To All Flight Instructors and FBO's


Do you wonder why the number of active certificated pilots is dropping? Why after they get their initial certificate, a lot of pilots fly for a while then never go back? Why the pilots that have once 'touched the face of God' find something else to do? This is the third time I've been dropped. Different Schools, different cities, different instructors. The first time, I was just a ten hour student. The instructor got promoted to assistant chief instructor. Sorry, no time for primary students. That one couldn't even bring themselves to tell me, I had to call to find out.

The second time, it was just a ground school for the instrument rating. Exactly, just a ground school, you'll be back, flying a multi-engine aircraft is much more important. And we won't be able to reschedule for a week. This one now tells his students up front that if a charter comes along, it is first.

The third time, this was going to be a flight in a C172. I haven't been flying for six months, with my last few flights having mechanical failures. I'm 'gun-shy'. I'm not sure if I even want to fly again. I really love flying, but I'm not sure how much I've forgotten. I told the instructor this. I told him that I wasn't sure. I was secretly hoping that it would be foggy this morning so the flight would be cancelled and I wouldn't have to go through with this. I've forgotten so much about flying that it will take forever to relearn all of this. What happens if I don't remember anything? This morning it was foggy, but the type that burns off quickly. Oh good, I do get to go fly today. Maybe it won't be too bad. I've learned this stuff before, so I know I can learn it again.

Then the phone rang. Hi, I'm calling for your instructor, you see, he is the only instructor that can fly our multi-engine charter today because the original charter pilot's wife just had a baby. He'll call you to reschedule. Click.

I wonder if this instructor will understand, when and if he ever calls, that I'm not that interested in flying anymore. I wonder if he'll understand that I, selfishly, am tired of being dropped. I wonder if he'll know that I don't want to get worked up like that and then to have my hopes crushed. I wonder if there were any other instructors available for a flight today.

Sure, I understand that things happen. It would have been okay if it was a weather or a mechanical difficulty. But, this is how pilots that have stopped flying don't start again. Some students would not have made it past the first drop.

Is your school this way? Are you, the instructor, going to drop a student to fly a bigger airplane? If I ever decide to try again, are you going to be the one to have your school's secretary call to say that so sorry, you are not as important as another person?


The previous letter was posted on the Student Pilot Bulletin Board in December, 1998. The next day the CFI had not called back and the student called instead. The CFI had a different reason for dropping the flight than the one the secretary had. The student flew with another flight instructor at a different school a few days later and took a long break from flying. The student was a private pilot with an instrument rating. Two years later, a friend convinced the student to return to flying. That student is now a flight instructor making sure none of their students ever face the same thing.
Moral: Don't dump your student. -Jedi Nein

If you really must know, since 13JUN99,  have read this page. This page turned into a happy ending on 18SEP2000.