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Flight School: Speaking Up

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Students must immediately speak up if an instructor's request seems unsafe, illegal, or ill-advised, and if needed, request to return to land for safety.
  • Students should ask their instructor for clear explanations regarding the hazards, risks, mitigation strategies, and compliance with FAA regulations and flight manuals for any questionable maneuver.
  • If the instructor cannot adequately justify their actions, is intentionally violating regulations, or performing unsafe acts, the student should terminate the relationship and consider reporting the incident to a chief instructor or the FSDO.
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What should a student do if an instructor asks him to do something that appears unsafe, against the regulations or otherwise ill-advised?_**
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Jeff Edwards has been a flight instructor since 1982 and is a former FAA-designated pilot examiner. He has been a six-time designated Master Certificated Flight Instructor. In 2003, Jeff was selected as the National Flight Instructor of the Year. Jeff has more than 8,000 flight hours including nearly 2,000 as a bombardier/navigator in the A-6 Intruder.

Pia Bergqvist

Pia Bergqvist joined FLYING in December 2010. A passionate aviator, Pia started flying in 1999 and quickly obtained her single- and multi-engine commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. After a decade of working in general aviation, Pia has accumulated almost 3,000 hours of flight time in nearly 40 different types of aircraft.

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