In this episode, our Helicopter Chief Instructor, Eric Doughtie, sits down with lead instructors Julian Oswald and Bastien Rambla to discuss what student success looks like at Hillsboro Heli Academy. They share valuable tips and insights drawn from their own experiences as students. Enjoy getting to know our team and learning how they foster a positive learning environment!
Bastien
Welcome to the Heli Academy Podcast. My name is Bastien Rambla and I'm the Assistant Chief here at the school.
8 sec.
Julian
And my name is Julian Oswald and I’m the Lead CFI for the private TCO.
11 sec.
Both
Please enjoy the Podcast.
18 sec.
Eric Doughtie
Hey guys. Welcome again to another show. I'm really excited.
32 sec.
Uh, this week to kick off a three-part series looking at student success specifically how we can be successful at students throughout our training in our courses.
39 sec.
So really really excited to be joined by two of my really really good friends today Bastien and Julian.
48 sec.
Why don't you guys say hello and introduce yourself.
50 sec.
Bastien
Hello, everyone. I'm Bastien I'm the Assistant Chief here at the flight school.
55 sec.
Um, so first of all a little bit. Uh, what I'm doing here at the school.
1 min. 1 sec.
I'm the major responsible. Um, for student enrollments.
1 min. 7 sec.
So you guys will see me first day of orientation. I'm gonna take care all the student enrollments I'm also a running basically the stage check meetings.
1 min. 12 sec.
So I'm responsible for the overview of, um, the stage checks that are happening here at the school.
1 min. 20 sec.
Um, big topic. A since we have self-examining as well, self-examining authority here at the school.
1 min. 29 sec.
So I'm very honored to be basically leading this group as well.
1 min. 33 sec.
And now a a over to one of my best colleague's here's as well at the school. Um, Julian? [laughter].
1 min. 45 sec.
Julian
Thanks, Bastien also, welcome from my side.
1 min. 47 sec.
My name is Julian Oswald.
1 min. 49 sec.
I am the private lead instructor here at the school.
1 min. 51 sec.
I came here like three years ago.
1 min. 54 sec.
Now I have the pleasure and the honor to actually work for this is awesome school as for like one and a half years now, approximately roughly and yeah, basically what I'm gonna be doing is obviously I'm also instructing a lot.
1 min. 56 sec.
Um, uh, helping out a lot of other instructors, especially when it comes to like questions about a privacy sales or private cars.
2 min. 7 sec.
Um, how can we actually achieve the best possible outcome for each type of student?
2 min. 14 sec.
Um, student success and yeah, that's basically our main topic today.
2 min. 19 sec.
Eric
Yeah, I thought you guys were the perfect two to rope in on this and I’m so glad I dragged you into this office for this because you know Julian you a really mentoring, the young CFIs in the private course and really looking at how we can be a successful in that course as we possibly can. And then Bastien, you know, you're leading a you know, the CFI I of course nowadays and giving specific guidance on how we can encourage our students to be successful early on and so that was kind of my my thoughts on what we could talk about today.
2 min. 38 sec.
Is you know we have a student they've basically just crash landed in Troutdale, metaphorically speaking, starting their training and you know, they got this big long journey in front of them.
3 min. 4 sec.
Um, I wanted to talk about like what we tell those individuals? What do we encourage them?
3 min. 12 sec.
How do we how do we catch them along for a just in general? How do you be successful in this environment?
3 min. 18 sec.
Julian
Yeah, I honestly, I mean, I've been there myself it's actually, it is a big challenge when it actually comes on the first day or like for example, I arrived at night.
3 min. 26 sec.
So I've, never been in the United States.
3 min. 34 sec.
So, it's a it's, a huge challenge for all of us and yeah, so there's basically my opinion too, you have to make two differences there first of all it said definitely about like the social life, right.
3 min. 36 sec.
That for example me and Bastien and also a couple of other people here.
3 min. 47 sec.
Um, uh, you actually have to be for example, like also active out outside of school just basically also to get a clear head, but then absolutely also the biggest part the main part.
3 min. 51 sec.
Why we're actually here for is actually basically becoming a professional polit here.
3 min. 59 sec.
So what I tell always my private students.
4 min. 4 sec.
Um, and there's basically three things what you have to be careful of. It's, basically, I call in the three P’s as I like them.
4 min. 9 sec.
Um, I don't know if that's even like officially, but I just like to tell this to my students.
4 min. 14 sec.
It's like first or it's very very important that you basically have a professional behavior, right.
4 min. 21 sec.
You cannot just show up at a at a new company or somewhere new environment.
4 min. 24 sec.
And just be unprofessional and then obviously the second one is gonna be punctuality everyone likes to have a basically basically keep and maintain.
4 min. 29 sec.
Um, at your appointments, you cannot just run 10 minutes late because maybe the customer is not there anymore at this point, right?
4 min. 38 sec.
And then, uh, the 3rd and last at least is actually gonna be your own preparation and we're gonna see there's a lot with the students.
4 min. 43 sec.
Who basically really take their time in their free time not only at school who actually go home and read up and study.
4 min. 54 sec.
Those books and really take out their information and they really prepare the next round lesson and as well as also maybe the maneuver manual, we actually published a great maneuver manual just for our school made by Eric our Chief Instructor here.
5 min. 7 sec.
Um, uh, yeah, honesty preparation is the key point to a successful training. But maybe Bastien if you actually wanna talk a little bit about, um, your first a couple months and how you actually basically stepped over like the first like stage one private and, um, how did you feel like basically right before your solos maybe?
5 min. 10 sec.
Bastien
Yeah, thank you Julian.
5 min. 32 sec.
Um, I totally have to agree with what you just said, um, I think the biggest thing that, uh, I kept in mind of that I remember from my private training in January a throughout the entire training that I did here at the school is a social aspect.
5 min. 44 sec.
Um, I think back in the days with my roommate um, we were both so motivated which means that we pushed each other so hard and I think that was one of the of the greatest supports throughout the time that I that.
6 min. 2 sec.
I spent here as a student.
Julian
Yeah it's not only about basically being alone, right or starting alone.
6 min. 14 sec.
It's actually about like it's more like a kind of like a group kind of thing.
6 min. 15 sec.
Bastien
Definitely definitely and it's funny. Because actually I I've, never been like a group learner.
6 min. 22 sec.
Um, but in in the past year of in the past time that I spent here as a student.
6 min. 27 sec.
Um, at HHA I really, um, felt that big support a starting together with other students.
6 min. 33 sec.
Um, because at the end we all have the same goal here at school coming as student to the school here and, uh, exactly that pushed me a throughout the entire training because when it's kind of a challenges as well right.
6 min. 43 sec.
So you see, oh your roommate gets his first solo flight done and then he gets the second solo flight done and then you're like just a few days stays on afterwards and that's like that pushes, you throughout the training and that's
6 min. 57 sec.
The same throughout all the stages here at the school so I think the social aspect here at our school is a it's, a it's, a huge factor.
7 min. 16 sec.
Julian
For sure, but I it also connects could actually also go in the other way, right.
7 min. 22 sec.
But basically I mean, comparing to each other it's, not always be the best thing to do for example.
7 min. 28 sec.
Um, obviously pushing each other is something completely different than for example.
7 min. 33 sec.
Um, uh, being greedy kind of thing, right.
7 min. 39 sec.
And basically being too pushy and compared to each other too much because flying and basically in this whole flying industry.
7 min. 41 sec.
Um, especially when comes to helicopter flights.
7 min. 47 sec.
We are pretty depending on a lot of different factors right.
7 min. 50 sec.
So we also have to be really understanding when it comes for example to wind, to weather and for example, wintertime, but it's also on the other hand really challenging, which is good because challenges actually get to further right for example.
7 min. 53 sec.
Eric
Yeah, I always kind of mention.
8 min. 5 sec.
It to young instructors and early students is like a you know, exactly what Bastien said.
8 min. 6 sec.
It motivates you, encourages you to work harder right?
8 min. 15 sec.
But where it becomes a negative thing is when that competitiveness actually starts to hinder relationships and actually becomes like too much of a burden on ourselves.
8 min. 17 sec.
Where now, we're having some external pressures added to us because you know we wanna catch up or we wanna get there.
8 min. 26 sec.
And and that's you know, we we, we all really need to watch that.
8 min. 33 sec.
Um, but what I love about our both our student community and our CFI community is is we we stay in that encouraging realm.
8 min. 36 sec.
We we don't.
8 min. 47 sec.
Let it go into that competitive realm.
8 min. 48 sec.
We we all know that we all end up at the same place at the end of time.
8 min. 51 sec.
Yeah, that your your roommate might have solo’d first.
8 min. 54 sec.
You know, a couple days before you, but you know, you both you're gonna get the 200 hours around the same time.
8 min. 57 sec.
So, uh, you're.
9 min. 1 sec.
All gonna get there and you're all gonna go at your own pace one's gonna go faster this week.
9 min. 7 sec.
The other was gonna go faster next week and a working together that collaborative spirit.
9 min. 7 sec.
Um, that encouraging spirit is so valuable, uh, I had to take a short break during my CFI training, I had a little back thing that I had to work out and I actually got to, I wasn't able to be around school for a few months and I remember like how much I actually lost not being around my friends?
9 min. 14 sec.
Not being in that collaborative environment my my knowledge went down, right?
9 min. 39 sec.
My, uh, you know, lingo went down. Everything every I felt like I was just a little bit behind the curve just after like a few months of being away and so being in the environment being with your friends, are you you're doing training with?
9 min. 45 sec.
I think, it's just it's such a unique and really rewarding experience.
Bastien
And I have to agree with 1 point, but both of you guys, I just mentioned you guys talked about, uh, taking a break because of the weather because of flights not happening due to weather or due you to other factors and that always happens.
10 min. 13 sec.
Um, sometimes you have to wait for the stage check.
10 min. 17 sec.
Sometimes, uh, because of, yeah, the weather the winds here in Troutdale, especially now with winter that is approaching.
10 min. 19 sec.
Sometimes you just don't get to fly and, in order to be really successful, a student, you really have to also find, um, basically opportunities.
10 min. 27 sec.
In those a period of time where you need to take a break from a flight training specifically.
10 min. 40 sec.
Exactly because you can actually just work on your ground knowledge.
10 min. 48 sec.
You can, um, for European students, you can focus on.
10 min. 53 sec.
Um, the EASA exams that are coming up next.
10 min. 58 sec.
Um, so there's always basically, uh, they're always opportunities.
11 min. 3 sec.
Um, that that you should take. And you should use the time.
11 min. 11 sec.
So back in the days when when I was a student and also now as flight instructor. Um, I'm I'm, not mad.
11 min. 18 sec.
If oh. I don't. I don't get angry if the weather doesn't allow a flight.
11 min. 21 sec.
I think at the beginning. Um, there's always a little bit of frustration I'm coming along with that, but um, you actually have to find the opportunities, which are coming. Um, up as you basically get those breaks from flying.
11 min. 35 sec.
Julian
Yeah, oh absolutely.
11 min. 41 sec.
I mean, uh, you cannot just be flying.
11 min. 42 sec.
All the time. In the beginning. You're, new to this whole like environment, you around the helicopters basically 24/7.
11 min. 46 sec.
The whole time and your you just started your highly motivated you basic just wanna get going.
11 min. 51 sec.
Basic just like fly everyday all day. And no Eric was used to might be be my private instructor.
11 min. 58 sec.
He actually knows exactly what I'm talking about I pushed it really hard.
12 min. 1 sec.
The beginning and uh, yeah, he called me down pretty quick.
12 min. 6 sec.
Got me back to ground.
12 min. 9 sec.
Yeah, basically I pushed everyday.
12 min. 11 sec.
I'm like dude I'm ready for like two flights today, but honestly, the end of the day, it is not worth it because the second flight.
12 min. 13 sec.
I remember where I believe we did it once or twice the second flight of the day, especially when it just start flight training a you're, not gonna be taking anything beneficial from this flight besides the fact that you actually learned on a really hard and pretty expensive way that two flights day as a private student is just not worth it because after the first flight.
12 min. 20 sec.
You're gonna remember every flight it's gonna be something new you're gonna it's gonna be something new you're gonna actually have to put all your brain capacity in basically in successful flying and also basically thinking about and could basically, um, uh, yeah.
12 min. 39 sec.
Having an approach.
12 min. 53 sec.
The system be approaching.
12 min. 54 sec.
How to use basically input from your from instructors to basically instructor tells, we're doing the whole flight.
12 min. 55 sec.
What do it's wrong and cover what you also did good right?
13 min. 1 sec.
And then it gives some input some effective critique basically.
13 min. 4 sec.
And, uh, what to do.
13 min. 7 sec.
And what control inputs to do it different and better and then it's continually base just like working on this one project, which is actually getting better at flying and this is really really really demanding in the beginning.
13 min. 9 sec.
Eric
Yeah, that's really.
13 min. 19 sec.
Well said a lot of great points guys and I think we can just kinda go on and on a love it you know, I was, I was kinda looking on the room and I was just thinking myself.
13 min. 20 sec.
I think collectively that there were three of those.
13 min. 29 sec.
I think we're well, over 100 students in experience. I mean, Bastien you and then Julian and you're you're you're getting up there to now.
13 min. 36 sec.
So we've seen a lot of students come through here. We've seen you know, students really really excel.
13 min. 43 sec.
And we've had students where we needed to encourage him on things and and get them up to that level and and work a little bit more intentionally with them, but you know at the end of the day, they they get there and that's super rewarding.
13 min. 46 sec.
That's one of most rewarding parts of being flight instructor.
13 min. 58 sec.
Um, okay, so. Kind of a lightning around a maybe since since we've all we've had we've seen a lot of students come through here, right.
14 min. 3 sec.
Uh, what are like a couple things.
14 min. 11 sec.
Maybe like three things that you saw out a student where you were like, wow, that's gonna make you really really successful.
14 min. 13 sec.
Bastien, you got any that come to mind?
14 min. 22 sec.
Bastien
A definitely. So I think, um, the biggest biggest. for me is just that the student comes a prepared, but uh, I think the most important thing is that the student comes motivated to the ground or flight lesson.
14 min. 26 sec.
Um, I I saw that with all my successful, most successful students, but, um, yeah for students that are modified, but basically I can prepare to grounds, but also flights.
14 min. 42 sec.
Um, it's, just very very easy to work with those students.
14 min. 56 sec.
Julian
Yeah, I I totally agree with Bastien, but one thing which I also saw with um, a couple of my students.
15 min. 4 sec.
The one student the one type of students actually gets the most out of his flight training is the one who's actually open minded, right.
15 min. 7 sec.
Basically the one who's not stubborn and maybe some people also come of like a little bit previous experience, right.
15 min. 13 sec.
And then a, but if they actually open up then actually, go ahead and say okay, I'm actually willing to actually learn a lot.
15 min. 20 sec.
Basically whatever input.
15 min. 26 sec.
They get they try to make the best out of it. And yeah, basically just get better better better.
15 min. 31 sec.
Bastien
That's a really really good. And I really well, I really like that you mentioned open minded.
15 min. 37 sec.
So basically a open for new inputs, that you as a flight instructor, you wanna give to the student.
15 min. 45 sec.
I think one a big point is where is that the student also just shows interest in a, especially for ground or flight topics that we're covering right, but it's, not only you as instructive as standing in front of the student and just, um, basically going over lesson contact, but but the student actually also shows interest in the topic and basically comes up with with questions and wants to know more about the topic and general.
15 min. 47 sec.
So I think that's also one very very important point in being a successful student.
16 min. 16 sec.
Eric
Absolutely, I mean, the more the the more that you know, and the longer that you're in this industry and, uh, you know in this environment you learn that every little thing has an incredible depth that you could go to.
16 min. 34 sec.
I mean, you can everything's a discipline, right? And uh, as you go throughout your career you'll find yourself specializing in this and that and you'll learn that these little things that we, you know, we we spend maybe 2-3 hours on, uh in the ground lesson covering you could spend your career specializing in and so there's always more to learn there's always a greater depth to go there's always more understanding again and that's the fun part about flying.
17 min. 3 sec.
You know. Um, a lot. We've been doing it guys we've been doing this a while every time we go out. You know that helicopter teaches me things you know, I I never never stop learning and never stop learning.
17 min. 10 sec.
Bastien
Perfect and I think one last. that I also wanted to mention.
17 min. 17 sec.
Um, is actually, I just recently really realized.
17 min. 22 sec.
How important that point is for me as well?
17 min. 28 sec.
Is, um, I mean, I myself as a CFI, I need to be flexible, but I think most of my successful students.
17 min. 30 sec.
Um, they've been very flexible throughout the training, which means that we have a lot of factors coming together right.
17 min. 40 sec.
We have the weather, we have aircraft available availability.
17 min. 47 sec.
Um, we have just in general for schedule here.
17 min. 51 sec.
Um, which means that sometimes I need to make changes right.
17 min. 55 sec.
And then, um, what I'm really happy about to see is a but if I if I ask a student in the morning.
18 min.
Okay, Hey, can you come in the afternoon and the students so successful to basically be able to make it in.
18 min. 12 sec.
Um, that same day that basically helps a lot in the student's progress.
18 min. 18 sec.
In general and for the student timeline I think that is also very important point.
Eric
And they're the most fun flights.
18 min. 27 sec.
Bastien
Uh, definitely for sure.
18 min. 29 sec.
Julian
Yeah, I totally agreed.
18 min. 32 sec.
A maybe from my side, the last point which I want to actually add to all of these.
18 min. 33 sec.
Great points we just discussed or just talked about is actually I'm being also humble.
18 min. 39 sec.
That means like that you're, not, um, uh, just because maybe you're in front of someone else, which you maybe maybe a fellow colleague who actually start at the same time, but you're now for example in front of him right.
18 min. 43 sec.
So it means like for example, go and solo first and then you instead of maybe and he's maybe little struggling instead of helping him.
18 min. 54 sec.
You just go in front of him and be like all right, you know, I'm the better pilot and kind of thing which is in my opinion complete nonsense, right.
19 min. 1 sec.
Because like we have all this to a common goal.
19 min. 9 sec.
So why, don't just help each other out and actually thrive for this common goal and basically better and better and better at it.
19 min. 11 sec.
Eric
Yeah, that's that's really well said, um, you know, I tell all the all the instructors and all the students.
19 min. 20 sec.
There's there's, plenty hours to fly and there's plenty of work to be had, um, you know, there's the great thing about our industry.
19 min. 26 sec.
Is in the pilot need right now. Is is there's opportunity for everyone and so you know a encouraging each other just goes a really really long way.
19 min. 35 sec.
It's super valuable so yeah, great points guys.
19 min. 44 sec.
I absolutely love it. I think I will say that.
19 min. 49 sec.
Uh, some of the most successful students again, preparation and which I think we've kind of voiced and, um, you know the the students that that get into the maneuver guide and and think about the maneuver that they're gonna learn the next day and chair fly.
19 min. 52 sec.
I mean, chair flying, huge way we can have a we'll probably the whole podcast on you know, visualization training in the science behind that that's so, uh, that's
20 min. 6 sec.
So valuable another discipline that we can, we can get into right.
20 min. 16 sec.
Um, uh, my favorite and I think I you know if you've been around a little bit you've heard me say this at one point or another is is you know being a good pilot is is knowing a knowing your aircraft right?
20 min. 19 sec.
But also knowing yourself and so the students that I that I think I see are really successful as the ones that understand that it's a relationship between them and the helicopter and uh, and work to not only better.
20 min. 29 sec.
Their skill and their knowledge in their training.
20 min. 47 sec.
But better themselves and and I just see that is is such a rewarding experience. One of my favorite parts of being a pilot.
20 min. 52 sec.
Is getting to learn more about myself and how I react in situations and everything like that. It's it's valuable it makes us better professionals better. Pilots and better people.
21 min. 3 sec.
Julian
Yeah, I I totally agree.
21 min. 5 sec.
I especially love point which is basically the connection between like us as the pilot and actually aircraft because you see there's a lot, basically people who are just like seeing this aircraft is like a tool.
21 min. 6 sec.
Basic to which brings him to success and which brings some fun, but honestly at the end of the day, the aircraft is basically like a like a friend, right.
21 min. 18 sec.
You have to treat it. You have to treat it well.
21 min. 26 sec.
Because for example, that part of this as well as for example, like cleaning, the blades clean the windshield clean the in general.
21 min. 27 sec.
Um, and basically building up this kind of like it sounds weird, but kind of like this relationship, right because, um, at the end of the day we spend hundreds if not thousands of hours in the aircraft and we actually want to have it, we wanna have a nice relationship, but at the end we also want to understand it right.
21 min. 34 sec.
You don't wanna you. Don't wanna jump in a relationship for example without understanding other person right.
21 min. 52 sec.
If that's, correct past due, right.
21 min. 56 sec.
Bastien
Yeah or without cleaning the other person.
21 min. 58 sec.
Julian
[laughter], maybe Oh my Gosh.
22 min. 2 sec.
All right, that was a yeah, that was a good one from Bastien.
22 min. 3 sec.
No anyway, the the point is what.
22 min. 9 sec.
I'm actually gonna say is actually it's not only about cleanings, actually about like feeling the aircraft you cannot just basically jump in there.
22 min. 11 sec.
Just, um, I can't. I don't know just move around this with this control to cycle collective.
22 min. 20 sec.
You actually have to really if you want to be good and basically from good to go from good to great then it's.
22 min. 23 sec.
All about basically feeling the aircraft feeling the control inputs, feeling the vibrations, which also might actually save your life at the end of today.
22 min. 28 sec.
And yeah, how so basically a lot about vision, right it's, a lot about basically seeing references and yeah, just thriving from our this was made maybe not.
22 min. 35 sec.
So much about a little bit about student success, but it is definitely about basically being a good pilot.
22 min. 44 sec.
Is about basically building up. This relationship from human being to aircraft because we actually go long ways, right. Both together about a lot of hours.
22 min. 57 sec.
Eric
Well awesome guys.
23 min. 1 sec.
Thanks so much for joining this was super fun we're gonna we'll definitely.
23 min. 2 sec.
Do another one of these and, uh, and kinda gets more y'all's wisdom and experience. It’s so valuable and uh, and honestly a working with you guys is one of my favorite parts being here.
23 min. 11 sec.
So thanks for joining this and doing this today.
23 min. 17 sec.
Julian
Yeah, thanks a lot for actually having us.
23 min. 19 sec.
The beginning me and Bastien were not the biggest fans of this idea and were a little nervous.
23 min. 22 sec.
[Laughter] That's funny, right.
23 min. 31 sec.
Because because it said to each other like everyday just jump right now.
23 min. 32 sec.
It popped or fly around, but I was more nervous in front of this microphone then I was actually in front of my - I don't know in front of my final exam for flight instructor [laughter].
23 min. 41 sec.
Eric
Okay, okay, so would you rather would you rather an emergency in the helicopter or another another podcasting, Bastien?
23 min. 44 sec.
Bastien
[Laughter] no, I take another podcast.
23 min. 53 sec.
Julian
I would -I would -I would do a hundred more podcasts.
23 min. 57 sec.
Eric
That’s good. That’s good. Well, thanks guys.
24 min. 3 sec.
And uh, we'll. See you guys all in the next couple weeks for the second addition for the series student success.
24 min. 4 sec.
Thanks ya’ll.
24 min. 11 sec.
Bastien
Thanks for joining and a happy flying.
24 min. 12 sec.
Julian
Yeah, thanks for joining everyone. Stay safe out there. And enjoy your flight.
24 min. 17 sec.