Wow. First day at the field with other pilots. Fun fly day. Got to meet all the guys and met my instructor for the first time. Great bunch of guys. Saw some planes today that I have only seen in videos. Giant Extra 300 flown by one of the better " sticks " of the group. Man, that was cool !! My instructor wasted no time and had me in the air with one of his planes on a buddy cord. My knees were shaking and come to think of it. I have no idea what plane I was flying......... It was low wing...... lol. Don't know much more that that. I'm going to call it a good flight only because I didn't crash it. Best fun I've had in a long time. Can't wait to go back.

Having said that, I wonder if you guys could help me. I'm not sure how the relationship works with student and instructor. Are there any writen or unwriten rules that I should know about or any tips you guys could give me on how I need to conduct myself? Had a great time and would like for that to continue. Thanks!!

HiJWO311,

Just be yourself and do what the instructor asks you to do. Remember the instructor is a volunteer and giving you his time so try not to monopolise him and leave him time to fly his own models.

Cheers,

Colin

sometimes a cup of coffee and a donut before a session.

The instructor is doing you a favor by training you. Treat him as such. Thank him after every training session, even the short ones where you don't get to fly as much as you wanted to. And he's there because he cares about the club's growth and new pilots, so be a good student- ask questions about everything, listen, and enjoy the process. If you haven't already, join the club. Gratuities (like donuts and coffee) aren't necessary but are appreciated. If you're learning on his equipment, a gallon of fuel makes a nice incentive too if you'll look and see what he's using.

Be on time for your appointment with your instructor. Nothing irritates me more as an instructor than having a student not be on time thereby wasting my time.

From my perspective If I can take the time to prepare a spare airplane to fly just in case there something wrong with the students, pack the vehicle, drive 10 miles to the field to meet the agreed lesson time. I expect the student to do the same.

In fact I now have personal 15 minute rule about the student being late. I either will not instruct, or leave the field to do other things. The exception is if I get a phone call explaining that there is a problem and the student will be somewhat late.

As has already been mentioned, simply respecting his time and reacting to what he has to say as far as flight instructions should be enough for most Instructors.

I had a student this Saturday that I had taken on several flights and then told them I was going to take a couple of flights with my plane. Their response was "well, that's OK, my batteries are charging anyway. They'll be ready in about 15 minutes. We'll go back up then, right?". The response was "First off, I was telling you, not asking you. I'll let you know when I'm ready for you again". Some people see instruction as a right and are not cognizant of the fact that we are volunteersdonating our time.

Ya know what?

You pretty obviously:

A)Enjoy airplanes
B) Enjoy learning about them
C) Enjoy flying them
D)Care about trating your instructor with some respect and appreciation.

I'm pretty sure you'll get along just fine with any instructor you encounter, and the feeling will be mutual.

I spent years instructing and I expected just a few things from my students, and it not much different from any other thing you've been taught. Maintain contact with me about our schedules, be on time, be ready, pay attention to what I'm trying to teach you and PLEASE try to remember as much as possible even if you have to write it down. You are, in my opinion, asking some to donate their time which they will gladly do if you try to progress each and every time you fly. Now the one that may open great discussion is that I do not expect money, or food, or drink or anything. I have decided to give my time and knowledge to you as someone has for me. Indeed I have refused money, airplanes, engines, fuel, etc. You get the help just be respectful and use it wisely.

Now having said that there are clubs and people who expect much more and there may even be a formal policy where you are learning.

Over 38 years ago a guy named Orville Turner was nice enough to teach me how to fly my RC trainer at the Whittier Narrows RC field in Southern California. During WWII he was a B-24 bomber instructor, so he really knew how airplanes flew. And because he was a excellent instructor we all paid close attention to what he said and made a effort to always apply what he taught us. Some of the things to keep in mind when first learning to fly:

1) Be on time if you are have a appointment.
2) Be ready, have your batteries charged and airplane ready for inspection.
3) Remember to bring your ground support equipment (fuel, starters, extra props, Etc.)
4) Respect the time your instructor puts into teaching you.
5) Be prepared to make adjustment to your plane according to what your instructor's tells you.

I think everyone has pretty well covered most of what you need. I will add a pet peave of mine. Be responsible, supply your own plane and equipment. I like the feeling that a student is serious when they don't depend on me all the time. ENJOY !!! RED

A gallon of fuel, a cold coke from your ice box, maybe a ham sandwich, pretty much anything so the guy knows that you appreciate what he's doing....a good instructor's reward will be bringing a new guy into the hobby, ya'll could be best friends from this,, I had a bad instructor, he let me know in no uncertain terms that I was cutting into his free time....I quit the hobby for a long time after that, and learned on my own....but I still enjoy the hobby...and I'm sure you will too.....Rog

Excellent call on finding an instructor.  That's how I learned and I think its the best way.  Enjoy it all.

Rog, you stated you had a bad instructor and left the hobby. This made me think of just how important both sides of this fence are. If I volunteer to be an instructor then I should treat that "free" time as instructing the student and have set scheduling planned out. Since I volunteered to be an instructor what is my "free" time? In other words during that schedule period I would use whatever method of instruction to "teach" the student as best I can and my "free" time would be some other time.

If I volunteer to be an instructor then I am an instructor because I chose to do it in that capacity. If I decide to go over and mess around with my planes and fly without first laying this out in the plan with my student beforehand then I have failed to respect my student and honestly I don't think that makes for a good instructor. Think about how it affected you.

I remember I almost quit when I was learning because I just felt like the instructors did not have time for me. Nothing was laid out and I simply did not know how it worked. I always felt like I was imposing on their time. I would not volunteer to teach unless I was able to provide the time needed for my student. Without a student there really is no teacher. Clubs should consider the impact these things have on a newbie and lay out clear and concise rules for training sessions. The students might say it does not bother them to the guys around the club, but I bet it does bother them. It is best to get all variables clear beforehand and all will go much better.

I think there must be repect on both sides.

Yeah, long ago in the early 90's I bought a kit from a store and the deal was that the asst manager would train me when I built it...my part of the bargain was to be at the field on sunday's,,he showed up when he felt like it...other guys there would help some, but I never really got comfortable flying and landing....the ending was actually when my daughter slammed the wing in the car door,,I just gave up....10 years later I saw this guy at a different field and I told the club pres and he just said "oh yeah, he's an *****" and I laughed and told him the story.....I then started back with electric GWS stuff at the local schoolyard and went from there,,I like 1/2a stuff, but it can be difficult, its great when an .049 is running full blast for 3 minutes and you coast in on deadstick...but I like my .40 stuff too....Rog

<div>You can also volunteer to help with your club, maintaining the clubs flying field, and during events. This is a good way to give back. I have only been with my club a few weeks, and I volunteered to help get the field ready for an event, and then at the end of the day my instructor took me up for some training. Really clubs survive and thrive with the help of its members. I have two members that are not official trainers that have been helping me along with my instructor, and if it was not for their help, I would not be progressing as I am, landed a couple of times by myself for the first time Sunday.</div><div>So just give back to your club in any way you can.</div><div></div><div>TB</div>

Its an interesting discussion about instructors!

Although I regularly instruct several days a week weather permitting there are problems.

If a student sees me at the field on a "non scheduled" training day more than not they expect me to fly them, why else would I come to the field?

Personally I don't mind flying trainers, but my personal interest is more into flying pattern. I want and need some time to fly my own equipment ,and its often hard for students to understand that at times. Its difficult at times to say NO, but I need some personal flight time at the field.

Have to admit its real tempting to just quit because of the hassle at times! Just this weekend I had a board member of the club attempt to delegate more responsibilities to me consuming more of my time. I told him if he would instruct on regular basis, I would assume the additional duties. You know what "NO DEAL" he's too busy??? Go figure!

I instructed for years and the best thank you I can get is for you to become a proficent flyer and volunteer to be an instructor when you are ready.

My teacher Bruce must be pretty good, he had me solo on my first lesson Saturday!!!!!! Ihad a lot of practice on the sim and a Slow Stick.

Best of all, be a damned good friend to your instructor and take any opportunity you can to return the favor, after all he's doing a favor to you as a stranger to foster your interest in the hobby and investing time in you that could be spent pursuing his own interests, to ensure your success,saving you considerable time and expense.
After all this hobby is every bit as much about friendships and comraderie even more so than it is about flying.
My flying mentor has become and will remain the best friend I have, my planes are his and his are mine and I would'nt have it any other way.
Flying planes has been a life long passion of mine that I had gotten into back in the 80's with nothing but failure and expense as a reward for my best efforts because nobody could be bothered to or wanted to help ya out back in the day.
For that reason alone I am grateful to my buddy for investing his time in me and helping me to realize a life long dream of mine and in the process gained a better friend than any I had known thus far.
He made the comment to me that he had trained a whole bunch of guys, but once they learned to fly he never saw them again as they no longer had need of him and didn't have time to fly with him, well they lost far more than they gained.

If you really want to know how to treat your instructor go try to learn on your own, crash and patch planes till they are too heavy to fly anymore do this for about 2 or 3 years with
less than lousy success and then have somebody offer without you asking them to, teach you the right way to do it, it will be a no brainer for ya.