Gordon Reade

Rate: $60
Ratings: CFI/CFII/MEI
Phone: 650-388-0177
Email: gordonreade@hotmail.com

I have done many different things in my life but I have yet to find any other activity as enjoyable, satisfying and challenging as flight instruction. I love it. The most wonderful thing about being a flight instructor is the people who I have the privilege of working with. After so many years of teaching I am still learning from my students. It is not unusual for a primary student to phrase a question or answer in such a way that I develop a fresh and more profound insight into the art of flight.

I earned my private pilots license flying out of Palo Alto in 1978. After college and some real life experiences I received my CFI in 1987. I have been a full time instructor since 1988. I have been flying for 28% the total history of powered flight. YIKES!!!

I live only a few miles from the Palo Alto airport and so my commute is less than ten minutes. Therefore my availability is excellent. I can fly early mornings, late evenings and weekends. I have flown with students on Christmas day and New Years day. What better way could there be to start the new year?

My favorite aircraft for primary instruction is, by far and away, the Cessna 172 SP. It is a good solid flying machine with excellent handing. Over the years I have found it to be extremely rugged and wonderfully reliable. I particularly like the fact that - unlike some other aircraft - it has not one but two doors, one for the student and one for the instructor. It also has windows that open! That you will find Cessna 172s all over the world is an added benefit of learning to fly in this fine aircraft.

My goal is to produce good safe pilots who have the problem solving skills to deal with real world challenges and dangers, not simply pilots who test well when flying with an examiner. Having said that, the first time pass rate for my students is about 80% and I am proud of that number. When I hear a CFI say that his students have a 100% first time pass rate I find myself wondering if this instructor has the guts to work with a student who might be experiencing difficulties. If I dropped every student who took a bit longer to learn to land or fly a steep turn I suppose my pass rate would be 100% as well.