For example, I will gladly take my $30 per hour to demonstrate to a student how to interpret the VOR display in the airplane, which is costing the student an additional $40 to $80 per hour. On the other hand, there are many books, videos, interactive CD-ROMs, computer training devices, etc. which can be bought, rented, or even used for free at many flight schools. Only after the principles are mastered should the student get into the plane to verify what was learned at home or in the classroom.
I usually tell students up front that they can expect to invest 200 to 250 hours of their lives obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary to earn a private pilot's license. The FAA only requires 40 of those hours to be in the aircraft (35 at a Part 141 school), and only 20 to be with an instructor. In reality, more than 20 hours with the instructor are necessary to prepare for the checkride, but it is up to the student how many more hours will be spent with the instructor and in the airplane.
Of course each student is an individual. For some, taking flying lessons is mainly a release from the daily pressures of life, and the CFI is really acting as a mental health counselor. For those students, getting a license quickly or saving money is not the priority. However, if reducing cost is a priority, my advice might be to put off the flying until a certain level of knowledge is gained from outside sources before spending the money on the instructor and plane. After flight training has started, insist that the instructor give a definite study assignment for the next flight, then show up prepared!
With all the complaints that CFIs can't earn a living, why am I recommending a course of action that might reduce the demand for instructors? It's because if you, the instructor, show that you have the student's best interests in mind, word of mouth will get out, and you will find yourself so busy you'll be turning away students to find the time to work on your airline applications. On the other hand, if all you care about is building hours for your resume, word of mouth will also get out, and you'll have all the time in the world to work on the applications-while you starve!
Harry Leicher
Carson City, Nevada
Older pilot proves age no barrier
Your May 1999 issue of AOPA Flight Training had a letter in Flight Forum by John Brooke, age 72, of Nova Scotia, Canada. He asked "if your files have any data on the success of people in my age group returning to flying after 50-odd years." This letter is intended to give you some specific data.
I obtained 6.5 hours of flight instruction in a Piper J-3 in 1945 at Ithaca, New York, at age 18 while a student at Cornell University. I did not solo and discontinued training for financial reasons. In 1963, I received 1.5 hours of training in a Piper PA-11 but did not go any further when my wife suggested that it wasn't the right time to continue since we had 10 young children.
She reversed her opinion last summer when we found my old logbook and she encouraged me to continue flight training. Our 13 children were all adults and self-sufficient, and our retirement income could handle the cost. I started flight instruction in September 1998 at Kamp Airport in central New York. After 14 hours of instruction we moved to a winter home in western North Carolina, and I continued flight instruction at Rutherford County Airport. On January 1, 1999, I soloed after 34 hours of instruction since September 1998. On April 20, 1999, I obtained a recreational pilot certificate after passing the FAA practical test and written exam and accumulating about 55 hours of dual instruction and five hours of solo time in a Cessna 152.
Like John Brooke, I am 72 years old and had my initial flying experience some 54 years ago. Obtaining a pilot's certificate at this time has been both challenging and rewarding. It took total concentration on the task and putting everything else on the back burner for eight months. I am planning to continue instruction to upgrade to a private pilot certificate. Hopefully this data will help Flight Training to answer questions like John's.
Benedict P. Viglietta
Clinton, New York
Persistence pays off
At age 63 and after several stalled attempts over a period of more years than I care to say, it's time to quit foolin' around and get serious about flight training. I'm going to tell my little story and it might possibly lead you to believe that this guy is using up instructors and blaming them instead of himself! Well maybe, but I hope that's not the case.
The first one was-there's no other way of describing him-a hot dog. After a few hours of instruction, he decided to demonstrate his personal abilities by taking the aircraft through a small canyon, under some transmission wires. Well, I used him up right then and there. And I never looked back once my feet hit the ground.
The second one was aspiring for an airline job and subsequently got the call. He was gone in a heartbeat. Can't say I blame him too much.
The third came after a visit to the local field and flight school and an intro flight with the chief instructor Fast Eddie. Enough said.
My fourth instructor was a crusty old curmudgeon (kinda like me), who appeared to be satisfying his own ego rather than taking care of the business of instructing. (I'm going to tell you how good I am and you're not.) Also, if I didn't respond exactly as he demanded, he liked to slap the hand that was on the throttle. Upon coming to the conclusion that rearranging his dentures would not be an advisable or prudent action, I used him up too.
The fifth was not a bad guy, but he was extremely picky and fussy. He was very accomplished and knew his subject extremely well but became quite impatient if you didn't pick it up as quickly as he as expected. This one, I may actually have used up.
Now I am on my sixth instructor-a lady who is professional, knowledgeable, and easy to follow but yet is no nonsense. She has a way of making you aware of what's expected without demeaning you. I had heard good reports of her and joined the flying club she instructs through. I thought it was supposed to be that the third time was a charm.
I have had some medical problems in the past but, after going through a number of gyrations with Oklahoma City, I ended up with a student certificate. I did a self-study with books, videos, and the King computer exam review. I went to a local Prometric facility not long ago (got an AOPA discount thank you very much) and passed the written.
After the false starts have been put behind me and now I find funds and time also more readily available, I fully expect to follow through to completion.
Emery Robinson
San Leandro, California
An open mind is the key to success, safety
I have a few comments on the article "Always a Student" by Budd Davisson, which appeared in the May 1999 issue of AOPA Flight Training.
As your article started out, I was getting upset that you were targeting older pilots and that "older pilots couldn't learn new tricks." But as I read on, I soon realized that you were right on in your ideas and statements on continuing the learning process. I am 46 years old, have been a professional pilot for 25 years, and have flown many different aircraft and been in several job positions.
One of the many reasons I believe I'm still alive and have never had an aircraft accident is because of what you said. I am always open to new ideas and ways to do things. The minute you become stale and set in your ways is the minute that you become dangerous to yourself and to others around you. In the flying business we must always continue to advance ourselves in new technology and flying skills. Great article.
Mike Lynn
Via the Internet
Communication is the key
In the May 1999 issue of AOPA Flight Training magazine, the article titled "Personality Conflict" is of special significance. It is essential that an instructor have a good, strong, and trusting relationship with the student. Although flying provides great enjoyment, many times during training student pilots make mistakes that are critical to the flight specifically and to flying generally. (I know, I made some blunders while training for my private pilot certificate.) Thus, an instructor needs to be able to communicate these errors to the student without destroying his confidence.
During training, moments of error or quick decision making can be filled with a lot of tension. Instructors are nervous because when they fly with a student, any serious mistake made by that student can have a negative impact on the instructor's certificate and hamper his or her chances of flying for a commercial airline. Students are nervous because most feel inadequate about their aviation and aeronautical knowledge, and therefore are sensitive to criticism. Having survived training for my private pilot certificate, I can tell you without question that the relationship between the flight instructor and student pilot is more than half of the equation in learning to fly. All instructors should read Jeff Falkner's article.
Charles J. Casolaro
Bayside, New York
Safe preflight and taxi
I really enjoyed Ralph Butcher's article in the May 1999 issue of AOPA Flight Training titled "Flight Evaluation." Your list of good, safe preflight and taxi habits should be required reading for all pilots.
The points that you mention are the tidbits that most flight instructors will casually talk about with a student, but after the checkride, there is not one person who says much to the low time, new, inexperienced pilot-unless, of course, we ask for advice. And boy, I ask plenty.
I've had my private pilot's certificate for about a year now. There are four instructors who helped me through the learning process, and I ask them to tell me if they have ideas for me or see me doing anything that is not right. Articles like yours help greatly. Being 64 years old, I am a little slow to remember all of the details of this great pastime called flight.
Marvin Leazenby
Anderson, Indiana
Understanding altimetry
Your April 1999 issue's article "The Lies Altimeters Tell" had some very helpful explanations and illustrations for understanding altimetry. Saying that an altimeter lies is something like saying a computer lies. They can both do only what they are programmed and designed to do. Unless it is broken, an altimeter will always tell you your height above or below the elevation where the ambient pressure equals the pressure set in the Kollsman window. But which kind of height do you want?
If the desired altitude is QNE or pressure altitude, then you set 29.92 [in the Kollsman window] to show the height above the standard datum plane. Pressure altitude is set to ensure that high-speed, high-altitude aircraft have a common reference for altitude separation so that frequent altimeter setting updates aren't required en route.
If the desired altitude is QNH or altitude above mean sea level, then the altimeter must be set to the pressure equivalent to the sea level barometric pressure below the terrain over which you are flying. If the pressure drops en route, the altimeter is still telling the truth. It is still indicating the aircraft's altitude above the elevation where the ambient barometric pressure is the same as that set in the Kollsman window.
I believe it is important to understand that, although the altimeter is essentially a barometer, we cannot just read the local barometric pressure from The Weather Channel and set that in the Kollsman window to read mean sea level. It must be corrected to sea level. The author's example of digging a well is very helpful to describe how this correction is made.
Jim Fox
Dearborn, Michigan
Explaining altimeter lies
Thank you, Jack Williams! The April issue of AOPA Flight Training carried your article, "Altimeter Lies," and I cannot tell you how appreciative I am to be able to quote this subject, as written, to my ground school class for aspiring private pilots at the Conejo Adult School. Basically, it is a subject that can easily be glossed over, and from the instructor's standpoint, can be mistakenly interpreted as having been understood by the student. Your magazine and articles are a great assist to us out here in the field.
Bill Lose
Thousand Oaks, California
Don't overlook the value of the flight engineer
I am glad to see that some people still realize and are willing to go on record about the value of getting at least the FE "knowledge" as part of the pilot career path.(April 1999, "To Fe or not to FE?)
In fact, I know of several low-time pilots who have gotten jobs with a major carrier at far lower times than normal because they had the FE ticket in their pocket. In this case, they will spend about a year on a Douglas DC-10 panel and then be in the right seat, while their non-FE compatriots are still building time.
Alan C. Davis
Prescott, Arizona
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