As a Certified Flight Instructor are you really teaching your
students what it means to be a Pilot In Command?

Before I begin, lets define the term Pilot In Command.   In the
Operating Rules section of the Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) .
The very first operating rule is: RESPONSIBILITY AND
AUTHORITY OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND .  This rule (FAR 91.3)
clearly states: “(a) The pilot in command (PIC) of an aircraft is directly
responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.”

Next looking in the Definition section of the FAR’s (FAR 1). Pilot In
Command is defined as “the pilot responsible for the operation and
safety of an aircraft during flight time.”

Using Webster’s Ninth New College Dictionary I looked up the words:
Pilot,  In, and Command  to get the following definitions”:

 Word  Definition

 Pilot:   “…..Is a person who handles or is qualified to handle the
controls of an airplane….”

 In:  “.. to be within….”

 Command:   “to direct authoritatively”

From the above definitions, it is clear that the term Pilot In Command refers
to,  ANY certified pilot (including student pilots flying solo) flying inside an
airplane, who have the responsibility and authority, for the control of that aircraft.

As flight instructors we spend hours teaching our students how to fly an
airplane-using the Practical Test Standards (PTS) as our guide.  Yet we
spend little or no time teaching our students what it means to be a PIC.
This is because the PTS has no criteria for measuring a PIC.

In the absence of  a standard.  The student learns their PIC skills by watching
their instructor while they are being trained.   The problem with this type of
training is that a student may come to believe, by watching his instructor react
to ATC,  that all ATC instructions are commands that must be followed by the pilot.

How many times, as an instructor, have you found yourself on final, and  ATC
ask you to you fly a 360 degree turn for spacing.  Do you perform the maneuver,
or do you tell ATC “unable to comply”.  What do you want your student to learn
in this kind of a situation?.
 

Another example; When ATC clears a jet to take-off from 30L and then clears you
to take off from 30R and says caution wake turbulence ….”.   What do you do?
Do you inform ATC that you are deviating to the right to avoid the turbulence, or
do you continue to fly the straight-out clearance given to you by ATC and pray
nothing happens.

Finally when ATC tells you to extend downwind, and that they will call your base
turn.  What do you do?.  A couple of years ago a low time pilot, flying out of  the San
Carlos airport followed the same ATC instructions and flew into the San Francisco
class B airspace.  The pilot was cited for entering the class B airspace, and lost his
certificate for 90 days.  By the way nothing happened to the controller, because the
FAA’s position was that the pilot was PIC, and therefore was solely responsible for
the operation of the airplane..

Finally when was the last time you showed your student how to fly into, or out of the
San Jose airport without talking to Bay approach.

Asd flight instructors do you show your students how to be a PIC or do you show
them how to be a pilot.

In conclusion, as flight instructors we must teach our students how to be a Pilot In
Command; not just a pilot