Like many private pilots who are slowly working their way towards advanced ratings, I have had several flight instructors at this point in my flight training. All of my instructors have been very good, except one, who I ‘fired’ about a month ago. I now have a new CFII (I’m working on my Instrument Rating) that I believe is really going to work out.
When you choose a flight instructor, it is like a job interview. You are hiring this person to teach you how to fly safely and legally. Here are some things to keep in mind when either choosing a CFI or continuing to fly with a CFI:
1. Does he/she have a lesson plan for you to help track your progress through whatever rating you are seeking?
2. Do they show up prepared for your lesson (this works both ways, of course).
3. Do they properly brief your training session and make sure that you understand what you will be covering for that flight?
4. Do they properly provide a post-flight briefing to point out weak areas?
5. Do they seem bored with teaching? Are they effective at communicating the skills needed?
6. Are they safe (especially important when instrument training and the CFI is the safety pilot)?
The CFI that I fired never worked out a syllabus for me (I was joining him after starting my training), never discussed the details of each upcoming flight, never seemed to know exactly what we were doing
for that flight until I asked him, and was quite arrogant when dealing with other pilots on the radio.
So, after about 3 lessons, I decided I had already paid too much for little or no value. There are just too many good flight instructors out there to waste time with a bad one. Sure, this instructor had lots of flight time, but that is of no use if they cannot effectively transfer that experience to you.
If you are in any way dissatisfied with your flight instructor, let them know about the problems. If they are receptive, this can be a turning point in your training. Many CFIs have newly minted certificates, so they may not have a wealth of experience in handling the nuances of each student’s learning style. If, however, your CFI rejects or
brushes off your issues, then you will be better off finding a new one.