CFI's Scared to sign off for Solo?

Ron Levy said:
That doesn't tell me a lot, as I have no idea what sort of plane you're flying, or how many months or years over which this training is spread. If you were flying a twin and taking one lesson a month, you might only be a quarter of the way there.
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I am training in a Cessna 150 and the 50 hours has been accumulated over less than 4 months, I go at least twice a week since I read and believe it would be better to build skills without major gaps in training. I'm no dummy, the last hobby I took up was ham radio, passed my Tech, General, Extra test and learned Morse code within 2 months at age 51 so I don't have a learning disability.

The more than 30 hours in the traffic pattern has been mainly in winds/ crosswinds on calmer days I can do pretty well...I'm landing on the mains, my flare isn't totally perfect but it's better..when I know I can't make a landing I call out that I will go around, I don't fly a perfect pattern all the time but it's ok a large percentage of the time, my take offs are on the centerline, I preflight the plane, do all the checklists on my own, get ATIS, call ground for taxi, do run up..call tower for take off...I'm DEFINITELY not perfect and not sure what a typical student pilot looks like. MY CFI says that his older clients have taken a long time but I believe I'm the very longest to solo yet so maybe I'm way behind the curve.

I'm NOT trying to slam the system, or my flight school I'm just trying to understand if there are red flags going up all around me. If I'm not cut out to do this I need to read behind the lines and face reality. I hate to go to another CFI, especially behind his back, I fear greatly this will cause bad blood so I can only do that as a last resort.

Many, many thanks for all your posts and suggestions.

Ms. Lumpy
 
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Many have suggested you see another instructor. I honestly don't know why that bothers you. You instructor should have fixed this problem 35 hours ago one way or the other. He is doing you a disservice by leading you on this long. It makes sense to try another instructor. If a new instructor can not fly with you a couple hours and solo you then you may just have to face the truth.
 
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Yep, Flight Instructors are like prostitutes, they are doing what they like doing and getting you to pay them for it. If this one isn't getting you off, find a different one, again like prostitutes, the world is full of them. You deserve a 'happy ending'.
 
I've soloed over 100 students and was never worried. Had I been worried I wouldn't have signed them off.
 
DONT GO BEHIND HIS BACK TELL HIM YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT ANOTHER CFI HAS TO SAY ABOUT YOUR SKILLS AND SEE WHERE YOU ARE AT YOU PAY HIM ITS YOUR PREROGATIVE AND YOU CAN PROTECT HIM FROM SCREWING YOU IF HE IS INDEED! PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR BEFORE YOU QUIT AND GO FLY WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
 
Lumpy Landings said:
I am training in a Cessna 150 and the 50 hours has been accumulated over less than 4 months, I go at least twice a week since I read and believe it would be better to build skills without major gaps in training. I'm no dummy, the last hobby I took up was ham radio, passed my Tech, General, Extra test and learned Morse code within 2 months at age 51 so I don't have a learning disability.
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I never got the code fast enough to get General (13 wpm back then), so I "retired" as a Tech.

The more than 30 hours in the traffic pattern has been mainly in winds/ crosswinds on calmer days I can do pretty well...I'm landing on the mains, my flare isn't totally perfect but it's better..when I know I can't make a landing I call out that I will go around, I don't fly a perfect pattern all the time but it's ok a large percentage of the time, my take offs are on the centerline, I preflight the plane, do all the checklists on my own, get ATIS, call ground for taxi, do run up..call tower for take off...I'm DEFINITELY not perfect and not sure what a typical student pilot looks like. MY CFI says that his older clients have taken a long time but I believe I'm the very longest to solo yet so maybe I'm way behind the curve.
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I'm sure you'll understand that without flying with you, I can't really say much about this, since I've seen too many trainees with inaccurate self-assessments of their own ability. Not saying you are one of those, just exercising a bit of caution about questioning another instructor's judgment based on one Student Pilot's description of her own skills. And I suspect that getting you and me together in a C-150 for an evaluation flight would probably be prohibitively expensive.

I'm NOT trying to slam the system, or my flight school I'm just trying to understand if there are red flags going up all around me. If I'm not cut out to do this I need to read behind the lines and face reality. I hate to go to another CFI, especially behind his back, I fear greatly this will cause bad blood so I can only do that as a last resort.
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Then have the conversation with him as I suggested, and if you aren't satisfied, go see the Chief Instructor. I'm sure from your posts that you understand the importance as a matter of courtesy of telling your instructor you're doing that, but if he's a professional, he won't be offended in the least by that as long as you don't do it "behind his back". And if he is offended by doing it openly after that discussion, you don't want him as your instructor anyway.

Many, many thanks for all your posts and suggestions.
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Happy to help.
 
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marcoseddi said:
DONT GO BEHIND HIS BACK TELL HIM YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT ANOTHER CFI HAS TO SAY ABOUT YOUR SKILLS AND SEE WHERE YOU ARE AT YOU PAY HIM ITS YOUR PREROGATIVE AND YOU CAN PROTECT HIM FROM SCREWING YOU IF HE IS INDEED! PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR BEFORE YOU QUIT AND GO FLY WITH SOMEONE ELSE.
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shhhhhhh.....
 
A short story here, may or may not be relevant.
In 1978 I soloed after 6 hours of dual instruction. In 1979 I'd completed the dual cross country, (~30 hrs) then ran out of money. fast forward to 1989, I was in the position to take up flying again. And started out with a different instructor. After 10 years, it was pretty much starting from square one. after 8 hours dual I was again signed off for solo. Then another few years hiatus, and yet another instructor, and solo after about 5 hours. Finally in 2000 I had the chance/financial wherewithall to "git 'er dun". But it was a "start all over from square one" thing. I went to the local flight school, plunked down cash up front, and flew tuesday, wednesday, friday, saturday, and sunday. In a few weeks time I had my PPL. But in those years, and last few weeks I had the opportunity to fly with several different instructors in a basic training environment.
What I found was out of about 8 different instructors, there were 3 that stand out as being exceptional teachers, 4 were about average time builders, and one was just plumb spooky/nervous. The spooky/nervous one I think is relavent here. I only flew with him on the x-country night trip to HJR for a fish dinner. It felt to me like I had more night time logged than he did. (probably did, as the past few weeks were in winter, and after work) The plan was for several of us to go at once and fly in single file, straight in approach and land, have supper, then "yer on yer own to get back".
As we arrived, I had traffic in sight, and was no factor. He grabs the controls, and makes a diving turn to the left, while screaming "did you see that airplane?!" I calmly replied that yes I did see it, about 300 yards at 2:00, several hundred below, and pulling ahead. I had to re-configure, and fly the pattern, because his sudden manuver threw me out of sequence. The Boss asked why we flew the pattern when we were supposed to be #3 in sequence to land straight in. I don't remember what we told him, but was something to do about education. Anyway after a good meal we headed back to the home drome. On climbout I'd already picked out the airport beacon and headed for it. "Spooky/nervous" asked where the airport was, I told him that it's ded ahead, "see the beacon?" He told me that it was not our destination, but Jasper, and tried to take the controls again. He was getting all excited because we had no airplanes to follow, I tried to remain calm, and explain to him that #1 there was no wind, #2 the compass heading was correct, #3 Jasper was over there, and I pointed out the beacon for Jasper.
I saw that I had an opportunity to teach this nervous instructor to calm down, and not be so panicky. I pointed out the window, "Look at that!", then turned off the panel lights. He didn't notice untill I'd entered the pattern, and pulled power abeam the numbers. Then he got real nervous, Kinda fidgety even, I turned base to final, and he was concerned about the landing light, I told him that the bulb blew when I turned it on, and that I could fly around trying to troubleshoot, or just land, beins how I'm on final, I'll just land.
He didn't stay there much longer after that.
But it was the other instructors who gave me the ability to navigate, land without panel lights or landing light, and made it fun.
I feel that the flight school "milked" me a little, but they also taught me more than just the basics to meet PTS requirements.
 
I had one student, a power (airplane) pilot working towards an "add-on" glider rating.
He could not master the "cross controlled stall" or the "slip to landing (no spoiler)".

So I never solo'd him in the glider.

He owned and flew a Citabria. But some that flew in his airplane with him were spooked.
 
ebetancourt said:
First maybe we should cull instructors who don't suggest another's evaluation.
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Why?

I have yet to take a checkride without a 2nd opinion. Each have either,
A. taught me a new way to do things
B. Said I was ready or said, work on this a little more.

Either way, I felt better after each one of them. And didn't feel it was a waste
 
Palmpilot said:
Unless she hands the new instructor a separate logbook to sign, when she flies with her present instructor again, he will see the logbook entry regardless of how far away she goes.

If she refused to hand over a logbook to the new instructor to sign, would that put him in a bind because of the regulation requiring him to sign the student's logbook?

Another approach would be to just be up front about it, by telling her present instructor that she feels like she's in a rut and wants to see what another instructor has to say.
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By all means, the OP should be upfront and honest with the new instructor. "I'd like to schedule 2 lessons on Saturday, see if we can get my landings dialed in".

And the old instructor will see it next week, that the O p flew with another. But that can be explained away.
 
Lumpy, if you have the candid discussion you need to have with your current CFI about what's left for you to prove, it should also provide the opportunity to let him know you're going to fly with another CFI to see if you can break through whatever mental block is holding you back.

If you haven't done that by now, your lack of confidence may be evident in your flying, too.
 
A few of thoughts based on my own experience over the years:

--> There are good instructors and bad instructors, but there are also instructors who are good for some folks and struggle with others. Really good instructors know when they're not a good match for the student, and will get the student paired with an instructor more suited to the student.

--> A good instructor won't be bothered by a student flying with another instructor, especially if the flight is for validation of the suitability of the student's performance. If an instructor doesn't like a student obtaining a second opinion, it's probably time to find a new instructor.

--> I've had to fire multiple bad instructors over the years, including some who I thought were not safe. The good ones I kept, even when I thought that they were being too tough on me at a particular moment. The good ones had high expectations, and were able to motivate me to meet those expectations.

--> Flying 50 hours in 4 months should result in a fairly accomplished student with very few rough edges. If a student is still struggling after that type of commitment, it may be time to reevaluate the quality of the instruction or the suitability of the student for the task.

If I were the OP, I would probably pitch the idea of a "phase check with another instructor" to the primary instructor. If the instructor is amenable to it, awkward situation resolved. If he isn't, it's time to find another primary instructor.


JKG
 
murphey said:
And I'm proof of this problem. This was before POA and similar. New CFi who had no interest nor aptitude for teaching. Add a school and Chief Pilot who paid no attention to the progress of a student as long as the check cleared. No support system at the school or outside. Didn't know about EAA chapters. Didn't take 200 hours but much longer than it should have.

Am I an apprehensive pilot? Perhaps more conservative is the better word. Possibly, because I have higher minimums than many others. On the other hand I've had 2 schools ask me to get my CFI because I understand how to teach even if I'm not a fantastic pilot.
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Sounds like your not too bright, just go with what they tell you and not question anything.
 
I flew with several instructors during my PP and IFR. There was never any hard feelings. The only thing my primary instructor wanted was for me to improve and be safe.
 
I used whichever instructor and plane was ready to go when I was, nobody ever got their feelings hurt. I had a schedule to make and I was paying the bill. The guy that owned the flight school made sure I was obliged, no worries.
 
marcoseddi said:
Sounds like your not too bright, just go with what they tell you and not question anything.
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When you have no knowledge of something, the tendency is to believe what the assigned expert tells you. I did not make the same mistake with the instrument. Experience solves some problems.
 
marcoseddi said:
Sounds like your not too bright, just go with what they tell you and not question anything.
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There are many styles of learning. One thing the truly intelligent share is an understanding and acceptance that they don't know everything. With that knowledge it is clear that one is often better off to work with instructors along with reading and studying relevant material rather than questioning everything.

The question in evaluating the student is not one of intelligence but of learning mode.
 
Clark1961 said:
One thing the truly intelligent share is an understanding and acceptance that they don't know everything.
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Wild myth.

I've met plenty of people who were clearly the most intelligent in the room, and knew it.

Intelligence is independent of modesty. You will find modest geniuses and intractible ***hole geniuses. As well as modest idiots. And everything in between.

It's not at all unusual to find a brilliant guy who really can't tolerate stupidity in others. It's also not unusual to find a marginally intelligent guy trying to appear smarter than he is. The trick is telling the difference. Some people have trouble with that, and it can be particularly difficult without some domain knowledge.

That type of modesty helps in learning something new. Quite a lot. But it's not essential. In terms of managing your own learning, it's critical to know what you understand and what you don't understand -- and that's harder than it sounds. But even if you don't understand something, questioning it is how you get to understand it. There is ALWAYS a question in something as complex as flight training. Not asking questions and just nodding is not a sign of intelligence, even accounting for learning style. It means you're not processing the information.
 
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MAKG1 said:
Wild myth.

I've met plenty of people who were clearly the most intelligent in the room, and knew it.

Intelligence is independent of modesty. You will find modest geniuses and intractible ***hole geniuses. As well as modest idiots. And everything in between.

It's not at all unusual to find a brilliant guy who really can't tolerate stupidity in others. It's also not unusual to find a marginally intelligent guy trying to appear smarter than he is. The trick is telling the difference. Some people have trouble with that, and it can be particularly difficult without some domain knowledge.
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There is a difference between knowing you're the smartest person in the room and knowing everything.
 
Henning said:
There is a difference between knowing you're the smartest person in the room and knowing everything.
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Is there truly anyone who really believes they know everything?

Lots of people come off that way, but does anyone really believe it?

I've only seen examples in very limited fields, where it may have been true. Go and ask your favorite genius scientist (and there are a few of them around) about medieval art history and you're fairly likely to get an "I don't know anything about that." Though sometimes these guys have some specialized and somewhat random hobbies.
 
I sure hope she has not signed off to never come back. There is a lot of good advice being offered here.
Confidence in your actions, honest discussion with your instructor, and get a stage check from someone else are the three I like and recommend.

I am not a CFI, but I have spent years teaching late teen and early 20 year olds to safely operate nuclear reactors in the Navy. POINT, SAY, DO is a great way for a student to show that they know what the heck they are doing and to give the instructor time to stop them before they do something bad. I still do it today when I am getting checked out or doing a BFR. It seams to really help the CFI relax and feel better what I am doing as the pilot. If I say what I am doing and why I am doing it, there is no question in their mind that I understand what is going on. I am a licensed pilot, but I will always be a student.

Jim
 
MAKG1 said:
Wild myth.

I've met plenty of people who were clearly the most intelligent in the room, and knew it.

Intelligence is independent of modesty. You will find modest geniuses and intractible ***hole geniuses. As well as modest idiots. And everything in between.

It's not at all unusual to find a brilliant guy who really can't tolerate stupidity in others. It's also not unusual to find a marginally intelligent guy trying to appear smarter than he is. The trick is telling the difference. Some people have trouble with that, and it can be particularly difficult without some domain knowledge.

That type of modesty helps in learning something new. Quite a lot. But it's not essential. In terms of managing your own learning, it's critical to know what you understand and what you don't understand -- and that's harder than it sounds. But even if you don't understand something, questioning it is how you get to understand it. There is ALWAYS a question in something as complex as flight training. Not asking questions and just nodding is not a sign of intelligence, even accounting for learning style. It means you're not processing the information.
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Perhaps you're spending too much time looking at trees rather than enjoying the forest...
 
Clark1961 said:
Perhaps you're spending too much time looking at trees rather than enjoying the forest...
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I doubt it.

I rather enjoy learning new things -- it's a big part of why I learned to fly -- and the "forest" is a natural focus for me.

But you don't learn anything without trying and questioning. Ever try to teach a three year old anything? They WILL learn all the important stuff through exhaustive questioning. Just not in the order you might like.
 
Tsk. All this talk of "intelligence", as though it has something to do with the motor skills required for solo. A more apt question would be, "Is the OP graceful on roller skates?" On those, Mother Nature will smack down any stubborn thoughts about physics quicker than any CFI will in an airplane.

dtuuri
 
PW_Plack said:
Lumpy, if you have the candid discussion you need to have with your current CFI about what's left for you to prove, it should also provide the opportunity to let him know you're going to fly with another CFI to see if you can break through whatever mental block is holding you back.

If you haven't done that by now, your lack of confidence may be evident in your flying, too.
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THIS. You need to be PIC of your training, too. I wouldn't be comfortable signing off a "tentative" student for solo. A certain amount of self-confidence is required in a pilot, regardless of how good your manual/physical flying skills are.
 
dtuuri said:
Tsk. All this talk of "intelligence", as though it has something to do with the motor skills required for solo. A more apt question would be, "Is the OP graceful on roller skates?" On those, Mother Nature will smack down any stubborn thoughts about physics quicker than any CFI will in an airplane.

dtuuri
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Ice skates..anytime, any where. Figure or hockey, your choice. Knee pads optional.
 
The OP mentioned in the other thread that her instructor was a friend which could explain her reluctance in going to someone else, however, if she is serious about learning she should get a second opinion. Also if the instructor is really a friend he or she should not object.

Even in my somewhat small experience as a CFI with beginning students I noticed that there were great differences in abilities between students. Not only that, they could be good at one aspect but not at another. Learning to fly has an academic aspect, a motor skills aspect, a judgment aspect and a self-confidence aspect. It's best when all these things are in balance but many times they are not.
 
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Ok I'm still a student but heres my story. I was at 33 hours and still hadn't done my solo. My friend put me in a Cherokee with a friend of his (another CFI). I had until that time only flew an ercoupe. So I'm in a completely alien plane, never seen a flap control or ever had to use trim before. I did several touch and gos and Marty said land this thing we are done. I was thinking was i that bad or what? After landing we sat and talked over an hour, his evaluation of my flying startled me. He said you are a good safe pilot but you depend on your CFI to correct issues instead of just doing it. So how did I correct this, first thing I was told to do was talk,,,talk a lot, never shut up. We all think of us as students having difficulties but think of your CFI. If we are struggling he cant see through our eyes, he literally has to figure out what we see and why we do things. So announce what your doing, I tell my CFI what I'm doing as I fly so that he knows what I'm doing and why I'm doing it and can say don't do that or too much.

Point to this post is two things. One A flight I didn't pay for or get credit for in my log book drastically altered my idea of flying. My CFI said I made more progress in next few flights than I had in last ten. Yes I told him about the flight. Oh and second thing was that short flight also showed me through another CFI's eyes that I was depending on my CFI. I didn't have to correct things cause he would do it for me. He said its very common when the hours start going up, we just get used to him protecting us.

So go for a ride with some one else, enjoy it, that CFI very well may see something yours does not. I hope this helps, you have a lot of time and money invested so try a different approach.
 
Kiddo's Driver said:
I sure hope she has not signed off to never come back. There is a lot of good advice being offered here.
Confidence in your actions, honest discussion with your instructor, and get a stage check from someone else are the three I like and recommend.

I am not a CFI, but I have spent years teaching late teen and early 20 year olds to safely operate nuclear reactors in the Navy. POINT, SAY, DO is a great way for a student to show that they know what the heck they are doing and to give the instructor time to stop them before they do something bad. I still do it today when I am getting checked out or doing a BFR. It seams to really help the CFI relax and feel better what I am doing as the pilot. If I say what I am doing and why I am doing it, there is no question in their mind that I understand what is going on. I am a licensed pilot, but I will always be a student.

Jim
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I have another friend who is also a CFII and instructor in Navy and civilian nuclear reactors. He also has mentioned POINT, SAY, DO. Perhaps you would be willing to start a new thread that explains that principle to us?
 
Everskyward said:
The OP mentioned in the other thread that her instructor was a friend which could explain her reluctance in going to someone else, however, if she is serious about learning she should get a second opinion. Also if the instructor is really a friend he or she should not object.

Even in my somewhat small experience as a CFI with beginning students I noticed that there were great differences in abilities between students. Not only that, they could be good at one aspect but not at another. Learning to fly has an academic aspect, a motor skills aspect, a judgment aspect and a self-confidence aspect. It's best when all these things are in balance but many times they are not.
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This is correct. Many forget how many aspects there are.
 
loch1957 said:
Ok I'm still a student but heres my story. I was at 33 hours and still hadn't done my solo. My friend put me in a Cherokee with a friend of his (another CFI). I had until that time only flew an ercoupe. So I'm in a completely alien plane, never seen a flap control or ever had to use trim before. I did several touch and gos and Marty said land this thing we are done. I was thinking was i that bad or what? After landing we sat and talked over an hour, his evaluation of my flying startled me. He said you are a good safe pilot but you depend on your CFI to correct issues instead of just doing it. So how did I correct this, first thing I was told to do was talk,,,talk a lot, never shut up. We all think of us as students having difficulties but think of your CFI. If we are struggling he cant see through our eyes, he literally has to figure out what we see and why we do things. So announce what your doing, I tell my CFI what I'm doing as I fly so that he knows what I'm doing and why I'm doing it and can say don't do that or too much.

Point to this post is two things. One A flight I didn't pay for or get credit for in my log book drastically altered my idea of flying. My CFI said I made more progress in next few flights than I had in last ten. Yes I told him about the flight. Oh and second thing was that short flight also showed me through another CFI's eyes that I was depending on my CFI. I didn't have to correct things cause he would do it for me. He said its very common when the hours start going up, we just get used to him protecting us.

So go for a ride with some one else, enjoy it, that CFI very well may see something yours does not. I hope this helps, you have a lot of time and money invested so try a different approach.
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I agree 1000 percent. In addition to wanting to hear from my students, I counseled them to talk during their checkride as well; when I was an examiner, if I knew what was going through the applicant's head it was easier to evaluate his/her performance.

Bob Gardner
 
Dr. O said:
Well, in aviation training there is a scale with normal being in the middle and at the extreme ends of the scale we have:

CFI's who should not be teaching
the other end
Students/pilots who should not be flying

Now, I have not a clue where you and your CFI fall on that scale.
Over the years I have seen all kinds of student pilots and CFI's.
99% were normal - but:
One extreme I saw was a CFI who would not go fly if the weather was not perfect, took forever to solo her students, and after she finally did would not let them go out if the weather was not absolutely perfect. Flying with her icould take a year for a student to get ten hours of solo flight.

The other extreme I saw was a student (older fella) who had over 200 hours and the CFI (multiple apparently) would not sign him off to take his checkride. He came to our airport for that "second opinion". Our CFI that took him out (world class aerobatic show pilot) asked me to ride along and help evaluate him. While the guy could mechanically fly, i.e. push and pull on the controls appropriately, if a bit jerky, he could not seem to think ahead of what he was doing at that moment. He cut off other planes in the pattern, lost track of where the airport was and couldn't figure out how to find it using the VOR and the CFI had to give him the heading back, could make semi decent turns but not while climbing or descending. Now this guy was a professor at a college. But it was clear to me that flying was not something he could do safely. After we got out of the plane, Rob raised an eyebrow at me. I said - let him down gently - and left.

OK, the final point I will make is you need to fly with another CFI, even if just for a couple times around the pattern. If your CFI objects, then you know where the problem lies.

Now a thought exercise for you.
Can you teach the CFI?
In other words, can you check the weather and explain things to him like he is a first time student how to read the abbreviations.
Can you preflight the airplane confidently, explaining to HIM how to check the tires, flight controls, oil, gas, beacon, lights, etc.
Can you call for a VFR departure and a taxi clearance without help (if appropriate to your airport)
Can you start, taxi, run up, without any help - all while explaining as you go along "Now on the runup pad we turn into the wind for the runup and bring the engine to 2000 rpm", yadda, yadda?
Can you explain how you decide it is safe to take the runway?
Do you align the plane with the centerline, do the final pretakeoff checks - gyro, fuel pump, trim - while calling out each item on the check list before you look at the list to see if you missed anything?
On takeoff do you maintain the centerline, call out your speed checks (airspeed alive etc.), and positively rotate into a climb without over rotating, while teaching HIM why/how you do each of these things as though you are the instructor and he is on his first ride.
And so forth. I won't detail it all here.

Let me point out the UND aviation department (University of North Dakota) has a whole series of teaching videos on YOUTUBE. These are free and well worth your time.
Or the King series of videos on learning to fly are excellent - if a bit costly .

I get the impression that it might not be your lack of ability holding you back - rather you do not exude confidence. You do not make the CFI feel confident that you will promptly make what ever corrections to the planes attitude or speed. Go to the airport and teach your CFI and he might have a whole new opinion of you.

Be not be afraid to give me a buzz. 989 284 fortyone twentytwo I'm always willing to offer what advice I can.
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So Let me put in my 10 Cents worth.
As a full disclosure I started to train in Oct. 2009 at that time I was in my mid 60"s after 12 hours stopped to get my medical issues solved took a while but I never gave up the ambition to fly ! $ 12450. 00 and nine, yes "9" Flight instructors 83 hours later ! I Solo ed on December 8th 2013. Was SOLO ed by a CFI who "started training with me "and now he is my 9th instructor ! 7 of my instructors or as I call them "Time Builders " have gone into the airline business ! by now I can actually Evaluate my instructors , my biggest problem was; I for the likes of me I could not "Flare" But around my 74th Hour :idea:it clicked ! and had consistent landings, Just before my young instructor made up his mind to SOLO me ! he got a job with a Regional So here I was without a SOLO and a new instructor a friend he took me up and made me do 10 consistent landing including 2 go around and asked me to do a "Power off emergency landings( I love those ! I am pretty good at those !). without a warning he told " Let's get this over with ! drop me by the taxi way and take the plane up " I told him I was not in mood to SOLO today " ! But he just told me to drop him and "Do stop and Go's !" and I just did that ! the first landing I flared a bit High corrected myself and greased it the next two were greasers ". it is true flying a plane is just not manipulating controls ! but most unfortunately most of my 24 to 28 year old instructors I could have taught them "better ground school" than what they could explain to me when it comes to Bernoulli principle :)
 
Lumpy Landings said:
I have to ask this...please be honest with me....are there any CFI's out there that fear signing off students to solo for "gut reasons", or fearful they really should not fly, or fear they may impact their reputation, or if a student is older in age?

Please I am not judging just need to know for perhaps a CFI change in my life.
I am pre solo close to 50 hours, nearing 30 hours in the traffic pattern, close to 200 landings...my CFI keeps telling me I'm close to solo (he's been saying that for the last 15 hours but won't sign me off) I'm starting to wonder.

Thanks for any input

Ms. Lumpy
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Ms. Lumpy, time(past-time)for a change of instructor. :yes:
 
God, I hope she has solo'd by now. If she kept at it, by now she would have over 300 hours...
 
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