This is going to sound like I am against "training".  I am not.  In fact, I am all for it IF it is not relied on to do more than it can do.  The sad fact is that lack of training is not what kills most GA pilots. Also on balance, training is not a problem (the average Lancair pilot is, by quite a wide margin, more skilled and better informed than the average GA pilot.)

I respectfully disagree with your statement regarding training. I am a designated pilot examiner and I have been a flight instructor for over 20 years and have been affiliated with the American Bonanza Society (ABS) for over ten of those years and now with HPAT giving flight training in the LIVP. Most of the pilots I see in these training situations have been just getting a BFR every two years, if that. IMHO this is not enough training to stay proficient in a IV or IVP.  Perhaps fewer than 10% of the Lancair owner pilots get annual recurrent training from a qualified HPAT instructor. This was true of the ABS membership.

 

Why is that so? Most pilots think that a private pilot ticket is all the training they need. Let's see-- that was 20 hours of required training probably 20 years ago with a 20 year old instructor and then an occasional ride with another pimply faced 20 year old flight instructor.

 

Occasionally I am  called by a potential client to give a quote on training for a IVP. They usually say that they want the best training in the industry, yadda, yadda, yadda. When I give them a quote (about $750/ day) they are off looking for some kid building time for the airline job. In other words a high net worth individual who is at he top of his game wants me, who is at the top of mine, to give him the benefit of my 30 years of experience for less than I pay my lawn boy. Have you priced FlightSafety or SIMCOM lately?  Depending on the program its north of $1000/day. If you want to pay an instructor $20/ hour you are going to get one worth $20/hour-- that simple.

 

The average GA pilot is poorly equipped to handle a C-172 on a good day much less a LIVP on a crummy one. Many pilots have been trained to the minimum standards of 14CFR61-- Don't believe me? Have you flown into OSH during the show lately or  listened to the tower freq. at your local airport sometime.

 

What does the typical pilot client need? Many of the pilots coming to HPAT or the ABS program  need additional training on single pilot IFR skills and require a lot of time in the pattern. Some have never been taught how to do an engine out landing.-- see Don Barnes earlier post) IFR skills are perishable.

 

Can we teach judgement or risk management?-- yes, we teach it at HPAT. I geve a course in it last year at the fly-in. Does everyone pass the test?-- no. This kind of training takes time over many sessions and many lessons-- something the average GA guy does not want to do. I do not mean to be condescending to anyone here because there are pilots who do value training and do get recurrent training often-- but they are few and far between.

 

Regards,

 

Jeff Edwards

LIVP