The ‘other’ CFIs

“Dad said if you didn’t ask to see these, I wasn’t allowed to fly with you.” I later found out his father was an airline pilot, and I had just unknowingly passed the flight instructor test. (They were missing a current transponder inspection and operating under the Class Bravo shelf, but that’s a story for another day.)

As students, when we sign up with someone to take flight lessons, we often don’t know what we’re getting ourselves into. Maybe there are only a handful of CFIs on your field or maybe you started with one guy for your private and have just kept him for your other ratings because it’s easier than finding someone new. But, just like in any field, there are instructors who are good at what they do and will teach you how to be a safe pilot…and there are the other CFIs, who can make your flight training experience very slow and painful and ultimately unsuccessful. As a chief flight instructor of a large school and as a designated examiner, I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum. But how do you know? What if your father is not an airline pilot who can give sneaky tests to see if you’ve picked the right one? Let me just be honest with you here, one pilot friend to another: There are certain things a professional instructor will or will not do, and yes, it is possible to tell if you have a good one. Let me tell you how:

First and foremost, a good instructor will make you feel safe. They will do certain things every single time you fly together, such as checking the weather, going behind the student’s preflight and visually verifying the level of fuel and the security of the caps, and looking out for traffic when maneuvering. They will allow you the freedom to make certain mistakes, but they will always draw the line when it comes to keeping you and the aircraft safe.

They will behave like courteous professionals. If they are running late, they will let you know. They will not be on their cellphone when you are paying them to instruct. They will not be studying for their airline interview during your cross-country flights. (I’m not trying to be funny. I have heard complaints of people actually doing this.) I don’t include wardrobe here because, while there is a certain standard for professional attire, I have known some excellent instructors who wear T-shirts and flip-flops. You CFIs who work for me, don’t get any ideas here!

Good instructors will spend time with you on the ground. Lots of it. There will be a detailed discussion before the flight on what maneuvers you can expect and there will be a kind, but honest debrief after the flight where you will get a chance to ask all of your questions. Your CFI is human and may not have all the answers, but he or she will be up front about what they do know and will point you to the resources to get more information if needed. If you get the impression your CFI is only in it to build hours, lose them. Fast.

Professional instructors are not looking for a friend. That doesn’t mean you cannot socialize outside of lesson time. But, while you are a paying client, they will be teaching you how to become the best pilot version of yourself. They will set clear goals for your progress and push you to be better. They will hold you accountable when you fall short of your study or flying benchmarks. You don’t need a buddy. You need a teacher.

Finally, they will teach you how to fly an airplane, not how to pass a checkride. So, from day one, your instructor should insist on clearing turns and checklist usage. This should not be a new discipline that is introduced the lesson before the checkride. They will teach you things that may not even be on the test because they care about your future safety and not just their students’ passing percentage.

There are so many ways to be effective as a flight instructor, and what works great for one student may not be a good fit for another. Maybe your CFI is a jokester or so serious that you constantly push yourself just to be good enough to make her crack a smile. There is no one-size-fits-all mold here. However, certain things will be consistent. Professionalism. Safety. Courtesy. Whether you are working on your private certificate or just trying to stay instrument proficient, if you do not feel like you’ve found the one yet, do not settle. Keep looking. Good instructors are out there. You just have to find them.

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