Quality of flight training in USA.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

There are always lots of people in Canada who claim learning to fly in the USA is not as good as learning in Canada.

When did the training in the USA get that bad?

I did a lot of my training in the USA and it sure was not inferior to doing it in Canada.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

I have to admit to a personal bias in favour of aviation under the FAA versus T.C.

In fact almost  all my flying since 1995 was done under my FAA licenses, and under part 91.

There isn't even any comparison.

[Colonel]

What counts is the instructor - not the aircraft,
not the airport, not the big shiny building (or
lack thereof) and not the regulator.

And there are good and bad instructors on
both sides of the border.

What's funny is that people think that a good
instructor is their pal - their buddy that gives
them the most unearned compliments.  Sunshine
up the butt.

Unfortunately people don't realize that flying
isn't like golf, or tennis.  Not many people die
playing golf, or tennis.  Lots of people die in
airplanes.

Aviation is often the first activity that soft,
fat young people experience that has sharp
corners.  You know there is going to be crying.
No soccer participation medals.

[Colonel]

The other factor that can make a HUGE
difference to your flight training is the
climate.

You can get your licence or rating MUCH
faster when you aren't fighting the wx.

For example, in the winter in Canada
would you rather flight train in Florida
or Sault St Marie?

In the winter in Florida, you can fly
pretty much every day, in your shirt
sleeves.  Trying to fly in the winter in
the Sault is ridiculous.  It will take you
ten times as long to get your training
and because of the high taxes in Ontario
it will cost you much more per hour, too.

Canadians don't mention this much, but
I just went to skyvector and here's the
east coast of Florida right now:



What a playground of airports to visit!

PS  In a perfect world, R. Lee Ermey would
have a class 1 instructor rating  :))

[David MacRay]

Too bad I can't go to Kissamee and get a couple of type ratings from Kermit. Think about the fun that would be.

What's funny is that people think that a good
instructor is their pal - their buddy

Well, I am kind of lonely. I definitely lack pilot pals when I'm not at AirVenture.

...that gives
them the most unearned compliments.  Sunshine
up the butt.

I'm not right in the head here. I want my buddies to be honest. Lying to me is not helpful.

I have a wife for that. She says, "I love you." But took away the airplanes.  :(

Funny, some guys think she's the best wife ever, good cook, likes camping and fishing.

[mcrit]

What's funny is that people think that a good
instructor is their pal

True; but that doesn't mean that a good instructor goes out of their way to be an asshole either.

[Colonel]

In a perfect world, R. Lee Ermey would
have a class 1 instructor rating

The world has changed so much.  Young
people today are so soft and fat and gentle
and prone to burst into tears when they
experience some criticism, which their
hovering helicopter mother never dished
out.

I was taught to fly by a fanged fighter pilot
that was monstrously unconcerned with my
feelings.  In comparison to him, I have the
bedside manner of Florence Nightingale.

When he learned to fly in the RCAF in 1951,
his instructors were remarkably unconcerned
with his feelings.  However, that did not make
them assholes, as many soft fat crying young
people might assume.

One day he tried to kill C R Slemon, whom you
have probably never heard of.  His instructors
covered for him - they disciplined him and sentenced
him to run around the base at Trenton every day
and sent him packing off the base.

When CR landed, he wanted some ass on a platter,
but he was told the errant student was already
disciplined.  A different time.

[David MacRay]

I have never met an instructor that was not cordial to me in person. They all liked my money. There was one, I suspect in hind sight that was likely talking behind my back instead of to me. Best part being he was CFI when I may have otherwise been closer to a CPL flight test recommend.

Unfortunate for me, I could have used a bit more honesty at that time.