Tips on Finding a Great Flight Instructor
Posted by Jeffrey on June 28th, 2009
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Your very first flight instructor will have a lot of impact on your learning, that is why it’s important to find one who can make the training process pleasant, organized and worth all the time, effort and money you put into it. If becoming a pilot is your dream, here are some tips on how to choose the flight instructor that will best fit your needs:
Your Flight Instructor Must Be Qualified
Your flight instructor became one because he or she has earned an advanced pilot certificate. That means that they either hold a Commercial pilot certificate or an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate. Furthermore, they can’t teach unless they have a valid, i.e., not expired, certificated flight instructor (CFI )certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Always ask to see their certificates when you are interviewing someone to be your flight instructor. My guess is that they will pop them out and show them with pride. Remember, you are interviewing this person for a job. If they are hesitant, seem offended, or can not produce them, then this should put up warning signs. A great flight instructor will never be offended when you ask them a question like this. Look for this with your primary and advanced flight instructor.
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If you decide to get your instrument rating, then your instrument instructor must have received their instrument instruction rating or CFI-I (pronounced “CF Double-I”). It will say so on the back of their flight instructor certificate.
Though a primary instructor can teach you the basics that you need for your Private Pilot certificate, a primary instructor can’t do advanced instrument training for your instrument rating. So be sure that your instructor is authorized to give you instrument flight training before you log those hours or you may find yourself repeating those hours which will be a huge waste a lot of time and money.
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Test Fly Your Flight Instructor
Do you know why most students stop flying? It is not because of money or ability, it is because they don’t get along with their flight instructor. For some reason, the student and the flight instructor just did not ”click.” The communication just was not there. The student can not understand the flight instructors instructions and the flight instructor can not seem to make the student understand the training. It is a lose-lose situation when this happens. That is why it is always a good idea to go with a potential flight instructor during a routine flight to observe how they fly and the way they teach. Most of them will offer an introductory Discovery Flight anyway, so take advantage of the chance and see them in action for yourself. And if you ever find that for some reason you aren’t learning from your instructor or you aren’t having fun learning and learning at a reasonable pace, then change flight instructors. You will be glad you did.
Also, your flight instructor should have a genuine interest to help you reach your goal and you should feel comfortable with their teaching style. However, they don’t have to be extra amiable to be the best choice. You want a flight instructor who will expect excellence, discipline and hard work. If they are too relaxed and you are too undisciplined, you might have some problems with learning effectively. The best relationships is one of mutual respect.
Check If Documentation Is Kept
There is no point of getting any training in aviation if your flight instructor or the school doesn’t keep accurate records. Documents will prove the type of training you have undergone and how many hours you have put in. You’ll need to fly a minimum number of hours to get your pilot’s license and if these can’t be corroborated, you might be forced to repeat your training. During my flight instructor years, I have seen students (none of my students, of course), who thought that they were ready for their checkrides only to discover that they didn’t have the required number of hours to take the checkride.
If the flight school you are learning at is a Part 141 flight school, they should keep records but remember, YOU are the one that is ultimately responsible. I recommend using an electronic logbook, like the Airline Pilots Daily Aviation Logbookand a paper logbook, like the Jeppesen Professional Logbook, to track your flights and training.
Make sure that the instructor logs your flights in your Part 141 folder, if you are flying Part 141, and your personal logbook before you leave the flight school after a lesson. It should include all the maneuvers and training you did plus the CFI should sign their name, print their CFI number, and print the expiration date of their CFI certificate.
Where To Find Great Flight Instructors
If you live near an airport, the best way to find a great flight instructor is to call the flight school up and ask to speak to a flight instructor. Set up a time to visit, take a Discovery Flight, and get a tour of their flight school. After you have walked around a bit and maybe had a Discovery Flight, ask to talk to one of the other students and ask them some questions.
If you think you might attend a flight academy or aviation university they often put ads in the yellow pages and in flying magazines, so you might want to check those out, too. Call them or fill out their online information request forms and have them send you some information.
And finally, check out the forums like AirlinePilotForums.com and WillFlyForFood.com forum and ask questions. Forums are a great place to gleam information on various aviation topics but remember to weed through some of the comments. Many pilots use forums to blast aviation, other pilots, and flight schools. Keep an open mind when asking for information there.
So there you have it. I hope that helps you with picking a flight instructor that will help you get your certificates and ratings as quickly, safely, and cheaply as possible. My biggest departing thought though is this…if you ever feel uncomfortable with the flight school you are at or with your flight instructor, then move onto a different school. Your flight training should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience and it is up to you to make sure it is!
To Your Flying Success…
Jeffrey
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March 2nd, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Fantastic posting, I favorited your site so I can visit again in the future, All the Best, Rodney Mervis