Dear Rod:
I’m a commercial student and my instructor insists on my flying the airplane the way the Navy does, with power controlling altitude and pitch controlling airspeed. Now, I really like my instructor. He’s a real professional, but this isn’t the way I learned as a private pilot. It’s a bit disconcerting to me. How should I handle this problem? - Thank you, C. Winston
Greetings C:
You say your instructor is a real pro and it appears you do respect his skill, so here’s what I suggest. First, count yourself lucky because you’re flying with a good instructor. Next, fly the airplane the way he wants you to fly it. Period. You’re his student and he’s your instructor, so let him instruct you. Once you are no longer his student, fly the way you want to fly. In the meantime, you will learn a new way to handle an airplane. After all, you’re training to become a commercial pilot, right? You’re learning that there is more than one right way to fly an airplane, and in the future an employer will want you to fly it their way.
Dear Rod:
I’m a student pilot flying a Cessna 172 and am about to go on my first solo cross-country flight. Whenever I fly, the oil pressure needle always fluctuates and sometimes stays at a “zero” indication for periods of time, even though the temperature remains normal. I have been getting nervous and now I’m too scared to fly alone. My instructor and I are both concerned, but the owner of the plane and the flight school says it’s just a bad wire. What do you think I should do? - Thanks! Freeda
Greetings Freeda:
On one hand, you can’t have an FBO placing the airplane in the shop every time the slightest little thing (that doesn’t affect safety) goes wrong with the airplane (think broken glove compartment box). FBOs, who operate on a thin margin as it is, would go broke if they had to immediately repair every nonessential item unrelated to safety. But a fluctuating oil pressure gauge isn’t a nonessential item! Sure, it’s probably a bad wire somewhere, but that doesn’t mean the problem shouldn’t be looked at by a mechanic. The fact that it scares you is reason enough to have a mechanic check this out. You can’t place an “inoperative” sticker over the gauge, because it’s a required instrument for VFR flight. But you might place the “inoperative” sticker on the forehead of a pilot who says that you should completely ignore the problem. Try sending the FBO a written request for this to be remedied. Creating a paper trail sometimes does wonders in getting action, since the FBO can’t later say they weren’t told of the problem. Meanwhile, try flying a different airplane if one is available.
Dear Rod:
As a college student with a private pilot certificate, I have many friends who are interested in going up for a ride. I would love to take them up for their first flight in a small airplane. However, the one thing that keeps me from doing this is my concern over the liability my family would face should something go wrong. While I do have AOPA renters’ insurance, would it be a good idea to have all my passengers sign some form of liability release form? -Thanks! K.D.
Greetings K.D.:
Your concern for your family’s liability over your flying is certainly noble. As a practical matter, you have insurance to protect you from financial ruin as well as diminishing your worry. You can always increase your liability coverage, thus minimizing the liability for those who might be named in a civil—or uncivil—suit.
On the other hand, I do sometimes think we worry a little too much about lawsuits and liability. Of course, you should protect yourself with renters insurance, which covers you.
Beyond that, my personal opinion is to not worry about things that are unlikely to ever become an issue. And it would be unwise to ask potential passengers to sign a liability waiver. Doing so will most likely have your passengers running for the hills. It’s also unlikely that such a waiver would hold up in court (unless you get Judge Judy).
So go fly, have fun, and trust yourself to keep your passengers safe. That’s my opinion.
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