Time Building/instruction

[rotorheadrob]

The idea that advanced training can be done by an inexperienced pilot, in the worst training machine built, in one of the most challenging areas around is ridiculous. If you want to build your time in a 22 with your experience level, I would suggest somewhere a little more forgiving. I have this vision of the 100 hr guy looking at the 800 hr guy and asking “what happened”, and a blank stare back because the 800 hr guy has no idea!

 

There is no hiding my opinion on a training system that includes building time (there are many counties that do it). Somehow you generally don't see that in the Canadian industry. A system that is regurgitated from low time pilot to even lower time pilot can't have the same impact on a student as an old crusty 13,000 hr "BUSH PILOT". When all the lessons the instructing pilot has learned where from a book or an exercise he set up, you can’t get the same result.

 

How we move our hands and feet do not make us pilots, no one crashes because they don't know how to input right cyclic, learning how to evaluate a situation effectivly and our decision making process keeps us safe.

 

I did my mountain course with John Kennedy at about 3000 hrs, I was shooting a text book approach (at least I thought I was) into a circe. John elbowed me in the side and said, with a chuckle “ you’re about fall out of the sky! I looked down to see 0 A/S and a high rate of decent. He took over and showed me how its done and how to use the AC to remove the strong optical illusion. I will never forget the lessons he taught me because he made them real! I can’t see a 800 hr instructor making me feel the way John did. Humble would be an understatement!

 

I'm sure there are some great US pilots out there, but for the most part instructing in the US is done to build hours, therefore few experienced pilots instruct(pride). I have been asked why you can get a training machine so much cheaper south of the boarder. Well the biggest reason would be 10,000 hr pilots don't fly for $20 an hour. Does it not make sense that you would get more out of 10 hrs with a high time guy than 20 hrs with someone who has 800 hrs.

 

There is no dought an 800 hr instructor can teach you how to hover, but a high time instructor can show you and explain how to stay away from LTE while hovering at 8,000 ft.

 

Caveat emptor, you get what you pay for, if it sound too good to be true it probably is, they all apply to a thread like this one.

 

You can blast me all you want, but as I’ve said many times, the only thing worse than not having an opinion, is being too afraid to speak yours!

 

 

rob