Instructor pilot observed using 2-WAY radio to keep in touch with his student during solo flight. AT...

Attributes
ACN	123149
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff landing other other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	123149
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

As a flight instructor, I may be overcautious. I use a 2-WAY radio when soloing students. I was in the process of soloing a student supervised solo, at fresno air terminal which is an arsa. The student monitored tower, but was also capable of monitoring his instructor. The student one time only in the process of the first takeoff switched to my frequency instead of tower and said he was ready. He then corrected himself and completed his landing without further radio corrections. The tower had called in the FAA to monitor my procedures in soloing this student. They waited watching the complete procedure and thereafter came up to me and said using a 2-WAY radio is not acceptable. The student should have the training and confidence without your intervention. My comment was, I feel, better in keeping in contact in case of any mishap no matter how well he was trained. The FAA insisted this would not be acceptable and he did not want to see this again. I conformed to his request even though I believe these types of monitoring and interference are unacceptable to me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR PLT OBSERVED USING 2-WAY RADIO TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH HIS STUDENT DURING SOLO FLT. ATCT LCL CTLR ADVISED THE FAA AND AN INSPECTOR MET WITH THE INSTRUCTOR ADVISING HIM THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE PROC.

Narrative: AS A FLT INSTRUCTOR, I MAY BE OVERCAUTIOUS. I USE A 2-WAY RADIO WHEN SOLOING STUDENTS. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF SOLOING A STUDENT SUPERVISED SOLO, AT FRESNO AIR TERMINAL WHICH IS AN ARSA. THE STUDENT MONITORED TWR, BUT WAS ALSO CAPABLE OF MONITORING HIS INSTRUCTOR. THE STUDENT ONE TIME ONLY IN THE PROCESS OF THE FIRST TKOF SWITCHED TO MY FREQ INSTEAD OF TWR AND SAID HE WAS READY. HE THEN CORRECTED HIMSELF AND COMPLETED HIS LNDG WITHOUT FURTHER RADIO CORRECTIONS. THE TWR HAD CALLED IN THE FAA TO MONITOR MY PROCS IN SOLOING THIS STUDENT. THEY WAITED WATCHING THE COMPLETE PROC AND THEREAFTER CAME UP TO ME AND SAID USING A 2-WAY RADIO IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. THE STUDENT SHOULD HAVE THE TRAINING AND CONFIDENCE WITHOUT YOUR INTERVENTION. MY COMMENT WAS, I FEEL, BETTER IN KEEPING IN CONTACT IN CASE OF ANY MISHAP NO MATTER HOW WELL HE WAS TRAINED. THE FAA INSISTED THIS WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE AND HE DID NOT WANT TO SEE THIS AGAIN. I CONFORMED TO HIS REQUEST EVEN THOUGH I BELIEVE THESE TYPES OF MONITORING AND INTERFERENCE ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO ME.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Instructor pilot observed using 2-WAY radio to keep in touch with his student during solo flight. ATCT local controller advised the FAA and an inspector met with the instructor advising him this was not acceptable procedure.