On Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 3:25:35 PM UTC-5, wrote:
Learning to fly an R22 from a kid that looks like he was 14 years would get you grey hairs real quick! And then to see his hand cocked from that stick as you thought you were going to DIE at the first hover was a learning experience I'll cherish the rest of my life! I made it!

I took one intro flight in an R22, read the documents informing you of the SFAR and the special training requiements and opted for the Guimbal Cabri G2. Got my rating in the Guimbal which has a few quirks of its own. True, the oldest instructor was a middle 20 something and there were instructors there who had never done a sign off for student solo or practical test but that is largely the nature of flight instuction these days. Now going to do some advanced training with a nice young guy, under 300 hours total but he appears to me to have the requisite flying skills and verbal capacity. Again, it's not all about hours but SKILL, ABILITY especially in the communications phase and the proper personality. Just because you are a world aerobatic champion with far more skill than the average CFIG candidate doesn't mean you can properly train a glider pilot. I'm actually impressed with the youngster with whom I am not doing the whirlybird thing.

Walt Connelly
Former Tow Pilot
Now Happy Helicopter pilot.

The kid was like 20! But, he was a good stick from Switzerland. But when I did my check ride in the R22, the examiner was an old pro. I learned more in the short flight then my entire time with my instructor, other than the basics...... I'm not taking anything from the instructor. Both made me a good Heli pilot...