very typical of my instructor, who believed he
could fly any plane in any conditions -- and often did.


Am I wrong, but hasn't the FAA in recent decades sought to develop flight
instructors who were good teachers, not hot shot pilots who could fly
anything
with wings in any conditions??

I haven't instructed in YEARS, but when I went for my CFI and CFII check
rides,
they were more interested in my teaching skills than my flying skills.

I agree with your point, to a degree.

Bob was very "old school" in that he felt he could fly anything, anytime,
anywhere. Of course, after 20K hours, I suppose maybe he *could* -- but in
retrospect, he probably was more reckless than logic dictated. On the
other hand, I learned a LOT from him that I would never have learned from
some of the 20-somethings I fly with now.

This somewhat cavalier attitude extended to the planes he had on the rental
line at his FBO. Although he would never send someone out in a rental that
HE felt was unsafe, in my opinion his attitude toward the mechanical
condition of his rental planes was way too lax. On the other hand, his
rentals were far more affordable than the "safer" planes I see on the line
today.

Of course, I knew NONE of this at the time -- it is only in retrospect that
I realize it.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"