as they both had different styles.

[johnm]

A quick look through my old log book suggests I had four primary instructors and a few occasional subs. However it took me 18 months and 70 hours to get to the skill test stage as I was doing the training alongside a busy working and family life. As a result instructors moved on as would be expected.

By contrast I had one instructor for IMCR which I did in a few weeks and in 16 hours.

I had one instructor and a supervisor for my IR which I did easily in the 50 hours.

[T67M]

I had seven (!!!) instructors before first solo at 22:30, however I only did more than two flights (out of 27) with two of those seven.

Three of those seven instructors did most of the rest of my training, and I got my licence with a total of 50:35 accrued over two years and four months at the ripe old age of 30.

[Paul_Sengupta]

One for me. I also had the same instructor for IMC and Night a year later.

[Morten]

One instructor all the way through. Apart from the 2 trial flights elsewhere.

[riverrock]

Primary 80 % and secondary 19%
Plus 1 flight with Chief FI doing mock skills test.

[CapnM]

Ignoring two trial flights I had and 5 or so lessons before I moved schools, I had two. I would bounce between the two depending on their availability. The 'primary' instructor ended up leaving around half way through my training (I was having a break from training at this point anyway) and I finished the rest of my training with my original 'secondary' instructor (minus 2 refresher flights which I did with someone else).

I think sticking to one or two instructors for your training is more beneficial as you get to know them better on a personal level which I think is better for compatibility. I know that I was more nervous flying with an instructor I hadn't flown with before (on the refresher flights) which wouldn't help training if it was a regular thing. Could have just been me though

[romille]

I flew with 8 instructors in total but only for one hour with 6 of them.

[GrahamB]

One instructor end-to-end over the 45 hours, which was done as 13 hours over 3 months, followed by 42 hours intensive over a fortnight. Luckily, his style suited mine!

[Crash one]

Twelve.
Current on gliders at start.
Previous four hours power ~87 inc EX14.
From start to GST over ~one year. July 06 till August 07
Averaged four hours per month during July and August 06 with five instructors.
Though one primary but with several odd hours with different instructors. Often with different methods.
Twenty nine hours of nav ex over country that I had flown gliders over for years. Never got lost, never purposely gotten lost.
Two "first solo" EX 14 in the log book from gliders and power during ~84--87 ignored.
Sent solo after nineteen hours before doing EX 10A / B. Further consolidation of four hours solo, so I asked if I could stall the thing to see how it behaved. Much panic, EX 10!
Not what I would call a structured course, but I did enjoy the experience.

[akg1486]

I had one main instructor for the whole of my PPL, with one exception: my FI's day job had to take precedence once and I got another instructor for one lesson. I was in the circuit bashing stage at the time, and getting a different viewpoint on some things actually helped a lot. The replacement FI also had all my NC lessons a bit later.

And I had a mock test with the CFI, too, before the flight test. That's standard procedure in my club/school then (15 years ago) as well as now.

[flybymike]

Thirteen instructors all from the same flying club.

I like to think I learned a little something from each and every one of them, but several I could not get on with at all, and one in particular who did the bulk of my training, I regarded as my mentor.

[rikur_]

All but one hour with one instructor.
The stand-in instructor made more progress with my landing technique in one hour than the other guy at achieved in 30.
I've had different instructors for every biennial since, plus a few checkouts, and with hindsight think I possibly missed something by just having one instructor for my PPL.
At the risk of stating the obvious, different people put the emphasis on different things, and have different teaching styles.