Worlds worst student.

RalphInCA

RalphInCA

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RalphInCA
How many if you, during your training, started thinking "surely I MUST be the worst student my very patient instructor has EVER had!"

But then you learn the problems you are having are very common.
 
I didn't. But, I became friends with my CFI early, and we'd get pizza after most flights. I got to hear about the really bad ones, so I never had to wonder if I was one. :)

Mostly, it was the people that had problems in other parts of their lives. Poor / no preparation, no natural talent, dad making them do it (!), etc.
 
I never thought I was his worst student, more I wondered how he could put up with me for so long.

BUT.......if you're thinking that you can't get past a certain point and feel bad about it....DON'T......everybody hits roadblocks and if your CFI isn't prepared for that, well that's a different issue entirely. keep pluggin away and try not to get too hard on yourself!!!
 
Fortunately, I never had thoughts like that. Not during my PPL training. Maybe they will come during IR training. :)
But I come from a different background, I have been running comms and handling the stick long before I went to apply for my student certificate.
My instructor told me that "it feels good when somebody gets it for a change" ... which I can only assume was a compliment. :) And then he would often tell me funny stories about plenty of other students (in the past, no names). Made me feel better about my skills.
So ask your instructor for stories about students who did worse than you, they will help, believe me. AND you can also learn from them. Yes, we learn from our mistakes but it is better to learn from others' mistakes.
 
Just about everyone hits at least one plateau, and it's not at all unusual for it to be the flare and touchdown.
 
At the time I was the very best student my CFI ever had. I was his first and only at that time.

Even if only tongue in cheek it isn't good to think you may be the worst at anything. I prefer not to think in such terms.
 
Richard said:
At the time I was the very best student my CFI ever had. I was his first and only at that time.

Even if only tongue in cheek it isn't good to think you may be the worst at anything. I prefer not to think in such terms.
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I agree Richard. In general, I have a pretty strong ego. But every once in a while, doubts creep in.

I know I will be a great pilot. Just need to do the hard work required.
 
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I felt like I was a slow learner. It took me 10 months and 62 hours to get PPL. Having 3 instructors because they left for better job didnt help matters either.
 
My instructor was running two student concurrently and I knew I was golden relatively speaking when he had to "fire" his other student cuz among other things she got frustrated on a downwind leg, freaked out and just quit flying the plane! (he was right seat of course)

I may have been a rough student to work with and tough to get through to but I knew as long as I kept flying I wasn't the worst!
 
I never thought like that. You shouldn't either. Be honest about your hurdles, then overcome them with confidence and hard work.
 
Shawn said:
My instructor was running two student concurrently and I knew I was golden relatively speaking when he had to "fire" his other student cuz among other things she got frustrated on a downwind leg, freaked out and just quit flying the plane! (he was right seat of course)

I may have been a rough student to work with and tough to get through to but I knew as long as I kept flying I wasn't the worst!
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I reckon I was a 'rough' student. 1) From my life long sailing I knew more about navigation than him. So what products and services were somewhat different. A chart is a chart. A clock is a clock. Talking on the radio is talking on the radio. ETAs are ETAs. Waypoints are waypoints. While he concentrated on the nuances of aviation v. marine I countered with the general similarities. That sometimes presented a problem. The most memorable was when I reported such and such lake. ATC demanded an 'aviation related' reporting point. My CFI sat smug like waiting for me to figure out what ATC wanted. Of course ATC wanted an airport or VOR. Ok, I confess. Ugh, a clash of ego. Ok, you made your point.

Other than the hole to pour the black liquid in he didn't know an engine from a hamster wheel. I oft wonders who learns more, the new CFI or the new wannabe pilot. The one and only time he yelled was when turning a screwed up base to final (Tower had changed rwy, numerous traffic at TPA called out, night, pre-solo) CFI took the controls. We shot upwards! I had arms like Popeye, he didn't. So begat my first lesson on trimming the control pressures.
 
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RalphInCA said:
I agree Richard. In general, I have a pretty strong ego. But every once in a while, doubts creep in.

I know I will be a great pilot. Just need to so the hard work required.
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Ego has no place in the cockpit. I think you mean confidence. That was a problem I had. F'rinstance, my CFI thought I ready to make a landing before I felt comfortable. Finally I caved to his demands-yes, demands-that I land the plane. All along the approach I repeated 'you're with me on this, be ready'. He either sat mute or acknowledged that he was ready. Over those several flights I learned a bit more to trust him, that he really wishes me to succeed. It was my doubt creeping in. Frustrated that my doubt had become an obstacle I had to let that go for him to get through to me.

Another example of diminished confidence was my undercontrolling the aircraft. It was when I flew one flight with a 2nd CFI that I had the Eureka! moment. He told me in exact and uncertain terms to not be afraid to make it do what I wanted it to do. From that moment on I worked to become a master of the machine. Oh, the wonderful experiences to follow! My first short approach from downwind to final at a Class C was something to behold. I had learned the song of the bird. Confidence but with knowledge.
 
This guy.

My instructor was a retired, grizzled pipeline engineer. He was at like the 20 yr reunion of old skool! He knew I was an engineer too so he was merciless. Well OK, he just smacked me on the head with maps and cussed at me occasionally with cigar-in-teeth (only lit in his office - back when people smoked indoor...ok anywhere), especially if I did something like cancel with short notice or fail to prepare for a lesson or generally say something stupid. I was 23 yrs old so I got chewed out a lot! :D Honestly, he was actually a nice guy most of the time but his teaching style was no-nonsense for sure.

I was sure I was the dumbest guy ever to touch the controls until one day he told me to taxi in and keep it spinning. I almost fainted when he said to go do three full stop taxi backs solo after all of 9.5 hours (ok, this was a 152 at a non-towered airport, not a Cirrus at KAPA).

Just keep bouncing it around the pattern and letting your instructor instruct - even if he uses maps to teach in unconventional ways!
 
BigBadLou said:
So ask your instructor for stories about students who did worse than you, they will help, believe me. AND you can also learn from them. Yes, we learn from our mistakes but it is better to learn from others' mistakes.
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And what happens if he can't come up with one ? :D
But I think that is normal especially if you're a little older.
 
MAKG1 said:
Just about everyone hits at least one plateau, and it's not at all unusual for it to be the flare and touchdown.
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This continued well after getting the PPL for me. Setting down softly wasn't my forte.

I bought an airplane ('57, C172, great plane) and learned how to fly in it. A couple of times, after a poorly executed landing, Col. Al would look over at me and chuckle, "I'm glad this is YOUR airplane and not MINE!"

:)
 
I have never felt like that.. but I have definitely felt like a moron many times... It is something about making your hands and feet do what you want them to while landing :dunno:

I feel much better now though ! I am sure I will have many moron moments the rest of my life... :yes:
 
It was so long ago I barely remember the training. Heck I don't even remember eating breakfast this morning.
 
I never thought that either, but then again, I try to do exactly as my instructor says and I try to get to a point where my instructor does not have to prompt me.
 
Richard said:
Ego has no place in the cockpit. I think you mean confidence. That was a problem I had. .
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You are correct, confidence is a much better word in this case, not ego.

When I start any activity, I am usually pretty confident I can do it. Sometimes overconfident.

Sometimes this overconfidence leads to disappointment in myself, but I usually overcome the obstacles.

This has been a great discussion. Thanks guys for all your comments :)
 
RalphInCA said:
How many if you, during your training, started thinking "surely I MUST be the worst student my very patient instructor has EVER had!"

But then you learn the problems you are having are very common.
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I had the hardest time with the flare and landings in general. Didn't think I was the worst, but I knew not to expect any trophies or awards.
 
I was by definition the best and worst student my instructor ever had because I was his first!

Seriously, I didn't ever feel that way while getting my PPL. I was young (21), confident, and actually took to flying pretty well.

Fast forward to now and my tailwheel training. Ugh. Worst I've ever felt as a flying student. I was convinced during my first couple of lessons that my instructor had never seen a worse TW pilot and that I was going to crash the plane and kill us both. It took me a ton of effort to master TW landings. But now, 10 hours and about 50 landings later, I'm doing great.
 
I know the feeling. Several times I've expected to get out, see the gear bent up, tires blown, and cfi refusing to ever ride with me again. But everything's straight and cfi says I'm progressing right on schedule, maybe a little ahead. I guess being your own harshest critic comes with being a pilot.
 
My instructor has been telling me since about the second lesson that I am doing very well and that I am "better than most", whatever that means. I don't see it at all. I told my wife after he had made a couple of comments that, "I am sure he is just trying to build my confidence and he probably tells everyone that". But he keeps telling me that I am ahead of schedule. I have just chosen to take him at his word.
 
You don't need to be the worst or best student...you DO need to be the best pilot you can be to protect your life and anyone you take up with you...
 
Read the life story of big frank Valesh. One of the best B-17 pilots in the " bloody 100th" during world war 2. He very nearly washed out of cadets but made it thu barely. ( they need ed pilots desperately by that time). He is a legend. Always brought his crew home even with unreal damage to the 7 aircraft he went thru. Google bloody 100th or hang the expense. B17. He named all 7 this. He survived the war but died young.
 
I always thought I could do better while training. Both of my CFIs were the no non-sense type, like my father. They expected perfection in everything.

This has been pasted on to my students in my style of teaching. I keep my students to a high tolerance from day one. Most have come back and thanked me for being hard on them. I never yell but they know when I'm disappointed.

A former student came back a few weeks ago after his checkride. He said that his new CFI didn't keep him to the +/- 0' that I held him to and he could tell in his flying.

Most of my students have had the "I suck at flying" days. I'll try to end the flight on a high note so they don't go home annoyed at themselves. It's quite noticeable when they finally get over their plateau.
 
Part of the problem is the one one-up-man-ship that pilots love so much. Say you solo at 30 hours, it won't be five minutes until someone says, "Yup, only took me 10, but of course I'm a natural". Just as you're feeling really low, here comes someone else, "10! Took me 5, I was flying acro solo at 10", etc.

IMO much of discrepancy comes from an instructors ability to teach efficiently. Not everyone learns the same way and some people don't respond well to constant criticism (unless they're married). Having the right instructor is a big part of it.
 
Alexb2000 said:
Part of the problem is the one one-up-man-ship that pilots love so much. Say you solo at 30 hours, it won't be five minutes until someone says, "Yup, only took me 10, but of course I'm a natural". Just as you're feeling really low, here comes someone else, "10! Took me 5, I was flying acro solo at 10", etc.

IMO much of discrepancy comes from an instructors ability to teach efficiently. Not everyone learns the same way and some people don't respond well to constant criticism (unless they're married). Having the right instructor is a big part of it.
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It's also not true that one guy soloing at 30 hours is any better than another guy soloing at 50 hours. When you solo is a subjective opinion of the CFI and how frequently you are getting into the air.

The truly sad part is this fixation on hours...even guys with thousands of hours crash and burn. And it is simply a fact that no pilot ever mastered it all, all of us are on a long, lifetime learning curve. The second you think you are 'done' is when you bite the big one... Arrogance and pride are really fast killers...
 
I soloed when my CFI was sure that I wouldn't break the airplane, because we both needed it to fly home.
 
Let's make sure that this thread does not turn into a pi**ing contest of who soloed earlier (not saying anybody is trying to do that, just want to avoid it preemptively).

IMHO, if a student feels like the worst student in the world, the instructor should provide some positive feedback to break that kind of train of though. (unless the student is a hopeless exception but let's NOT assume that here! :) ).

I've hit a time or two when I didn't feel up to par. It takes a good instructor to recognize it and provide help. And of course the student should NOT give up. Fear or inferior feelings have no place in the cockpit.

For all the students out there: ENJOY your training, it is so much fun to fly! Is your instructor rushing you? Slow it down. Is he scaring you with checkride stories? Tell him to cut it out. :) Do you fear a maneuver? Ask your CFI to demonstrate it differently. Make him make it fun. Make him turn it into a challenge, competition, whatever drives you. You should enjoy flying, not fear it.

Ok, I will shut up now. I just miss flying, sitting here on the couch, studying IR books, enjoying A/C while it is 110 outside, resting my feet on a bucket of prop wash. ;)
 
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