"Michael" wrote in message
om...
I simply have a hard time imagining how it would happen. I mean, if
what you're doing is within your envelope, why do you have the
instructor there? You could simply do it yourself.

Checking out in a new aircraft. Checking out in the same type of
aircraft but owned by a different club/FBO/person. A BFR. Going
up after a break think you'd be rusty but actually you find that you'd
have done ok (and did worse because the instructor was there?).

Several reasons.

I got checked out in a 172 recently after having not flown a 172 for
about 2 years. I can fly 172s (honestly!). But for a fair bit of the
checkout, I didn't feel like I was totally in control. I think I was less
in tune with the aircraft than I would have been had I just taken it
up on my own. My landings were very good, I got the sign off and
found that the next time I got in (on my own) it was as if I'd never
been away from 172s.

A few years ago I tried to do a checkout in the club 172 at Cardiff.
I didn't do that well, and the instructor suggested I needed more
practise before she would sign me off. A short while later, I got the
use of another 172 at Cardiff. It didn't require a checkout and there
was no one to check me out anyway. I just got in and flew it perfectly
(or as perfectly as I'd ever flown anything! :-) ).

Paul