Sport Pilot Talk

So, as you guys know from my other thread I started my sport pilot training. The school has two instructors for the Skycatcher. I have been working with the one guy for my last (and first) 4 lessons. Great guy, and I get along with him very well. He had a family emergency and had to cancel all of his lessons this week so when the school called me up to let me know they told me that they could schedule me with the other guy sometime this week if I wanted. I figured since it will have been close to 2 weeks since I've last flown due to weather and TFRs, what's the harm, I'll do a lesson so I can try to keep my skills sharp. After the lesson I actually wished I had never taken the day off and just gone to work. I did not like this other guys style of teaching at all and pretty much felt it was a waste of time and money. I now see why 80% of students never finish their training. About the only thing I got out of it was a new appreciation for how lucky I am to be working with a great instructor.

Here's my question though. This other guy insisted that we get the student pilot application submitted today. I have read that it takes some time for the FAA to review the application and I didn't think anything of it, but it got me thinking on the way home if he should have been the one to go over it with me, or the guy that I normally work with. I started doing some research as soon as I got home and I see that FAR 61.197 (2)(i) requires that for a CFI to renew their certificate they must have "A record of training students showing that, during the preceding 24 calendar months, the flight instructor has endorsed at least 5 students for a practical test for a certificate or rating and at least 80 percent of those students passed that test on the first attempt."

Did I accidentally screw my CFI over by not having him as my Recommending Instructor in IACRA for the student pilot certificate? I really hope not, please tell me I didn't.

From a CFI, in my opinion you don't have anything to worry about. The application for a student pilot is not the same as recommending for a practical test. In fact not long ago an instructor was not even part of the process of getting a student pilot certificate.

Thanks, that is a huge relief.

I concur with Tom. Signing off on IACRA for a Studdnt Pilot certificate is a clerical task. I could have done that for you (even though we've never flown together) just by verifying your ID and English language proficiency. Signing a student off for a checkride is a completely different matter, certifying that I've flown the requisite number of hours with him or her in preparation for the practical test, and find him or her proficient. (In your case, that comes much later.)

Good to know. I only plan on working with the instructor I have been with for my initial lessons, and I'll make sure he is the only one signing off on anything going forward. It was kind of a nightmare trying this other one. Not saying he was a bad instructor because different people have different teaching methods and some people have different leaning methods. Our styles just definitely did not mesh. Now I that I know how good I have it with the guy I have been working work I just hope he doesn't leave before I get my ticket

tdubs wrote: I just hope he doesn't leave before I get my ticket

If he does, feel free to come up to Lock Haven and finish up with me. My job will then be to discern your learning style, and tailor my teaching to fit your needs. Besides, as concerned as you are about doing right by your instructor, what CFI wouldn't be delighted to have you as a student?