The more an instructor knows about you, your background, motivation,
finances, and goals the better he will be able to advise you on
how to proceed. You must reveal any concerns you have about yourself
in regard to flying. Are there health, emotional, or conceptual
problems that you can foresee? Even if you are not aware of any,
it is more that likely that something will arise at some point
in your training. Spending more money does not guarantee better
instruction.
Flying should be fun. It is a challenge but those students who
continue find the challenge enjoyable. Stress, apprehension and
even fear are part of the challenge. If your instruction does
not replace them with fun then something is wrong.
Flying has many forms of stress. Some are self-imposed, some are
by the instructor, and still others are external and beyond any
control. Don't try to do something about things you have no control
over, like the weather. Bend with the impossible, adjust to the
unpleasant, and speak up against the correctable. Instructors
can adjust to your needs. Recently had a student who objected
to my gum chewing...I stopped. Student input is needed to make
instruction better. As a student, you know how to learn best.
Any reluctance to help the instructor do better is just prolonging
the problem. It is just as important for the student to understand
the instructor as it is for the instructor to understand the student.
If it isn't working for you...change instructors.
I try to teach efficiency in flying; not shortcuts. The way you
preflight, taxi, runup, takeoff and fly are indicative of personality
traits. We often feel that expertise in one chosen field carries
over into flying. Parts may but flying is a unique blend of training
and skills. I will modify what I can, blend in that which is acceptable,
and erase what I must. If you have flown previously some of this
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