Re: OK, call me Hoover.. Kenmore.. Dyson.. whatever...

[ehead]

Hi, Kevin,

I'm a full-time writer and (what feels like) a full-time student pilot
in the Phoenix area, and enjoy your posts from both perspectives:
they're a joy to read, and since I'm just slightly behind you in hours,
they're always relevant. And I gotta tell you, your bad days are even
better to read about than your good ones ... not because I wish you
anything but success, but because they make me feel a whole lot better
about my own bad days!

I had a pretty crappy flight this afternoon: just as you described, I
lost focus, was all over the place, and flew worse the more frustrated
I got. But my instructor was fantastic about it. Since we were
scheduled for two flights anyway, we went back to the helipad early and
took 20 minutes or so to decompress. After a breather and a postflight,
we got back in the ship, and my next flight was much, much better. I
left feeling great, not lousy, and since I'm paying by the hour, I
didn't waste a lot of money flying poorly, either. Something to keep in
mind when you're an instructor, perhaps ... .

Keep up the good work.


--
ehead
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted via OziPilots Online [ http://www.OziPilotsOnline.com.au ]
- A website for Australian Pilots regardless of when, why, or what they fly -

[Beav]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> Ok, so it wasn't the ship on Friday. Flew <cough> an entirely
> different ship today and sucked worse than on Friday - only this time
> I had company..

Kev, good diary (as usual) but don't you think your instructors OBVIOUS crap
mood had a bearing on your ability today? People generally respond to those
around them and if (as in this case) your instructor hasn't got the basic
idea of that by this time, he needs a slap upside the head. He MUST know
that if you get the idea he's having a bad day before it starts, you're
going to react to that even if you don't think you will.

I think his attitude stinks to high heaven. Now granted he can't give you a
pat on the back for making a pigs ear of your flight, but he COULD'VE done
something before you first lifted off to make it less obvious he wasn't in
the mood for flying. In fact, I thiink his attitude stinks so much, I'd fire
the ****er if he owns the school, and bitch on him if he's just an employee.

Beav

[Beav]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 16:10:24 -0000, "Beav"
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
>>message ...
>>> Ok, so it wasn't the ship on Friday. Flew <cough> an entirely
>>> different ship today and sucked worse than on Friday - only this time
>>> I had company..
>>
>>Kev, good diary (as usual) but don't you think your instructors OBVIOUS
>>crap
>>mood had a bearing on your ability today? People generally respond to
>>those
>>around them and if (as in this case) your instructor hasn't got the basic
>>idea of that by this time, he needs a slap upside the head. He MUST know
>>that if you get the idea he's having a bad day before it starts, you're
>>going to react to that even if you don't think you will.
>
> It may have, but my customer's bull**** a couple hours before that
> didn't make my mood much better. Usually other people's moods don't
> affect me. The combination of his poor mood and my poor mood probably
> didn't help. I've heard some hangar talk regarding that morning and I
> think I know what got him all bent out of shape. If it's true, I'd be
> livid if I were him.

There's that very old and often over used saying, but not this time "Don't
take your home problems to work and don't take work problems home" and I
reckon it's one of the best bits of advice I was ever given. People DO react
to those around them and an "atmosphere" at work, or at home is not needed.
Sure we all have bad days, but as a paid instructor he should have the
PROFESSIONALISM to leave you out of HIS problems.


>
>>I think his attitude stinks to high heaven. Now granted he can't give you
>>a
>>pat on the back for making a pigs ear of your flight, but he COULD'VE done
>>something before you first lifted off to make it less obvious he wasn't in
>>the mood for flying. In fact, I thiink his attitude stinks so much, I'd
>>fire
>>the ****er if he owns the school, and bitch on him if he's just an
>>employee.
>
> I'm not holding anything against him.

I'd only hold one thing against him, but it'd have six other things buried
inside it:-))) Well five actually:-))))))


I was the one doing the flying
> and I just wasn't performing to my expectations. I'm very hard on
> myself with pretty much anything I do, be it flying or building
> something out in the shop. Looking back, *I* wasn't in the mood for
> flying on Monday.

Even so, I think your instructor was way out of line. I bet if you asked him
if he was, he'd say "Yeah" too.

Yesterday I had fun buzzing around and today went
> pretty good (except for the hover autos) as well.

Were you solo?

>
> I'm supposed to fly tomorrow and do my long dual X-country Friday but
> I'm considering cancelling both - I need to go earn some money!

Ahhh, the old thorny thing! :-))

Beav

[Beav]

"The OTHER Kevin in San Diego" <skiddz "AT" adelphia "DOT" net> wrote in
message ...
> On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 17:05:40 -0000, "Beav"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>There's that very old and often over used saying, but not this time "Don't
>>take your home problems to work and don't take work problems home" and I
>>reckon it's one of the best bits of advice I was ever given. People DO
>>react
>>to those around them and an "atmosphere" at work, or at home is not
>>needed.
>>Sure we all have bad days, but as a paid instructor he should have the
>>PROFESSIONALISM to leave you out of HIS problems.
>
> Easier said than done. Some mornings my kids get me all bent out of
> shape (or dip****s on the road) and it carries over into my day. I
> try not to let it affect me, but it does. That's just human nature.

Absolutely Kev, but I was talking about the instructor, not you. HE
shouldn't let his problems affect his students, and that's what he did.
>
>
>>I'd only hold one thing against him, but it'd have six other things buried
>>inside it:-))) Well five actually:-))))))
>
> Remind me not to **** you off..

Hehehehe.

>
>>
>> I was the one doing the flying
>>> and I just wasn't performing to my expectations. I'm very hard on
>>> myself with pretty much anything I do, be it flying or building
>>> something out in the shop. Looking back, *I* wasn't in the mood for
>>> flying on Monday.
>>
>>Even so, I think your instructor was way out of line. I bet if you asked
>>him
>>if he was, he'd say "Yeah" too.
>
> Very possible. As far as I'm concerned, it's over. No need to dwell
> on it. I'm certainaly not going to.

I'd have had a word with him on the day, but it's probably the best solution
now


>
>> Yesterday I had fun buzzing around and today went
>>> pretty good (except for the hover autos) as well.
>>
>>Were you solo?
>
> no no no. We solo monkeys can't really do ****. Pretty much fly to
> airports we've been signed off to land at and then fly
> patterns/approachs and hover. No emergencly procedures (unless
> there's a real emergency) no quick stops, no air taxis, no slope work.

I just wondered if your instructor was more light hearted. I know soloists
are allowed to "tater" the heli's around, although it'd be fun while things
stayed on track:-)
>
>>>
>>> I'm supposed to fly tomorrow and do my long dual X-country Friday but
>>> I'm considering cancelling both - I need to go earn some money!
>>
>>Ahhh, the old thorny thing! :-))
>
> Yep. I gotta pay for all of this at some point. I might as well
> start now.

Better that than do it on credit.


Beav

[Simon Robbins]

"Beav" > wrote in message
...
> Kev, good diary (as usual) but don't you think your instructors OBVIOUS
crap
> mood had a bearing on your ability today? People generally respond to
those
> around them and if (as in this case) your instructor hasn't got the basic
> idea of that by this time, he needs a slap upside the head. He MUST know
> that if you get the idea he's having a bad day before it starts, you're
> going to react to that even if you don't think you will.

I had a fixed wing lesson once where after about 12 hours with the same
instructor he was unavailable at the last minute so I got somebody else. As
I was accelerating down the runway in the 172 I got a bit sloppy
compensating for a gusty side wind and we yawed just a little. Jokingly the
instructor shouts "ahh.. we're all gonna die!!" But since I hadn't flown
with (or even met) her before it just totally threw me. I got us up in the
air and proceeded to loathe every minute of the next hour. She wasn't
initially in a mood, it was just that her approach and personality were
alien to my student pilot experience. By the end she was a bit tense and
****ed off because I was flying badly (a lot worse than she was led to
believe I could I learnt), but she failed to realise she'd put me in that
condition in the first place by stripping all my confidence from me at
take-off!

Si

[Beav]

"Simon Robbins" > wrote in message
...
> "Beav" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Kev, good diary (as usual) but don't you think your instructors OBVIOUS
> crap
>> mood had a bearing on your ability today? People generally respond to
> those
>> around them and if (as in this case) your instructor hasn't got the basic
>> idea of that by this time, he needs a slap upside the head. He MUST know
>> that if you get the idea he's having a bad day before it starts, you're
>> going to react to that even if you don't think you will.
>
> I had a fixed wing lesson once where after about 12 hours with the same
> instructor he was unavailable at the last minute so I got somebody else.
> As
> I was accelerating down the runway in the 172 I got a bit sloppy
> compensating for a gusty side wind and we yawed just a little. Jokingly
> the
> instructor shouts "ahh.. we're all gonna die!!" But since I hadn't flown
> with (or even met) her before it just totally threw me. I got us up in
> the
> air and proceeded to loathe every minute of the next hour. She wasn't
> initially in a mood, it was just that her approach and personality were
> alien to my student pilot experience. By the end she was a bit tense and
> ****ed off because I was flying badly (a lot worse than she was led to
> believe I could I learnt), but she failed to realise she'd put me in that
> condition in the first place by stripping all my confidence from me at
> take-off!

It would've had exactly the opposite effect with me. I LOVE that kind of
humour. I can see me ribbing back with a "No death for you m'dear, merely
horrifying and painful injuries... onwards and downwards!!":-)

I'd have been a bit less impressed if she'd said it and grabbed the yoke
though, coz then I'd have thought she MEANT it. Your experience does show
that people react to others on an unconscious level.

Beav