Questions to ask during CFI interview(s)

HPNFlyGirl

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I came up with a list of questions for people who are in the process of finding a flight instructor. This is what I used when I interviewed potential CFI's. I will also use this when I start my search for CFII.

Feel free to add on to the list if I left anything out.
 

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21. Do you hit your students?
:rofl: Would "yes" or "no" be the correct answer?

Geez, I don't think I've been asked so many questions even when interviewing for a job...

That said, how about asking how much experience the CFI has in using the IFR system, not counting giving (or getting) instruction.

Edit: When I first saw your list I thought it read "Do you hit on your students?"
 
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That's a lot of questions B. I think the best way would be to strike up a conversation. It'll all come out, and you can judge based on the attitude of the CFI.

Most of those questions don't really matter in the long run.
 
I came up with a list of questions for people who are in the process of finding a flight instructor. This is what I used when I interviewed potential CFI's. I will also use this when I start my search for CFII.

Feel free to add on to the list if I left anything out.

Holy Cow! :hairraise:

You're asking a $25/hour part-time instructor more questions than our $2 million dollar Clients ask us during the RFP.

You can eliminate almost every single one of those questions by contacting three or four former students of the instructors you're considering.

I think my questions would be a bit more basic. For a beginning pilot seeking their SP or PPL, my biggest question would be:

"Are you going to be around long enough to see me through to my checkride?"

For an instrument instructor, my basic question would be:

"How many hours in actual do you have?"

Anything else, as Nick stated, can be brought up in conversation.

Regards.

-JD
 
I tend to the other approach, which is:
(1) Are you a teacher or an instructor?
If you get a blank stare, go elsewhere.
(2) Are you insured for instruction? If he/she isn't, he/she isn't serious.
(3) What do you think of the revision to the new instrument PTS? If he fumbles, leave.

Then I'd get student references and go check 'em out.

From Marian the Librarian's Mom: "who can hope to measure up to your land of Paul Bunyan, St. Patrick, Noah Webster, your Iowa Stubborness and your library full of books".....
 
What killed my first instructor...

"Do you do anything other than instruct at the present time (i.e. Are you working on getting your multi up, etc)?" If so, the following question is pertinent. What is the instructor's method of dealing with a scheduling conflict where a student and another opportunity occur?

Nothing sucks worse than going to the airport, waiting 30 minutes past the time the instructor was supposed to be there, call and have the instructor say "Oh, sorry, had a chance to sit right seat on this multi flight."

Bah.

I just ask basic questions by striking up a conversation because you can get a feel for how they do their training, but still, it's a good idea to know where in line your training falls on their priorities.
 
That's a lot of questions B. I think the best way would be to strike up a conversation. It'll all come out, and you can judge based on the attitude of the CFI.

Most of those questions don't really matter in the long run.

Right on, Nick.

The only CFI I've decided not to fly with, I decided based on the conversation I had with him. I walked in, introduced myself, and we (me, the new CFI, and other CFI's and airport bums) just shot the breeze for a while. After I heard him say "I can't wait to quit instructing and fly jets" I knew I wasn't going to fly with him. In fact, the FBO ended up firing him because of that attitude.
 
For those who don't want to download the word file:

1. How long have you been a CFI(I)/MEI?

2. What ratings/endorsements do you have?

3. How many students have passed on the 1st time?

4. How many of your students failed?

5. Have you had any accidents or incidents? If so, what happened?

6. If CFII is of the opposite sex how do you feel training men/women?

7. Do you work for the FBO or do you work for yourself?

8. Tell me about your flying experiences?

9. How do you feel about flying in instrument conditions at night?

10. How long do you plan on being around?

11. Do you smoke?

12. Do you drink? If so have you ever missed a lesson because you had too much to drink the night before?

13. How flexible are you?

14. Do I need renters insurance?

15. Do you fly on ONLY perfect weather days or do you fly in some weather/weather permitting?

16. Do you use the hands on approach? When you practice stalls do you keep your hands on the controls just incase?

17. What where your scores on your knowledge exams? How about your students?

18. What age did you start flying?

19. What do your students like most about you?

20. What do your students like least about you?

21. Do you hit your students?

22. Do you use a syllabus, if so which one and do you stick to it?

23. Where did you do your primary training?

24. Your cell phone, do you leave it in your desk/car or do you use it during the lesson?

25. How do you like to be paid?

26. How do you construct your lesson plans?

27. What are your thoughts on how to structure the program so I can obtain my goal?

28. What is your approach to teaching?

29. How long have you been instructing (CFI, CFII, MEI)?

30. Describe a situation in which you had a difficult time over coming a student’s lack of forward progress and what did you do to get them through?

31. What types of aircraft have you flown?

32. How many total hours do you have?

33. How many hours of actual instrument time do you have?

34. How many hours do you have instructing?

35. Describe frustrations you have had with your own educational advancement?

36. What is your favorite aircraft and why?

37. What is your least favorite aircraft and why?

38. Do you frustrate easily?

39. How do you fell about email/phone questions?

40. When do you start the clock/what time am I charged for?

41. Is there anyway that I could get my lessons on video by having someone sit in the back seat? (if applicable)

42. With the syllabus do you stick to it or do you deviate from it if need be?

43. How much preflight discussion you do before getting in the airplane?

44. How much debriefing do you do?

45. On bad weather days am I allowed to come out and sit in the cockpit and go through the motions of the controls?

46. Do you allow me to discuss the maneuvers on the ground before getting in the airplane?

47. Could I have at least 3 references of students who have passed their checkrides who trained with you?

48. I am scheduled for a lesson. A person interested in learning how to fly wants to go on an intro flight right before scheduled time. What do you do?

49. To practice crosswind take off’s and landings would you fly to an airport with intersecting/perpendicular runways so I can have lots of practice doing these?

50. Are you organized?
 
I came up with a list of questions for people who are in the process of finding a flight instructor. This is what I used when I interviewed potential CFI's. I will also use this when I start my search for CFII.

Is the CFI you finished your private with not a II, or do you not like them?

1. How long have you been a CFI(I)/MEI?

2. What ratings/endorsements do you have?

3. How many students have passed on the 1st time?

4. How many of your students failed?

5. Have you had any accidents or incidents? If so, what happened?

7. Do you work for the FBO or do you work for yourself?

9. How do you feel about flying in instrument conditions at night?

10. How long do you plan on being around?

11. Do you smoke?

15. Do you fly on ONLY perfect weather days or do you fly in some weather/weather permitting?

19. What do your students like most about you?

20. What do your students like least about you?

22. Do you use a syllabus, if so which one and do you stick to it?

25. How do you like to be paid?

29. How long have you been instructing (CFI, CFII, MEI)?

30. Describe a situation in which you had a difficult time over coming a student’s lack of forward progress and what did you do to get them through?

32. How many total hours do you have?

33. How many hours of actual instrument time do you have?

34. How many hours do you have instructing?

36. What is your favorite aircraft and why?

37. What is your least favorite aircraft and why?

39. How do you fell about email/phone questions?

40. When do you start the clock/what time am I charged for?

41. Is there anyway that I could get my lessons on video by having someone sit in the back seat? (if applicable)

43. How much preflight discussion you do before getting in the airplane?

44. How much debriefing do you do?

47. Could I have at least 3 references of students who have passed their checkrides who trained with you?

All legitimate questions, though they seem to overlap a bit in some cases, or maybe that's because *cough*#50*cough* they're disorganized. For instance, #32, 33, and 34 go with #1 and 2.

14. Do I need renters insurance?

That's a question for the FBO, not the CFI. This is something you ask when you're calling around asking about the available airplane types and rates and such. And frankly, the answer is "yes." Even if renter's insurance isn't required by the FBO, you should be getting it. There is only ONE FBO that I know of that covers the renter as named insured... That's extremely rare.

17. What where your scores on your knowledge exams? How about your students?

18. What age did you start flying?

23. Where did you do your primary training?

35. Describe frustrations you have had with your own educational advancement?

I see these questions as basically irrelevant. Why even ask them? Something related to the last question could be relevant, but it should read more like "When you've had students get frustrated with a learning plateau, what kinds of techniques have you used to get them back on track?"

6. If CFII is of the opposite sex how do you feel training men/women?

16. Do you use the hands on approach? When you practice stalls do you keep your hands on the controls just incase?

38. Do you frustrate easily?

48. I am scheduled for a lesson. A person interested in learning how to fly wants to go on an intro flight right before scheduled time. What do you do?

50. Are you organized?

If you think you're going to get an honest answer for these from someone with the "wrong" answer, you're going to get bitten. The only thing these questions will accomplish is to **** off a good instructor as you're insulting their professionalism.

12. Do you drink? If so have you ever missed a lesson because you had too much to drink the night before?

21. Do you hit your students?

If you asked me any of the above (and some from the previous group too), the interview is over and I'll show you the door. Really, do you expect anyone to say "Yeah, I drink like crazy and I miss lessons all the time!" You accomplish NOTHING by asking such insulting questions because the bad ones won't just come out and tell you, and the good ones will not stand for such idiotic, belittling questions.

8. Tell me about your flying experiences?

28. What is your approach to teaching?

These questions need to be rewritten, as they're rather open-ended and don't seem to have a particular goal in mind. What are you trying to learn here?

13. How flexible are you?

Like, can I do the splits? I'm assuming you mean schedule-wise, but you should clarify.

24. Your cell phone, do you leave it in your desk/car or do you use it during the lesson?

This fits somewhat in the above category, but... I think a CFI has every right (even an obligation) to receive certain calls (for example, from a student who's on a solo cross country checking in), as long as the clock stops and you're not paying for it.

26. How do you construct your lesson plans?

This is either a question you should be asking when you are a CFI candidate, or it is poorly worded. What are you looking for here?

27. What are your thoughts on how to structure the program so I can obtain my goal?

Unless you have some particular difficulty (learning disability, terrible schedule, who knows what else) that you've shared with the CFI, this isn't a question that can be answered right away. They need to see what weaknesses you have, how you learn, how you respond. The question (above exception notwithstanding) cannot be accurately answered at the first meeting.

31. What types of aircraft have you flown?

Irrelevant. They only need to have experience in the particular type you are planning on flying with them. Who's going to be a better instructor in a C172 - The guy who has 5,000 hours in a 172, or the one who has 10 hours in every type under the sun?

42. With the syllabus do you stick to it or do you deviate from it if need be?

That's a silly question. If you "need" to deviate from the syllabus, you do. I'm not sure why you'd need to, unless they're using a Sporty's-style syllabus that has each individual flight mapped out and you need extra work on a particular problem.

45. On bad weather days am I allowed to come out and sit in the cockpit and go through the motions of the controls?

Again, this is a question for the FBO, not the CFI unless the CFI owns the plane you'll be training in.

46. Do you allow me to discuss the maneuvers on the ground before getting in the airplane?

This really goes with #43, and again I don't think you'll ever get anybody to say "no." It's just a matter of who's being honest.

49. To practice crosswind take off’s and landings would you fly to an airport with intersecting/perpendicular runways so I can have lots of practice doing these?

Why do you need intersecting runways to practice crosswind landings? I've never been to an airport that always had the wind straight down the runway... Plus, if you're going to an airport with two runways to practice crosswind landings, you are much more likely to cause a traffic conflict because everyone else is going to be using a different runway. I'd say a single-runway field is the best place to practice crosswind landings!

Also, everyone needs lots of practice with crosswinds. Who's ever going to say no to the question?

:dunno:

I think Nick's got the right approach. I think just sitting in on hangar talk is the best way to find out an instructor's attitude.
 
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This fits somewhat in the above category, but... I think a CFI has every right (even an obligation) to receive certain calls (for example, from a student who's on a solo cross country checking in), as long as the clock stops and you're not paying for it.

I disagree, sort of. In very rare cases, where the CFI has mentioned before the lesson that it may be necessary to answer the phone, yeah, then it is cool. But regardless of other priorities (even other students out there), he's there to teach you for that block of time. It can be really distracting (and even non-condusive (sp?)) to learning to have to stop while he answers the phone, even if the clock stops, which it probably won't anyways.

So B, I'm not getting on your case in this thread (I seemed a bit harsh earlier), but really, even the questions that seem a bit inappropriate are ones that can be gathered through a good conversation with the CFI. The drinking ones too. Start a conversation "Oh man, I got so blitzed the other week, I had to cancel a flight the next morning...." and see where it goes.

:D :D
 
11. Do you smoke?

12. Do you drink? If so have you ever missed a lesson because you had too much to drink the night before?
Frankly, the smoking and drinking strike me as personal and none of your business. Smoking is relevant to you only if the CFI wants to smoke during a lesson (in any location) and drinking is also not your business. If the CFI is late or missing lessons for ANY reason, the WHY isn't important to you, its how the CFI handles the miss with you.
 
I've only been interviewed like this once so far, but more experienced instructors tell me it will happen pretty often. The potential student has a list of questions they were given by a pilot friend and they go through them one by one. I didn't really mind the interview too much, although the "do you drink" question caught me off guard a bit. Somewhat personal, but I responded.

In fairness, the potential student was about to drop $8,000 or so on flight instruction and has a right to ask plenty of questions. I prefer a bit less formal tone than just reading the questions, but that isn't my call. The potential student can get a good feel from an instructor about the instructor's background, experience, plans for the future, etc. from having a cup of coffee and paying attention.

But, I think there are lots of things a prospective student can't know about their instructor until the training begins. Questions I'd suggest you avoid asking in an interview include: "Do you pop a piece of gum in before a flight or does your breath smell like Taco Bell?" "Do you shower regularly?" "What will your temperament be when you have to tell me the same thing four times in a row because I just don't get it?" "Will I have any room on my side of the airplane after you get in?" etc.

One lesson will probably answer most of these kinds of questions, so don't hesitate to change instructors if you aren't feeling the love from the first (or second, or third...) one. In fact, I suggested to the potential student with the laundry list of questions that she schedule a few intro flights, each with a different instructor at our school. See who she gets along with, who's personality she likes, and who she wants to spend 20+ hours smashed into a C152 with.
 
But, I think there are lots of things a prospective student can't know about their instructor until the training begins. Questions I'd suggest you avoid asking in an interview include: "Do you pop a piece of gum in before a flight or does your breath smell like Taco Bell?" "Do you shower regularly?" "What will your temperament be when you have to tell me the same thing four times in a row because I just don't get it?" "Will I have any room on my side of the airplane after you get in?" etc.

One lesson will probably answer most of these kinds of questions, so don't hesitate to change instructors if you aren't feeling the love from the first (or second, or third...) one. In fact, I suggested to the potential student with the laundry list of questions that she schedule a few intro flights, each with a different instructor at our school. See who she gets along with, who's personality she likes, and who she wants to spend 20+ hours smashed into a C152 with.

Just to add to that, I doubt even after answering all of those questions that you are 100% certain to love your instructor. He/She could be the nicest person on the ground, but turn into a (insert favorite expletive-insult here) once you're airborne.
 
While I agree with Kent's analysis of the questions, the question in my mind is how to use such a list. If you were to send me a written application to be your II with this list of questions or set up a first meeting and asked them one by one I doubt we'd start on your training.

It depends on the student somewhat but typically for a (close to) zero time private or instrument candidate, our first session is about 2 hrs ground talking about each other, the lesson plans, and what is required. I don't charge for this lesson as I consider it each of us interviewing the other.

I don't think any of your questions are out of bounds but as a set they are too much.

Joe
 
Let's compromise.

You get into a long conversation, maybe take one lesson with the instructor. Then use your checklist to make sure you covered everything you wanted to know. If not, a follow-up call is appropriate.
 
21. Do you hit your students???

Where did this question come from? Has anybody ever been hit by their instructor? Not I
 
21. Do you hit your students???

Where did this question come from? Has anybody ever been hit by their instructor? Not I

But there have been some instructors that *I* wanted to hit.

-JD
 
21. Do you hit your students???

Where did this question come from? Has anybody ever been hit by their instructor? Not I

The only thing I could figure that refers to is if the CFI says "My plane" and the student doesn't let go of the controls and the CFI responds by smacking the student's hands off the controls.
 
Right on about the insurance. If the instructor or FBO or flight school has it, it is almost certain that it only protects them. As a renter, you're on your own. Rental insurance is the wise choice.

On the question about when does the meter start running... If the meter doesn't start until you get into the airplane, the instructor is planning on giving you lousy ground training. If your instructor doesn't charge for ground, find another instructor.
 
Frankly, the smoking and drinking strike me as personal and none of your business. Smoking is relevant to you only if the CFI wants to smoke during a lesson (in any location) and drinking is also not your business. If the CFI is late or missing lessons for ANY reason, the WHY isn't important to you, its how the CFI handles the miss with you.

I wouldn't want a CFI(I) who smelled like an ashtray. So I wouldn't choose him/her.
 
I wouldn't want to possibly miss out on a good instructor, just because s/he smokes - as long as it wasn't happening in the plane! My last instructor was a smoker and he was most certainly worth putting up with a bit of cigarette smell!!! :)
 
You actually don't need to ask if the instructor smokes. You know (s)he won't be doing it in the plane, and you have the right to request that (s)he not do it while giving you instruction. As far as the lingering smell, unless you are doing the interview over the phone, you'll be able to ascertain without their saying a word whether it would be enough to bother you. Of course, the scent can be a little stronger in the plane, but you can take that into account in making your evaluation.

edit: This goes for BO, eating garlic sandwiches, etc., too.
 
If he has bad breath (ashtray breath) or BO you're going to pick up on that during the 3 hour interview you're planning anyway...
 
Holy Cow! :hairraise:

You're asking a $25/hour part-time instructor more questions than our $2 million dollar Clients ask us during the RFP.


I was thinking the same thing as I was reading it JD.

For a CFII and so on, I bet you could find trustworthily people that would recommend a good instructor now that you are a pilot and in the environment.

for a new pilot I think the best thing to do would be to sit with the person over a cup of coffee. You can learn a lot about that person in 30 min of BSing.

Bob
 
You actually don't need to ask if the instructor smokes. You know (s)he won't be doing it in the plane, and you have the right to request that (s)he not do it while giving you instruction.
My smoking CFIs waited until the last minute in the smoking area until I had pre-flighted and entered the plane, then they left me to clean up and tie down while they sprinted back for another. Hopefully, your questions about pre-flight and post-flight briefings would cover this problem. I don't think asking is a bad idea.
 
21. Do you hit your students???

BAP !! Shuddup and don't ever ask me that again! !

(that'ud be the one you want):rolleyes:
 
Frankly, the smoking and drinking strike me as personal and none of your business. Smoking is relevant to you only if the CFI wants to smoke during a lesson (in any location) and drinking is also not your business. If the CFI is late or missing lessons for ANY reason, the WHY isn't important to you, its how the CFI handles the miss with you.

I won't fly with a CFI that smokes because their breath stinks, but I can tell that without asking. I might be interested to hear whether a CFI has had one or more DUIs but I don't care if they drink as long as they don't show up to fly with alcohol in their blood. And there was a CFI that my ex airplane partner fired because she showed up for his AMEL lesson with alcohol on her breath.

As to the long list of questions, I also think it's a little overboard. Several of the questions are worthless because the "correct" answer is obvious and that's what any candidate is going to give. And as has been suggested many of the concerns expressed in the list could be better addressed by having a less structured conversation than an interview situation although I see nothing inherently wrong with the idea of a formal interview with any prospective CFI. Just don't waste time (theirs and yours) with questions that provide no useful information.

Perhaps, rather than a list of specific questions to ask you should consider making a list of concerns that you want to cover in the interview. That way you can refer to your list a few times and steer the conversation to topics that apply.
 
The only thing I could figure that refers to is if the CFI says "My plane" and the student doesn't let go of the controls and the CFI responds by smacking the student's hands off the controls.

It was common practice among military and ex-military instructors to rap their students on the back of the head when mistakes were made or the IP was just angry at something that had nothing to do with the student. IIRC many insisted that the students wouldn't remember the IP's immortal words of wisdom if they weren't delivered with physical impact.
 
breath, hair, clothes, etc. In the close confines of the cockpit I would find that distracting and it would be a disqualifying attribute for me to fly with that CFI.

Personally, I don't find clothes distracting. In fact, I think I'd be more distracted if the CFI was naked.:)

Chris
 
Frankly, the smoking and drinking strike me as personal and none of your business. Smoking is relevant to you only if the CFI wants to smoke during a lesson (in any location)

It's relevant if the CFI is going to smoke before a flight. Chuck, I'm assuming you're a smoker.

Since I consider everyone here to be my friends, this is a public service message to the smokers here: You smell like **** for a good while (1/2 hr or so) after you've had a cigarette. I train smokers, and I used to let them smoke as long as it wasn't in the truck. Then, after I had a smoking trainee for a week and I was home for a day or two, I went back to the truck and it smelled like smoke. Now, I require smoking trainees to get their smoke in IMMEDIATELY after exiting the truck, do not pass go, do not collect $200, don't even go to the bathroom until you've had that smoke. That way, by the time they get back in the truck, the lingering smell is mostly gone.

I'd say that it's a fair question - If I'm gonna be cooped up in a plane for a while with a CFI, I don't want them smoking while I'm preflighting.
 
This is a lot like -- in fact it is -- a job interview. I have found that asking "quiz" type question in an interview is a waste of everyone's time. I would advise you to narrow your questions to a handful, and the more you can conduct the interview as a conversation, the better.

I like open-ended questions, because you learn a lot more about the applicant (CFI in this case), because they answer it based on their experience and what they heard in the question. But make sure you know why you are asking the open-ended question, and what things you are looking for in the answer (there isn't a "right" answer, or at least not one "right" answer, but there may be a "wrong" answer or two).

For example, if you want to find out something about teaching style, ask something like "please describe a typical lesson for one of your private students this week" (or maybe better, "last week").

If the CFI consults his or her notes on the lesson, you know the CFI takes fairly complete notes, or at least uses them to refresh what was covered. If the CFI doesn't consult the notes, you don't know what kind of notes they take, they may just tell you about the lesson they just completed.

If the CFI starts with a good description of where the student is in their training, that tells you something about how they think about lessons.

If the CFI starts with a description of the pre-flight briefing or ground lesson, that tells you something. If, on the other hand, they only talk about the flight portion, unless the student is at the touch-up stage, that tells you something else about how the CFI thinks about lessons.

That was just one example. I'd ask something similar about the syllabus, and see how the CFI discusses it. Much better than asking a question with an obvious "right" answer that can be answered yes/no.

You can learn a whole lot with a handful of well thought-out questions like that. And at the same time, your potential CFI will learn a lot about you -- for asking good questions, and for what you say in the discussion that will likely follow.

--david
 
But there have been some instructors that *I* wanted to hit.

-JD

I had an instructor that put us in a very dangerous situation during my PP training. ( Because of his SUPER PILOT attitude, and I shall say the Guy lied about every thing. He was full of BS). I was very quiet on the way back to the airport and when we departed the aircraft and got on the ground I grabbed him by the collar laid him across the wing and expailned to him what I thought of him(B&tch slapped him around a bit). He wet him self right there. I am not a bully this guy just made me so angry. I still pray for forgiveness over that one.
Thats when I started driving 1.5hrs to fininsh my training with the best CFII I could find.

The Old instructor is still giving insrtuction. But I try to lead his students somewhere else when I can.

So your interview will not stop some CFI from telling you the right answers(Bull Sh-ing you) you have to talk to others and may by take one flight with them.

Jon
 
This is a lot like -- in fact it is -- a job interview. I have found that asking "quiz" type question in an interview is a waste of everyone's time. I would advise you to narrow your questions to a handful, and the more you can conduct the interview as a conversation, the better.

I like open-ended questions, because you learn a lot more about the applicant (CFI in this case), because they answer it based on their experience and what they heard in the question. But make sure you know why you are asking the open-ended question, and what things you are looking for in the answer (there isn't a "right" answer, or at least not one "right" answer, but there may be a "wrong" answer or two).

For example, if you want to find out something about teaching style, ask something like "please describe a typical lesson for one of your private students this week" (or maybe better, "last week").

If the CFI consults his or her notes on the lesson, you know the CFI takes fairly complete notes, or at least uses them to refresh what was covered. If the CFI doesn't consult the notes, you don't know what kind of notes they take, they may just tell you about the lesson they just completed.

If the CFI starts with a good description of where the student is in their training, that tells you something about how they think about lessons.

If the CFI starts with a description of the pre-flight briefing or ground lesson, that tells you something. If, on the other hand, they only talk about the flight portion, unless the student is at the touch-up stage, that tells you something else about how the CFI thinks about lessons.

That was just one example. I'd ask something similar about the syllabus, and see how the CFI discusses it. Much better than asking a question with an obvious "right" answer that can be answered yes/no.


Exactly. Asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no provides very little information to the questioner. And in most cases the "correct" answer is obvious and will be given regardless of it's truthfulness.

E.G. "Have you ever flown with a student while under the influence of alcohol?". What sane CFI would answer that one in the affirmative? OK, so if you do chance across the one CFI in a million who answers yes, you have learned that that one is both honest and very stupid, but generally these kinds of questions are totally useless.
 
But there have been some instructors that *I* wanted to hit.

-JD

I had an instructor that put us in a very dangerous situation during my PP training. ( Because of his SUPER PILOT attitude, and I shall say the Guy lied about every thing. He was full of BS). I was very quiet on the way back to the airport and when we departed the aircraft and got on the ground I grabbed him by the collar laid him across the wing and explained to him what I thought of him( slapped him around a bit). He wet him self right there. I am not a bully this guy just made me so angry. I still pray for forgiveness over that one.
Thats when I started driving 1.5hrs to finish my training with the best CFII I could find.

The Old instructor is still giving insrtuction. But I try to lead his students somewhere else when I can.

So your interview will not stop some CFI from telling you the right answers(Bull Sh-ing you) you have to talk to others and may by take one flight with them.

Jon
 
Yousers! What'd he do?


Practicing turns around a point. I notice a large buck in a bean field,and pointed it out to him. He said "My plane lets take a closer look Har Har Har" I said " Watchout for the tower over there " CFI said " Yow I see it".

Next thing I know we headed down aright at the deer and right at the tower. I said watch the Guy (sp?) wires CFI "yow I got It ".

We are down to about 50 to 70 feet looking right at a wire. PA-28-150 about approach speed ,full load 90deg. day. He pulls up full power and has to do about 60deg bank and just missed a wire ,I am talking mere feet.
Stall horn Blairs feel the buffet and he levels wings, pitches down and we are just about the height of a combine cockpit when we are finally flying well again. He scared me and himself all because of his TOUGH AND SUPER PILOT ATTITUDE. He was not a good pilot and not a good man.

I was just trying to use him to get finished up just because he was local.STUPID ON ME.

I am not at all proud of what I did! But the word is, he has had a much better attitude with his students since the. He is still not a very good CFI. He never used any aileron into the wind on any take he preformed with me. One time he about took us off the side of the runway because of it.

Jon
 
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