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I expected this sort of oversight as part of being certificated and feel it is important for a flight instructor certificate to have meaning and value. I started to answer in detail but there were too many questions and I had trouble wading through the hyperbole. A CFIs responsibilities and...

San Luis Obispo (KSBP) has had some staffing issues and does not allow Touch and Goes and opposite direction instrument approaches sometimes. There have also been time where the tower had short hours. Santa Maria (KSMX) limits pattern work when there is a fire. I have not found this to be a...

It is my observation that some flight instructors do a terrible job of preparing their learners for their practical test. It is a waste of the examiners time and the learners money. Most learners believe that because I am certificated by the FAA I will do a good job of teaching them to FAA...

Based on my interest in aviation accident I feel my odds of having an in flight engine failure can be dramatically reduced if I manage the fuel and pay attention to what my engine is trying to tell me. It is my observation that many in flight engine failures are the direct result of stupid...

I have declared and emergency three times and only talked to the NTSB once. I suspect they would be pleased if I fixed what was the reason for the mayday call as soon as practical so they can get back to whatever they were doing before I declared an emergency.

I am trying to learn from her Videos as a flight instructor and wondered what I would have done differently. When I have a learner who is having trouble with some device on the aircraft I have them read the manual before flying again and I make certain I know how to make it work so I can find...

I have flown with forty two flight instructors and would likely recommend only four to a friend. I felt unsafe with a few and shortened the flight, two of them are now dead. They also need to be a good match for the learner. If they hurry preflight, minimize problems with the aircraft or...

I am not a fixed wing pilot nor am I instrument rated in anything. My limited experience with fixed wing aircraft flying under the hood (3 hours) had me feeling that pitch controlled airspeed and throttle controlled altitude. I don't understand how an autopilot can hold altitude without...

Fly and instruct for another year. Enjoy every flight and every learner. Maintain my 100% pass rate. Find and install a low time IO-320 to replace my current engine. Refurbish my Kato propeller. Learn to better operate my printer and my Go Pro camera. Learn to make less of a mess when I...

I have not flown with Jenny or her flight instructor. Watching edited videos is a very limited view. It is my observation that many learners imagine that because someone is a certificated flight instructor they will provide quality flight instruction. My experience has been the quality of...

Congratulations Ryan!

She was not offering flight instruction and I did not see where she claimed to be a great pilot. I like the way she edited her videos and found her charming. I had not seen her videos until her accident. It appears she was good enough to pass the private pilot practical test. I suspect most...

If I were going to give up aviation to RV because I was not having fun flying I fear I would not have fun RVing. I might try renting an RV for two weeks and go somewhere with my wife to experience the challenges of an RV first hand. I find as I age (74) it is harder to get up the motivation to...

Continue to fly and instruct. I will turn 75 in July and I never expected to last this long of be having this much fun. Life treats me well. It would be fun to find a Lycoming IO-320 B1A with enough hours left to outlast me and have enough money to buy it.

Congratulations on resolving the challenge in a timely way. In my opinion it is best to declare an emergency at the first sign of trouble so ATC can use all the tools they have to help you.

On my alternator belt (IO-320 and Plane Power) the failure mode is to chuck parts off the inside. To inspect it properly I have to rotate the engine so I can inspect every part of it. The outside looks fine. When it begins to fail my volt meter goes up and down.

Sounds like a good plan to me. Newly learned skills are fragile and currency has value. I have flown with 42 flight instructors and learned something from each of them.

I have trouble letting go of the memories of the times I have said to the learner “my aircraft” because I was afraid we were about to bend something. It often keeps me up the night before a solo endorsement. It may be that you did something that reminded him of a “my aircraft” experience that...

I have so many blessings in my life I spend a half hour a day every day being grateful. I feel it is time well spent and it helps me to maintain a happy attitude. Flying and a loving wife are at the top of the list.

My initial CFI oral seven years ago was 11 hours and forty five minutes over two days.