21 replies to this topic

[CA_Pilot55]

Just wondering if there are any real world CFI's or experienced pilots in here willing to answer a question for me.  Thank you

[Jonay]

There are a few, _NW_ will probably be the first to respond. Not a CFI (AFAIK) but a commercial pilot for a few years.

AmericanAirFan is a CFI - he maybe visits/posts about once a month.

higgi1fc is a USAF DC-10 pilot. Here now and again.

89_LX is a CFJ pilot - he's on here when he can.

Pattyboy is a 737 pilot, but unlikely he'll respond, we haven't heard from him in a while

There are a few more, but they are the ones that spring to mind, I'm sure if you PM one of them you'll get an answer sooner or later...

[AmericanAirFan]

Jonay, on 02 February 2013 - 11:14 PM, said:

AmericanAirFan is a CFI - he maybe visits/posts about once a month.

About once a week I make it on here these days. I still wonder what happens in the good ole FSW community.

Feel free to PM me or ask me the question in this thread I'll keep my eyes out for this thread.

AAF

[_NW_]

I was a CFI years ago..   didn't renew it, didn't want to be one

What's your question?

[Greeney]

Yes... What's happening?

[89-LX]

I sent ya reply via PM last night but can reply on here. Whats up?

[Cactus]

CFI TEAM, ASSEMBLE!

[AmericanAirFan]

_NW_, on 03 February 2013 - 10:27 AM, said:

I was a CFI years ago..   didn't renew it, didn't want to be one

Once day... One day...  You'll wish you renewed it with FIRC

[_NW_]

AmericanAirFan, on 04 February 2013 - 01:13 AM, said:

Once day... One day...  You'll wish you renewed it with FIRC

Having my first CFI job in China didn't help.  I wasn't much of a flight instructor, I was more like Survivor Man.  Those kids over there are so dependent on technology they are too afraid to look outside, and have no depth perception.

[Gunfighter]

The Chinese are the only group of successful individuals in the endeavor to ground loop a Warrior...seen it happen.

[_NW_]

Gunfighter, on 04 February 2013 - 09:18 AM, said:

The Chinese are the only group of successful individuals in the endeavor to ground loop a Warrior...seen it happen.

Here are two quick and scary stories, both that I witnessed.

1) This particular flight school had a lot of DA40's, and few dozen DA42's.  Chinese student was on a solo flight doing touch and goes.  On the first landing, he had a prop strike because he didn't flare.  He added power, and took off.  Landing 2 and 3 where uneventful.  

2) Same aircraft as above had a prop strike.  Everywhere else, the engine would be torn apart to check for internal damage.  In China?   Nope, just replace the prop.

[AmericanAirFan]

_NW_, on 04 February 2013 - 09:09 AM, said:

Having my first CFI job in China didn't help.  I wasn't much of a flight instructor, I was more like Survivor Man.  Those kids over there are so dependent on technology they are too afraid to look outside, and have no depth perception.

I've heard plenty of stories. My roommate from college is instructing at a school full of Chinese students. I get one good story at least once every two or three days. For all the bad there are a few good ones. Fortunately though his instructing is here in the U.S. where things are more on terms with the FAA.

It's not enough for me to justify not instructing. I enjoy teaching, and there are good pilots out there that make it fun. Being a CFI is a great way to network as well. Not to mention people in their planes need BFRs, IPCs, and even instruction period sometimes.

[_NW_]

I was a pretty good instructor, but I am terrible when it comes to lecturing.  My learning style and teaching style has always been hands on, I can't sit and listen, and I'm not a good speaker, but I'm a pretty good demonstrator.

My favorite things were demonstrating lazy-8's and gliding.

[AmericanAirFan]

_NW_, on 04 February 2013 - 03:18 PM, said:

I was a pretty good instructor, but I am terrible when it comes to lecturing.  My learning style and teaching style has always been hands on, I can't sit and listen, and I'm not a good speaker, but I'm a pretty good demonstrator.

My favorite things were demonstrating lazy-8's and gliding.

My favorite things to demo are Steep turns, Stalls/Recovery, Slow Flight, Chandelles, Power off 180s, Short field landings. Lazy-8s are probably my least favorite to teach

Our school we are pretty big on briefing and debriefing the student to understand all that is going on. I have found my newest private student to benefit greatly from just talking about things and unraveling the mysteries.

BTW original poster. Get on in here and post your question please...

[_NW_]

AmericanAirFan, on 04 February 2013 - 10:28 PM, said:

My favorite things to demo are Steep turns, Stalls/Recovery, Slow Flight, Chandelles, Power off 180s, Short field landings. Lazy-8s are probably my least favorite to teach

Power off 180's was included in my "gliding" part LOL, especially when you're in a brick, like almost any Piper..  those are fun because you actually might not make it if you do it wrong.  Cessna's and Diamonds can glide, and it took the challenge out of it..  heck in those, you actually had to force the plane to land short, otherwise it would have landed itself.  

BTW, what school do you teach at and what's their website?  My instrument is expired and if I ever get the money, I'd like to get it current.  The only flight school I trust in San Antonio went bankrupt because they had about 3 or 4 dozen Chinese students and they never got paid for teaching them and went belly up.

[AmericanAirFan]

_NW_, on 05 February 2013 - 09:10 AM, said:

Power off 180's was included in my "gliding" part LOL, especially when you're in a brick, like almost any Piper..  those are fun because you actually might not make it if you do it wrong.  Cessna's and Diamonds can glide, and it took the challenge out of it..  heck in those, you actually had to force the plane to land short, otherwise it would have landed itself.

Haha yeah man, I've done power offs in a Piper Archer. Chop and drop. In the Citabria it's chop and slip to drop. In the Skyhawk, that thing is so slippery. The skill is getting it in a nice full stall landing right on your point.

[_NW_]

AmericanAirFan, on 05 February 2013 - 09:34 AM, said:

Haha yeah man, I've done power offs in a Piper Archer. Chop and drop. In the Citabria it's chop and slip to drop. In the Skyhawk, that thing is so slippery. The skill is getting it in a nice full stall landing right on your point.

The last base I flew at in China was a small commercial airport in Inner Mongolia called Wuhai (ZWUH, 39.793501,106.799383) and about 10 miles to the east there are some mountains that peaked about 8,500 feet MSL..   I don't remember the exact height but I do remember that we couldn't fly any lower than 3000m over them, which is around 10,000 feet. (https://sphotos-b.xx...2_2239020_n.jpg) .   Anyways, I demonstrated Best Glide to my student, and he told me that if we lost our engine, we would not make the airport.  I cut the power, and told him to fly straight to the airport, and maintain whatever glide was in the DA40, I don't remember..   not only did we glide that far, we flew over the field with probably around 2000 feet in altitude to spare.  I wish though we had a Piper though to demonstrate that every aircraft is different...   having an all Diamond fleet was awful.  They're great planes, but having no variety in planes I think is terrible.

[HighFlyin]

Flight instructor here in Canada. My least favorite thing to teach is spins. Required for all PPL students, and required for the flight test to get a commercial licence.

Had an interesting situation happen to me yesterday. First flight of the day, coming back to land, student was doing 95 knots on final with no flaps in C152. We chopped the power 1/8 or a mile back from threshold, held the nose till we got 80 on the indicator and threw down full flap. Crossed the threshold at 100feet, still 80 knots. As soon as the flaps came down I told him to initial the go around.

[_NW_]

I once did an ILS approach at 125 knots in a C172 flying into Tampa.  We only did it because it was busy LOL

[HighFlyin]

_NW_, on 10 February 2013 - 08:43 PM, said:

I once did an ILS approach at 125 knots in a C172 flying into Tampa.  We only did it because it was busy LOL

Oh I've done it too. Key is it's gotta be stabilized. This wasn't....at all.

I kinda just sat back and watched it all unfold until I told him to start the go around.

Funny thing was, he was a commercially licensed student who was here from India on recurrency training. He blamed the 'mishap' for happening because he just spent 10 hours in the last 3-4 days in the Seneca.

Edited by HighFlyin, 10 February 2013 - 09:24 PM.