Why I love helping people learn to fly.

Vance Breese

Vance Breese

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Oct 10, 2014
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Santa Maria, CA
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Vance Breese
I love the unique challenges that each individual student presents.

I love unlocking the blocks each student has.

I love the breakthrough moments where the student gets something in their heart that has been eluding them despite understanding it intellectually.

I find magic in going from a tentative, wobbly student flying to a confident smooth pilot.

I find signing someone off bittersweet. I love accomplishing a goal but I am saddened to reduce our contact as they move forward with their aviation adventure.
 
nice! I'm no cfi but I enjoy letting a first timer take the controls. the smiles on their faces by just making the plane turn a little bit is priceless, I can't imagine taking someone the whole way to checkride.
 
I love this. I've been giving serious consideration to becoming a CFI, at least on the side. I've been surprised by how much I enjoy taking people up with me, sharing the experience and seeing their excitement and joy. Last time I landed, this girl jumped out of the plane and exclaimed, "I have to do that! I have to get my license." Very cool moment.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
I love this. I've been giving serious consideration to becoming a CFI, at least on the side. I've been surprised by how much I enjoy taking people up with me, sharing the experience and seeing their excitement and joy. Last time I landed, this girl jumped out of the plane and exclaimed, "I have to do that! I have to get my license." Very cool moment.
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I have enjoyed reading of your adventures Cajun Flyer.

I feel it would be wonderful to help build other pilots with your attitude.

I have not seen you do anything I would cringe about if you were one of my students.

I feel you would make a great CFI.

In my opinion you would find great joy in the challenge and accomplishment.
 
It's a great feeling man. I was working with a student who had been working on and off on his license for several years. Work had gotten in the way the previous years and he finally had time to finish. He was my last student I signed off and passed before I left the school.
 
I miss my CFI but I'm not sure he's doing it anymore. I was his first student he ever sent to the 'ride' and I was determined to not be his first fail. After that we flew together a couple of times and he introduced me to a guy who was looking for a partner. My CFI was training another guy but I'm unsure if they ever got this kid to the checkride. For all I know I was his first and only student, but he was a great instructor.
 
Cajun_Flyer said:
I love this. I've been giving serious consideration to becoming a CFI, at least on the side. I've been surprised by how much I enjoy taking people up with me, sharing the experience and seeing their excitement and joy. Last time I landed, this girl jumped out of the plane and exclaimed, "I have to do that! I have to get my license." Very cool moment.
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Me thinks you'd be great at it Cajun! :thumbsup: :yesnod:
 
I'm going to pursue getting my Sport Pilot CFI ticket, hopefully next spring. I don't have the interest (or money) to get the commercial and instrument ratings required for a "full" CFI.

Recently I helped check out a pilot (already a PP) in a new Quicksilver he'd bought. His insurance company required 5 hours dual in it, but the CFI he chose had no recent time in type. I did, so I ferried the plane home for him, then checked out the CFI in the plane for the 3 hours the insurance company wanted, and did some extra time with the student, which I really enjoyed.

The local FBO has a J-3 for Sport Pilot training, but not enough instructors since both of their SP-CFIs are part time with day jobs. Won't pay much, but it's free flying.
 
I'd suck. . .though blessed with more than required self confidence and quiet arrogance, I know, beyond doubt, I can't teach worth a poop. About 50% of CFIs can't either, so if you know one who can, stay in touch with him/her. When I could still put up with CAP, I did a lot of O-rides for Cadets, and I let them fly quite a bit more than the syllabus called for, and made it fun for them. Usually motivated kids (though not always), and I wanted them to enjoy the experience, but it was more of a relief when it was done than an feeling of accomplishment.
 
When I got my private, I had no idea I would end up getting a CFI ticket. Now I have my sights on an ATP.

And yep, watching a zero-time student grow into a confident pilot is pretty magical. Even the anxiously-waiting-for-the-post-solo-phone-call part.
 
Vance Breese said:
I love the unique challenges that each individual student presents.

I love unlocking the blocks each student has.

I love the breakthrough moments where the student gets something in their heart that has been eluding them despite understanding it intellectually.

I find magic in going from a tentative, wobbly student flying to a confident smooth pilot.

I find signing someone off bittersweet. I love accomplishing a goal but I am saddened to reduce our contact as they move forward with their aviation adventure.
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Great job. Glad to hear your passion and I'm sure it shows in your students.
You have stated mostvof the reasons I enjoy my teaching job. All the long hours and all the hard work make it all worth it when you see them get their diploma(ticket in your case).
Just don't let that candle burn out. Keep finding ways to reignite that passion.
 
When I was instructing full time with student pilots, instrument students, and ME students, I always got the biggest kick and pleasure of soloing someone for the first time. Taking someone from knowing nothing about flying and seeing them progress is very satisfying, unless they **** up! :D

I'll never forget this one student I had. Great kid but a little slow. He was going to Awwburn (strike 1), working part time, in the ANG, and trying to learn to fly. I almost finished him up but left to join the airline world. Years later I'm in MGM on the ATR72 and a guy comes up wanting to catch a hop on the jump seat to ATL. It's him! Find out he not only got his PPC, but was now an F16 pilot in that same ANG unit and a First Officer at American! I was surprised and amazed at his accomplishments. He had a goal and worked hard to get there. Good on him!
 
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Nothing I've ever done in aviation has been as fulfilling or as much fun as the instructing I've done. There is just something so unique about soloing someone who didn't know how to start an airplane when they came to you. Or having someone call you and tell you that their current instructor is telling them to find a new hobby, because flying ain't for them. Then you fly with them and next thing you know they are taking a check ride for the rating they were told they couldn't accomplish.
I think all instructors have that one "special" student they'll never forget.
Mine was a young lady who had been left at the alter. She wanted to learn to fly because it was something "he" always wanted to do. She turned out to a great student! On the day she soloed, when I told her to taxi back, leave me at the office and go do 3 or 4 more by herself , She stopped right there and asked how many she had to do? I said at least one for it to count as a solo. She did just one, a perfect pattern and landing. Taxied back to the office, shut down and cried for about 15 minutes!! Just a few weeks later she took her check ride on a sat. When she got back from the ride (with a PPL) she landed, taxied up, and gave her dad a ride. When they got back his smile was bigger than hers!!!
 
I want to add something to this conversation. I have not been to the airport more than a couple times in the last 2 years. In Jan. 2015 I was diagnosed With Hodgkins Lymphoma. It was not typical and was very aggressive, The chemo was just as aggressive. During the treatment phase I lost 85lbs. and became bed ridden. Unable to even hold the remote for the TV. I know in my heart the only reason I am still here is Faith.
Anyway, a former student who became a good friend invited me for a ride in the citabria. DUH! I accepted and we met at the airport office. I arrived early and a couple of my former students were there telling lies about their flying experiences. One is a PP and the other (who I did his first lesson and worked with him thru his MEI). We talked for a few minutes before my ride arrived, but as I got up to go to the hanger, they both shook my hand and thanked me for helping to make them the pilots they are today. Whether they were sincere or just being nice to an old man doesn't matter to me. THAT IS WHY I LOVE INSTRUCTING! and general aviation as a whole.
As a side note, it took 2 helpers to get me in the back seat of that 7EC, but once in I felt right at home. GOD BLESS all, and clear skies!
 
It's fun to take your friend who's gone up with you once on a 20-minute "intro flight" on a longer journey. Hoping to fly to Jean, NV with that friend on Saturday, weather permitting. As he likes to say, "What I lose at the poker table, I make up for at the buffet." Have to check W&B on the way back. :D

I'll put him to work tuning radios, flying the plane for a bit, etc. Fun times!
 
Thank you for sharing that touching story cfiguy.

I am glad you are still with us.

It is nice to know you had a positive influence on their lives.

I have flown with 26 CFIs and learned something from each of them.

I have no doubt that some of what they taught me has saved my life.

At 67 I may not get to have the longtime friend experience and I am teaching recreational flying so the impact I have on their lives will be much smaller.

I love giving back some of the joy I have found in aviation.
 
Vance Breese said:
I love the unique challenges that each individual student presents.

I love unlocking the blocks each student has.

I love the breakthrough moments where the student gets something in their heart that has been eluding them despite understanding it intellectually.

I find magic in going from a tentative, wobbly student flying to a confident smooth pilot.

I find signing someone off bittersweet. I love accomplishing a goal but I am saddened to reduce our contact as they move forward with their aviation adventure.
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Bolded for sure. I signed off two in the last month and I already miss flying with them. I am hopeful they will come back for their instrument ratings soon enough :)

I have some absolutely hilarious students "Do birds have fun?" is a quote from one. Some that struggle in unforeseen areas (she struggles with taxiing but not really much else), and some excel in surprising ways (who is actually great at soft field landings on day one?!). You don't learn this stuff in CFI training.. you learn it by flying with hundreds of different people and it's something else. When you spend 30-50 hours in a very small space with someone, you learn A LOT about them. Their weird habits, their kids, pets, jobs. It's a lot more than just being a teacher. What you don't expect or talk about though as a CFI is a student who doesn't want to be there, and thus NEVER improves and will never improve. It's frustrating, disheartening and yet it continues on and on like a bad dream. I don't want to linger on that in this positive thread, though.
 
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