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First of all, thanks for putting together a great podcast and website.

I am just returning to flying after a 15 year break, and just got my BFR signed off. During this process I spent some time thinking about my student pilot training all those years ago, and I remember an exciting moment while practicing touch-and-go's at night in a C-152.

While on final approach my seat latch released and the seat, and myself, slid all the way back. Since I was holding the control yoke at the time, up came the nose. I spent a few moments pushing and pulling to stablize the airplane, which was difficult as my arms were fully extended. I finally asked my instructor to take the controls while I re-adjusted my seat.

At the time I figured it was just one of those things that can happen. However, I have come to wonder if that seat latch didn't have some help from my instructor.

Do instructors have a "bag of tricks" they pull on their students to see how they will react?

Hi Mathew,
Congratulations on your BFR. It's really exciting to have your freedom once again
To answer your question, every CFI differs, and all have a bag of tricks. Whether they are incorporated into a question, the preflight (tennis ball in the cowling), or perhaps the flight, it is our responsibility to provide an environment that challenges your ability to "divide your attention" as stated in the PTS.
My guess is that your instructor did not cause the seat to unlatch, but that he/she was very wise in allowing you to tackle solving the problem and maintain aircraft control.
Any other CFI "tricks" out there?
Thanks for the question...
anais

150/2 and 172 are pretty famous for the seat tracks not locking very well. There is an AD for almost all the Cessnas to check the seat tracks every hundred hours or annual, i cant remember.
as far as instructor tricks, i enjoy popping open a window/door on a just about to solo student, good way to create some stress. also proves that the plane flies just fine with door/window open. i had the door actually pop open on me during takeoff when i was a presolo student, and it taught me a lot. I l pulled a new one the other day:
I sent the student out to preflight, and after a couple minutes i called his cell phone.
hello?
hey, are you preflighting?
yea
Just thought id call and tell you its pretty bad form to answer calls or have your phone on during preflight, its pretty important and distractions are deadly, so id recommend starting over.
ok

That seemed like more fun than just telling him that, hopefully the lesson sticks, time will tell

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Everyone must believe in something, I believe that I will go flying.

I think it's a great idea to pop the door or window open during the takeoff roll. It's a good way to test if a student will do what they said they were going to do during the pre-takeoff briefing. A great way to put your work to the test.

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"To Live is To Fly" - Townes VanZandt
www.thefinerpoints.net
jason@thefinerpoints.net

A cool, and important, trick I use on my commercial students is I turn on the interior lights on in our retractable gear Arrow. During the day it makes landing gear indicator lights so faint it looks like they are off. I do this so when the student extends the gear I can verify he is checking the indicator lights and that he has "3 in the Green." If he does not check the lights on short final I point out that his gear is not extend as indicated by the lights and make him Go-Around and trouble shoot the problem with the check list. Lesson - "When extending the Gear in a retract keep your hand on the lights until you have verified that you have three greens and also check the gear is down on short final."

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Blake Kelly
Commercial Pilot
CFII/MEI

You guys are rough!!

I just got my PPC at the end of February (tomorrow I hope to go up for the first time - weather permitting - as a licensed pilot). I went through 5 instructors during my training, and never had any dirty tricks pulled on me like that. Even my examiner was a straight shooter. He laid out exactly what he expected before we left, and never went out of his way to trip me up.

Hi Squawk,

I hear where you are coming from but... I definitely keep my "tricks" within the perimeters of what could possibly happen in flight. I am not trying to be hard on my students, only provide them with an opportunity to experience something challenging in an environment that is safe. I would rather be with them the first time because a lot of these things do happen.

Also to be noted, the introduction of the PTS outlines areas that are to be tested throughout. Checklists, Crew Resource Management, and Use of Distractions During Practical Tests. As per their wording, "numerous studies indicate that many accidents have occurred when the pilot has been distracted during critical phases of flight" "the examiner shall cause realistic distractions during the flight portion..to evaluate the applicants's ability to divide attention while maintaining safe flight"

I am not trying to be hard on my students, and truthfully, I only use their reactions in these situations to guide further training. I am responsible and want my students to be as safe as possible. It is only using these situations that I can verify that I have done my job and that my student will react in the best possible way.

Thanks for your thoughts,
anais

Hey anais,

I definitely see the value of introducing distractions in a controlled environment. There are a lot of things that students don't like to go through, but it's good to do them to be ready for real-life troubles.

Personally, I hated stalls. I am sure that I am not in the minority. However, I did see the value in them and did them anyway. Then on Saturday, when I was making my first landing since becoming licensed, with my wife next to me, I had some squirrely winds. My landing wasn't set up ideally and I was doing what I could to correct the situation. The stall horn tooted. It was all I needed to go full power and go around. No need to salvage a bad landing, just go around and try again.

It is very good to be ready. my instructor use to tell me to fly the plane no matter what... If the door falls off the plane it is still gonna fly!!! He told me that each and every time we flew together and in the briefing... So the day my door did come open it really didn't bother me all that much... I really didn't get all that worked up when I had an engine problem... I just kept hearing him tell me.. FLY THE PLANE!!!! I think his tricks made me a better pilot..

aviate,navigate,then communicate.....something like that!!!!


William Foster

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www.pilots-log.com
"Where the adventure is just beginning"