In the mid-eighties, I had a female student at PIT from Reese. I didn’t know hardly anything about her until I flew a Contact check with her at PIT. She either was or had been on SMS (Special Monitoring Status – behind the power curve) at the time. There were also “rumblings” around the squadron that she had gotten to where she was by being attractive. I hated that, so I decided to find out myself – as the Chief of the Check Section.
When she reported for her check ride she was a bit ’timid,’ as you might expect. I told her to get a cup of coffee or something to drink, then we sat down to brief. I told her to relax, that we were just going out to fly and have a bit of fun. I told her that I was interested in seeing “just how good she was,” and to have some fun along the way. As much as ”fun” as you could have on a check ride.
Now, I tend to ‘ad lib’ on occasion (shocking!). By the time we got to the end of the runway for departure, I think she may have forgotten she was on a check ride – and she subsequently had a great ride! She earned an Excellent on the ride.
In the debrief, I hardly had anything to say about the maneuvers she flew; I focused on her “listening to voices” in her head! I told her that those “voices” were all BS, regardless of the content or source, and that she was a good pilot and would make a great IP. Then I told her to call her Mom, be fair with her students, and sent her on her way.
The next time I saw her was on the ramp at Tinker AFB one afternoon. We were both on “out-and-backs;” she from Reese and me from Randolph. I was heading into Base Ops when I heard a voice call out, “Colonel Holliker!” I turned, and it was her. She came up to me and (quite unprofessionally btw) gave me a big hug! She went on to tell me she was doing well and that was about it. She was in great spirits!
A few months later, she was killed. She was flying with a “marginal” student – nothing “special” about this kid, and he “froze” on the stick in the flare on a (simulated) no-flap landing. She didn’t have the physical strength to overpower him. He (from what I heard) was a former football player. I think he was 29 out of a class of 28 in academics. So, as the jet began to roll into a stall, she punched out. Her chute became entangled with the jet and she was killed. The student rode through it all and sustained just a broken arm.
Okay, unfortunately, these things happen by the nature of our business. It is dangerous. However, there are some things an IP can do to mitigate it all. First impress upon your students, from the very beginning of training, when you say you “have the jet,” YOU HAVE THE JET! Let go!!! You need to say this with great conviction – to where they are scared shitless not to let go! And, it’s also about building trust with the student. This is imperative! And that trust will come, with time…
Thankfully, these ‘tragedies’ do not happen often; just be prepared!