Author Archive
…KEEP… -[flahy-ing]-
Caught in the serenity of the vivid 5 a.m. horizon, the aroma of Folger’s Columbian blend engulfed the cockpit of the Cessna 310R I fly for a small Part 91 operator.
-Climb checklist complete-
It’s moments like this that make it easy to sit back and reflect on how I find myself in the position that I am in. There are, of course, new adventures to be had, banks to reluctantly send student loan payments to, and people to thank. None deserve more gratitude than my instrument instructor (CFII), who took a 100 hour private pilot, and through coaching alone, dramatically improved my stick and rudder skills and confidence.
–“Twin Cessna One Two Tree Alpha Bravo, climb and maintain One Two thousand”–
The IO-520’s are still giving me a thousand feet a minute at 140 knots indicated.
….Cruise checklist complete
There is one story in particular that stands out in my head worth telling, that, I think instructors and students alike can learn from.
After a long day of shooting ILS, GPS (-Super NES-) practice approaches, Wes (my CFII) and I, were in a portion of the practice area where it would take another 15 minutes to land if we shot the full (procedure turn and all) approach into our home airport. Mutually agreeing that we both did not want that, I told him, “Well, just give me vectors to final.” I was still under the hood, confident he would be looking for traffic.
“Ok, N123AB turn right heading two-four-zero, descend and maintain One thousand five hundred.”
I complied.
“N123AB turn right three-six-zero descend and maintain 800”
Pucker factor increased (“nice vector jerk”), winds were favoring runway three-six today.
“N123AB right heading 020 down to 615,” he said.
“That is the field elevation!” I chirped.
Out of my peripheral I could see trees whipping by under the wing. “That’s it!”… that was close enough. A split second later I ripped off the foggles restricting my viewing capability, to find myself crossing the runway threshold at 100 feet above the ground and 90 knots. The trained instincts of a private pilot in this situation were screaming “GO AROUND.” Wes had other plans. Within a split second he queried, “How much runway does it take to land?” … “Uh, a thousand feet,” I croaked… “We have 4,000 feet, land the plane.” Flying by the seat of my pants I grimaced, dumped full flaps, chopped the power, and pitched the airplane into a nose-high slip. Wes then calmly but sternly muttered,
…KEEP… -[flahy-ing]-
“Twin Cessna One-Two-Three Alpha Bravo, 2 miles from MYRHH, turn right 3 zero-zero maintain three-thousand until established on the localizer, cleared for the ILS Runway 32.”
The phrase and the manner it was spoken has stuck with me as I teach my students. These two basic words offer encouragement in the face of a trying situation in the airplane for the student. It reassures them of being capable of handling the situation when in doubt of their flying skills. Was Wes pushing the limits and jeopardizing safety when a go-around would have been the wisest choice? Possibly. But what if you were caught single-engine in high density altitude and low IFR? Or, caught in moderate ice without de-ice or anti-ice capability, and caught a glimpse of the runway? Are you going-around in that situation? It is a positive thing to break training instincts in favor of creating a realistic flying environment. It is positive helping a pilot find their limits and the airplane’s limits, no matter what the rating is, no matter what the experience level is.
I ended up bouncing the airplane twice before finally firmly planting the wheels on the ground on the final third of the runway. It would be the only time that I used the entire length of the runway to get an airplane to come to a stop.
“Twin Cessna One-Two-Three Alpha Bravo, turn left on Alpha, left on Juliet, taxi to the ramp, welcome back.”
Talk to me, Goose.
“I don’t see how you remember all of this stuff” John said one day as we concluded our ground lesson.
Of course, “stuff” wasn’t the adjective he used, nor would I, as we had just spent 3 hours reviewing what he had learned over the past 3 months.
His simple expression of frustration made me a bit nostalgic, reminding me of the days of what seemed to be nothing but mind-numbing memorization and a trivial understanding of physics. It also reminded me of my perception of my first flight instructor. To most, first flight instructors are what I call Aviation Jesus’ in the eyes of their students. They are walking, talking *FAR/AIM AFM’s with hands and feet. They are all knowing, all seeing beings, capable of gracing the heavens with a steep turn that doesn’t deviate a single FOOT off altitude. You don’t question their authority; because they have the capability of pulling your engine at any given point in training, and responding with a crooked smirk on their face, and the expression of “what are you gonna do now, *PIC?” They are intimidating.
Or, well, at least that was my perception.
But, does it really have to be that way? As a victim of ->POOR<- instruction received (not to mention paid for, during a portion of commercial training), I can only answer with a resounding “NO!”
Allow me to digress for a second. If I asked you to draw me a picture of a pilot, what would it look like? I think most would start with the sunglasses – HE, might have an awesomely stereotypical 80’s moustache, while posted up on a wall in a brown leather coat mysteriously reflecting over a cigarette and checking the time on his oversized watch. Sound familiar? Or, did you paint the mental picture of Goose and Maverick telling the story of their 4G negative dive with a MiG 28?
It seems, since the dawn of aviation, pilots have suffered from numerous personality (superiority) complexes. Flight Instructors and pilots alike often times are egotistical, macho, and invulnerable. These attributes often come off to students as intimidating, and what most do not realize is done so as a means of “saving face”- to protect their image and ego that has been constructed by previous generations of pilots (and pop-culture). These complexes have often resulted in students feeling inferior, unworthy or “not cut out to be a pilot”, because their instructors cannot elementarily explain a subject (or in most cases, don’t understand it themselves) and intimidate their students into memorizing what the book says (not necessarily understanding what was said).
As an instructor, there isn’t a bigger disservice to a student than “saving face” because your ego, and that little card with Orville and Wilbur’s face in your wallet, demands. And, as a student, let me assure you that you CAN get your certificate, even if you can’t cut as pretty of a steep turn as your instructor (remember the *PTS is the judge), or have a full conversation using only acronyms and mnemonics.
I responded to John shortly after with, “I don’t remember everything, man.”
There is only so much the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and Airplane Flying Handbook can convey to get the reader to understand. The instructor’s role is to generate an understanding that the student could not get on their own, or from a book. For me, that means reviewing the night before, so that 40 dollars an hour is worth 40 dollars an hour to the student, and so that the student is confident and competent in their technical subject areas.
Not to be cliché, but, “keep it real” with your instructor if you’re a student. Pretending to understand jargon or “nodding your head and singing along” doesn’t help your cause. Be active in your quest to obtain whatever license is desired, call your instructor’s bluff, and don’t be intimidated by an Aviation Jesus – I promise they are mere mortals that have been in your shoes.
*FAR/AIM Federal Aviation Regulations/Airman’s Information Manual
*AFM- Airplane Flight Manual
*PIC- Pilot in Command
*PTS- Practical Test Standards