Annoying Habbits?

Bruce Greeff wrote:

This chap introduced me to gliding 22 years ago. One of the gentlest and
nicest people you could hope to meet.
An excellent if slightly eccentric teacher, he taught generations to fly
long white wings - for next to nothing but the joy of it. The only thing
that reliably got a student a lecture, was a lax attitude - particularly
to safety.
Over all he brought many into the sport, I don't know of any he drove
away. I do know many who hold him in the highest respect.

I wonder how many scare themselves witless, or kill themselves being
sloppy because their instruction did not include some robust criticism.
Or even the occasional good natured slap with a gliding hat - hardly a
weapon of mass destruction

Sounds like a difference in perspective between you Ian and myself. I
think we can all live with that.
I really do understand the difference between your "...Or even the
occasional good natured slap with a gliding hat" I've probably gotten
one or two of those (no harm done), and Ian's "...beat you around the
ears with his hat" and perhaps something harder.
The former gets your attention, the latter sounds abusive and counter
productive.
I'm all for robust criticism BTW, but it can be "Look if you continue to
do xyz you'll kill yourself one day." Not "You stupid *^@@#$%^^%$#
you're an embarrassment to aviation." :-)

Shawn

Same bloke. Thank you Bruce!

Ian

"tango4" wrote in message
...
One of my first instructors would whistle and hum to himself if you were
doing well. When the whistling stopped, look out, the next thing was
usually
him stretching forward to beat you around the ears with his hat.

In answer to his heavily German accented 'where are your wings?', usually
meant to inquire about the diversion of the string from the straight back
position, I once replied 'well there's one there and one there' nodding
first left then right. At that point I think he unscrewed the stick from
the
rear seat of the bergfalke and hit me with that because it certainly
wasn't
a cap that he hit me with! I reckon that smart alec comment delayed my
solo
by months!

Fond memories!

Me? A bit of silent verbal abuse when I'm down in the weeds. I have been
known to whistle and hum when its going well, looks like the training
stuck!

Ian

most likely the rigging spanner. always a favorite for the K-7 and K-13
instructor

Frank Whiteley