Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site utastro.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!mgnetp!ihnp4!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!hao!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!chip
From: chip@utastro.UUCP (Arthur F. Fore Jr.)
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: CFIs -- SOB's vs. Mellow
Message-ID: <266@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Jul-84 11:29:40 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.266
Posted: Tue Jul 24 11:29:40 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 27-Jul-84 04:08:37 EDT
References: <9400004@hp-pcd.UUCP>
Organization: UTexas Astronomy Dept., Austin, Texas
Lines: 41

The SOB approach to instructing  most likely has its origins in the early days 
of flying, when the danger of sudden and permanent disaster was much greater 
than it is now.  The popular literature is full of examples of the cockpit man-
ner of flight instructors.  It has become a tradition passed down through many
generations; quite a few of today's instructors use the SOB method because that
was the way they were taught.

The SOB method is based on some very sound educational theory, believe it or 
not.  It is known as the Stress Theory of instruction.  It's theory is quite
simple:  just pressure a student into a position of complete frustration and
helplesness, and he will suddenly begin to learn at an unbelieveable rate.
The stress method is used in total immersion language courses.  The instructor
will become very hard to please, a perfectionist, a tyrant, a real SOB!  The
student will find that he can do nothing right, every attempt to perform in
a satisfactory way will be ridiculed, he will be made to feel like a hopeless
failure.  As signs of frustration begin to surface, the instructor really
turns up the heat, increasing the pressure on the student dramatically.  At
some point, the student is totally overwhelmed, and just gives up, usually
at or beyond the point of tears.  At that instant, the instructor becomes a
different being:  no longer the tyrant, but now a calm and compassionate
dispensor of wisdom.  The student is given back his self-respect, and a change
occurs that is quite remarkable.  In just a few moments, the student will learn
an ammount that would ordinarily take many days.

If you have never experienced it, I recommend you talk to someone who has.
You no doubt have noticed that the typical SOB flight instructor does not followthe recipe.  However, as a student pilot in the U.S. Air Force, I was fortunate
enough to fly with an instructor who was a master of the SOB school of instruct-ion.  The second loneliest experience of my life was the cockpit of a T-38, whenthe other seat was occupied by a madman who continually screamed at me over the
interphone, kicked the rudder pedals, and knocked the stick left and right with
his fists.  He was not pleased.  For four days we flew, with the stress buildingeach day. I developed ticks in my eyes, I couldn't sleep at night, I was about
as miserable as a man could be.  On the fifth day, I caved in; completely gave
up the idea of becomimg an Air Force pilot.  I was totally crushed, my dream wasgone, pounded into oblivion by this madman of an instructor.  I can still hear
him demanding more precision for vertical S maneuvers.  When he criticized me
for making a perfect level-off, I reached the end of my endurance.  There were
tears running down my face and over the oxygen mask as I whimpered "What do you
want from me?"

Did you know that the Transporter beam used in the Star Trek shows is real?  I
know, because someone exchanged places with my madman instructor the instant I
caved in.  He became very supportive, apologized for the treatment he had been
giving me and began to teach me about flying.  I learned rapidly; I became a
pilot.  And the madman?  I loved him.  I still do.