Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

#1605566
tomshep wrote:I know your story, I lived it myself. I changed schools and qualified. I would counsel you to do the same. Made a right hash of a landing only two weeks ago. The sort that involves a couple of hours spent checking the aircraft over. Nobody is immune and if you don't foul up, you will never be able to cope when things go awry. Bad landings teach good lessons ( but only if your instructor debriefs you so you can get your head around it. If he didn't, fire him today.)



When you changed schools what did you have to take with you? Like records? Was it straightforward?
#1605644
ForceMajeure wrote:When you changed schools what did you have to take with you? Like records? Was it straightforward?


You didn't quote me but I changed flight schools and they requested the records themselves. Only thing I had to do was show up at the new school and have a quick review/recap on what I'd done so far. :thumright:
#1605708
Much more straightforward than what you are going through. I presented my logbook which had been signed off at every lesson. Your logbook is your record. I also had records of my exam results and my medical declaration.
(and a large chunk of money which was still nowhere near large enough!)
#1606933
Continuous change of instructors is unsatisfactory. You have raised the issue and nothing has changed. Get your logbook signed, and move.

Saveable/unsaleable landings is a bit down to experience, if a moderate bounce then a bit of power may cushion the next arrival adequately. If a big bounce, or if a second bounce is bigger than the first one, full power and go around. I’m doing this a lot at the moment trying to land a lightweight tailwheel a/c!!
#1607011
I had a lot of problems with my 'flying school' - although I only had 2 different instructors, the main one was not a nice person. Very rude and would on occasions shout and scream at me in the cockpit, creating an awful and unpleasant atmosphere and putting me on edge. On one occasion, we approached the airfield and it was my first time doing an overhead join. I'd done plenty of circuits, take-offs and landings but up until that point, the instructor had always joined us into the circuit if we had left the area for training. Anyway, as we approached the field (less than a mile from the overhead), he instructed me to carry out an overhead join. We'd never discussed the procedure in the past and I hadn't paid a great deal of attention to him doing it (as he'd never explained what he was doing). When I asked him what to do he said I should know by know, and subsequently refused to give me any instruction. I literally had no idea what to do and as we flew over the top of the runway he then screamed at me, eventually snatching the controls and bellowing some more. I was very upset, it was a traumatic experience. The circuit was particularly busy at the time also, so the situation was not only distressing but potentially dangerous. I was so shook up from the incident it then took me 4 attempts to land the aircraft. I did a few lessons after that and he left shortly afterwards, leaving no instructors at all. Several months passed and I was promised they would find someone to finish my training, but there were various excuses as to why they were unable to provide an instructor. Eventually I approached another local school and the difference was 'night and day'. They were incredibly professional with a number of full-time instructors and within less than 3 weeks I'd finished my training and done the skills test.

Moral of the story, if you're not happy with your flying school - go elsewhere.
By cockney steve
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1607076
would you go back to a restaurant that served a poor, overpriced meal ?
would you use a plumber again, if he'd burnt the wallpaper/ left a dripping waste-pipe? use a garage again if they'd serviced your car and left dirty oily handprints on the handles and controls?

Why would you go back to a school who took a top fee for a bottom-level instructor?....you are paying to be taught. If he /she wants to learn to be a competent instructor, let them do it on their cash and time , not yours! vote with your feet!.....
Having said that, you have, of course, expressed your misgivings to the principal of the school? If they don't know that the instructor has areas of deficiency, it may take a few "leavers" before they realise that the particular instructor is lacking. A good outfit would take on board any criticism and endeavour to retain your business,( maybe with a sweetner ) as . making their "product" better will only help their business.