A learner who had a bad experience wanted a CFI to sit in the airplane but not talk during the lessons. [Credit: FLYING Archive]
Key Takeaways:
A pilot with a history of incomplete and frustrating flight training sought an instructor solely for legal supervision, explicitly refusing all ground and in-flight instruction, wanting to "teach himself."
This pilot's aversion stemmed from past negative experiences with ineffective, rote-learning-focused ground instruction and a lack of consistent, progress-oriented teaching.
The article advocates for engaging, interactive ground instruction (e.g., using physical models) and active in-flight coaching as crucial for effective learning and pilot safety, moving beyond mere rote memorization.
Ultimately, no flight instructor was willing to be a "silent" passenger due to the responsibility and safety implications, preventing the pilot from completing his private pilot certificate.
The learner was looking for an independent flight instructor. He said it had been years since he flew, and this summer he was determined to finish his private pilot certificate.
He had his own airplane, a hangar to keep it in, a student pilot certificate issued some 10 years ago, and a lapsed medical certificate.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![A learner who had a bad experience wanted a CFI to sit in the airplane but not talk during the lessons. [Credit: FLYING Archive]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AdobeStock_139858404-scaled.jpeg)
