Posted by Jeff B on June 19, 2001 at 09:07:34:
In Reply to: No Flames at all... posted by JohnB on June 18, 2001 at 15:07:44:
Ok I guess I didnt communicate my thoughts properly. I am involved in flight training (past), aviation technitian training and scuba instruction as part of my career (scuba is the hobby part). A private pilot is taught how to handle a stall and spin, once is all that is required to obtain FAA certification. A controlled and expected spin is a whole different beast then an uncommanded spin. Cross wind landings are taught and practiced, but who says the 20 knot Xwind you trained in will be the same as a 50knot X wind after your certified? Is the aircraft going to handle the same? Can you be assured that what you did on the 20 knot X will be effective on the 50 knot? No you cant, a pilots license is no more then the very basics to flight, a license to learn. We dont take students up for the first time and put them in the left seat in 50 knot winds and say "here is real life, have at it" We dont take Billy Bo Bob off the street who has a 65 'stang that he restored before starting work for us and say, "heres the airplane, you have ten minuets on the line to get it troubleshoot, repaired and returned to service so we can make our next departure." It is a slow process in which we take baby steps to furthor someones abilities. The same should be done in scuba, start out on your butt to do these skills, then progress to mid water column and then to the surprise scenerios. Then when all is able to be done proficiently, mix them all up and see if one keeps a cool head. You throw an OW student into 30fsw and yank his mask off, you are going to have troubles.
I took exceprtion to Mikes observations only in that he made an assumption about this groups training, did the instructor progress into real life situations after the basic butt sitting lessons where done? Was this the certification dive for these folks? He didnt say so. It seemed to me that a conclusion was drawn without the whole story (albeit, his assumption is probably correct in 99% of the cases). I dont train like that, had it been my group out there, he may have seen them on their butts doing drills, but he may have missed the dives afterwards where the real dives are practiced, in doing so, I would have been judged to be the problem and so would whoever my shop and cert agency is.
BTW one can earn a pilots license in 40 hours, We spend approx. 60 hours with an average student.
Anyhows, Im off track and appologize if I lead anyone to conclusions.