Category Archives: Flight Stories

Weaker Moments as a Flight Instructor

by

You’re fired!!

Those words have never been said to me but in a roundabout way, I’ve said them. Not to an employee either. To a student.

Not my strongest moment.

We’ve all had our frustrating students. The ones that won’t study. The ones that show up late (so habitually that you can show up late and actually appear to have been on time!). The ones that just don’t seem to get it – not flying, not ever.

5 years after I was handed that temporary certificate – that license to teach someone else – and I still feel like I’m the student.

I sat there in that debriefing room staring at my frustrated student. With all his wrinkles, gray hairs, and past military experience and here he was looking to me – a 25 year old instructor “whippersnapper” – for wisdom, for advice, for knowledge, for feedback. I didn’t have any more to give. He was frustrated, I was frustrated.

12Our relationship had begun roughly a year earlier. I took him over after he was dissatisfied with a previous instructor. After nearly 70 hours he finally soloed and promptly headed off to Florida for the winter.

He was back now, only with him he now had a Sport Pilot License. All we had to do was check him out in the airplane. For the life of me though, I could not get him to land the plane safely – consistently. He had his random one or two good ones, and as soon as I thought “he’s good to go”, he pulled something out of nowhere.

Overshooting the runway. Undershooting the runway. Side-loading. Flaring high. Flaring late. Not flaring. Blasting down final at 90 knots. Blasting down final at 90 knots 500 feet too high. If there was something we didn’t do it was making it to the moon.

The key here is that it wasn’t his fault. Hence my frustration. He felt it was his fault. Hence his frustration. I felt like I had exhausted all possibilities, so finally, I told him to finish up with another instructor.

I hate not seeing things through. I’ve had students I’ve sent to another instructor for a couple lessons to iron out some un-ironable kinks, but never completely dumped a student.

Moral of the story? There’s still so much for ME to learn. There’s still so much for YOU to learn. Should I have fired him? Maybe, maybe not. But it was all I could do, with what was available to me, to help him progress at the time.

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE TO LEARN – AND IT WILL USUALLY, IF NOT ALWAYS BE LEARNED IN OUR WEAKER MOMENTS.

So live up to those moments. Don’t let them fester but don’t forget them either.

But who am I to say it…you probably already knew it! Have you fired a student? What was one of your weaker moments and what did you learn from it?

Student – Instructor Relationships: Ones That Soar

by

One of my students earned their Private Pilot License today, making me so proud! He texted me this evening, it went something like “thank you for all your help, I was well prepared and owe it all to you.” Wow. It’s great to get a thank you and feel appreciated but really as an instructor we are only part of the equation.

To students:

  • Work hard and know that it wasn’t just your teacher that led to your success.
  • Your hard work and dedication is what will ultimately lead to success in your endeavors. No amount of pure instruction will lead to it. Read what you’re asked to read, study what you’re asked to study, and pay attention!
  • If you don’t care, your teacher probably won’t either.
  • Be thankful for a great teacher.

To instructors:

  • Know your shtuff (…and yes I meant shtuff), no person ever knows EVERYTHING.
  • Provide the tools for your students. Go the “extra mile”, I say go two. Or ten. Or one-hundred. Make your job a labor of endurance: just when it looks like you’re reaching the finish line, push a little harder.
  • Give your students all you can, they won’t care if you don’t.
  • Be grateful for a good student.

I will be the first to admit I am nowhere near perfect. Heck I probably don’t even pass as average (if that could be measured) and I think many instructors often lose sight of the real picture: We are students. I’m not the one who always thinks myself a student. I have to have those nudges that push me along or remind me who I really am so my pride can take a step back. This leads to my last (little) blurb: Please thank one another – it really does feel good! It’s always refreshing as an instructor to receive a thank you, and it helps us “keep at it”. It feels great as a student to know that your instructor appreciates the time and work you put into accomplishing something, anything! Plus, it inspired this post!

So let your relationship soar! 🙂

Do you have any stories of a great student or instructor? What made the difference? I’d love to update the two lists above to help others and I’d love to hear it because it helps me improve too!

To our studies,

Up in the Air

Farewell to Miami

by

I’ve been crazy busy the last few weeks (who isn’t?). Some changes are happening. I moved to Miami barely a year ago and I’m moving yet again. While I’m happy to be leaving Miami (Florida just isn’t for me), there is some sadness to it…take a look and see why! 🙂

I’ve enjoyed my time here and it has been a great experience, but it is time to move on!

Be back soon,

Up in the Air

(I recently discovered Instagram and now have a gallery open to purchase any photos you might like, including some from this post: instacanv.as/cskarp – all support is appreciated!)

Natural Character – Trinity Center Airport (O86)

by

A short time ago I wrote about flying into Quincy Airport, and flying into the middle of a fly-in (see Love of the Mountains). That same day my friend and I continued on to several airports. First we stopped at Lake Almanor – Rogers Airport (O05…That’s O-zero-five), walked in…talked to some friendly people at the local…uh…flight club (it was small), then decided to continue on. It was a beautiful flight in, but nowhere to really go whilst on foot – at least not that we were told. I have a couple of photos but couldn’t find them while writing this, so I’ll have to wait on them and post them when I do. On the other hand, I have several photos from our next stop, Trinity Center Airport (O86).

We flew in over the lake so we could be at a good altitude getting to the airport. We could have circled and dropped down over the top, but the view in was much better this way (after all who likes seeing the same thing, over and over again?…don’t answer that!).

It was a beautiful flight and a beautiful airport to go into. Remember how I said there was nothing in walking distance of the last airport? Well…such was the case here too, in all honesty, but we did make it into the VERY small town and managed to grab a bite from a local hole-in-the-wall…don’t remember the name, which is good I guess because the food was eh…people were nice though! I suppose we weren’t there for the food any way. HIGHLY recommended to fly into (or at least by this area, the local mountains are called the “Trinity Alps“).

The airport is right on the water, with a river running by the north side of the airport, and amazing views all around. I’ve never flown into a prettier place…and can’t wait until I do because that means it’ll be spectacular! 🙂

To many memories,

Up in the Air

The Aircam

by

The Aircam was originally designed for National Geographic – to fly low and slow (and have an extra engine for safety!), while at the same time providing easy visibility to the outside. A few years ago I had the opportunity to fly one. Very fun, probably the most fun I’ve had in an airplane!

 

I was able to catch some video too! Do you ever wish you could go back to that moment in time and just experience it again? I do!

(Make sure your speakers are down, the wind is a little loud!)

…

Cheers!

Up in the Air

…

(if you liked this post, don’t forget to hit “like” down below and hit the “like” button above and to the right to “like” Memoirs of a Flight Instructor on Facebook!)

Mount Rushmore

by

After departing from my fuel stop in Rapid City, SD (KRAP) I asked for the “Mount Rushmore Tour” from ATC, they were very helpful and gave me headings to help me find it! Don’t ever be afraid to ask for help from Air Traffic Control, in this case it was for a fun reason, but the help can just as easily be used to save your life!

Mount Rushmore – April 17, 2008

Cheers,

Up in the Air

Is there a RIGHT way to change the runway?

by

I’m stubborn…very stubborn.

I flew into a non-towered airport today with two runways. It was mid-morning, so the wind had shifted at some point from calm to out of the south. The runways were 10/28, 18/36. Winds shifting between 170 and 200 at 6-7 knots. There were a couple other airplanes in the pattern for 1-0, and I imagine they had been there for the past hour or so since they were using that runway. And here I come, out of the Northeast, looking to set my struggling student up with the fewest worries. No tower, calmer winds, and so on. We set up the way we should for runway 1-8, calling inbound, saying our intentions to cross mid-field and enter back on a right 45.

One of the instructors already there jumps on and tells me “a couple aircraft are already using 1-0”.

What do I do? Of course this had to be on an off-day, a day I’m not in the greatest of moods (a whole blog could be made into why no one should fly in a bad mood!)…So I reply “Winds are at 1-8-0, at 7 knots, I’m trying to switch it up to the more favorable runway”…and I bluntly add in, “go back to [insert home airport here] airport and get your crosswind practice there!” Shouldn’t have said that, I know, but again…not off to a great start for the day.

“The wind is barely noticeable, you’ll be okay.”

Now we’re attacking my skills? “Just trying to teach my student right, trying to use the right runway.”

Eventually the couple of planes switched over and continued on as if nothing happened.

So I have a question today…did I take the right action?

I could have easily entered the pattern for runway 1-0 and dealt with the light crosswind/tailwind and gone on with the day. But at what point do we say there needs to be a change? Winds were forecast to be out of the south for the entire day, so at what point does someone finally say “let’s make a change!”

Whether my actions were right or wrong (disclaimer: I’m still learning, as everyone should be, especially when it comes to flying!), should someone be met with an angry voice on the other side of the mic? Is that really constructive? I guess with every “family” there are going to be confrontations, I’m just sad to hear it when everyone is learning. My student, his student, everyone.

I’ve had the reverse happen to me. Being at an airport, winds changing, and someone else coming in and changing to the new runway. It’s inconvenient, yes, but since when is an inconvenience a bad thing in aviation? Only when you don’t accommodate for it?

Please, opinions are welcome, I’m open to new or better ways to handle situations! We are only able to make decisions to the extent of our experience, training, and the experience of others! So…what would you have done?

To more learning experiences!

Up in the Air

Originally Written: April 20, 2012 // Rewritten: April 29, 2012

Love of the Mountains

by

I haven’t done any major or “hardcore” mountain flying just yet, but I have done a little. One of my absolute favorite places to go in the Sierra Nevada mountain range (so far!) is the small town of Quincy, CA.

Nestled in a valley at about 3500 feet, it would be what I consider a well-kept secret! I’ve gone in there several times, and always make sure to stop at the Morning Thunder Cafe, which is about a 10 minute walk, 15 if you take in the sites, plane to doorstep.

I even flew in there once on a Father’s day fly-in and got to see a little more than I thought I would! Made my day, my friend’s too!

So if you’re looking for beautiful scenery, small town and feel, and good food (huge portions!), then fly to Quincy (Gansner Field “2O1”)!

Happy Flying,

Up in the Air