Let's Train Right!

by R. Williams

Ever wondered why some student pilots do so well and others struggle with their training? I'll give you my two cents worth if you will hear me out.

Let me give you a hypothetical....a wanna be pilot calls and asks about flight instruction, the cost, the type or types of airplanes available, how long it takes to get a pilots license, medical requirements, etc....the flight instructor answers each question to the satisfaction of the potential new student and they mutually agree to meet for a first lesson.

Their initial meeting goes just fine....eventually, the flight instructor and new student pilot head for the ramp to preflight and then fly. Here's the point in time I see a first mistake on the part of the flight instructor. The name of this disease is "ego" or in the alternative, "pride."

Instead of recognizing that it is the new student pilot who wants to learn to fly, the flight instructor is determined to show this new aspiring pilot just how great he/she is when it comes to aeronautical skill sets!

So the flight instructor preflights, they both get into the airplane, the flight instructor starts the engine, taxies to the runway, takes off, flies around for 45 minutes demonstrating all the maneuvers the new pilot will be learning and then lands the airplane, taxies to the ramp, and asks the aspiring pilot...."so, what do you think about flying? Are you ready to start?"

What sort of impression does this new student pilot have now....he paid the rental fee, maybe even paid the instructor's fee but was never allowed to be involved in this first flight except as an observer.

Bad Impression Number 1!

It doesn't stop here. The first "real" flight instruction period is scheduled. They meet and the flight instructor goes through a thorough briefing, they preflight together, they talk about using the checklist, the student pilot and instructor complete the checklist and off they go....into the wild blue yonder.

But do they fly high? Not really.

Here's where the next problem arises. The flight instructor discusses what the controls do mechanically but never really discusses how the controls affect the airplane on the ground or in the air. By the time the new pilot has taxiied to the active runway, the instructor has probably taken the airplane away from the student pilot more than once and now, the student pilot is starting to question his/her flight skills and instead of being excited about this new endeavor, the student pilot is asking, "is this for me?"

Bad Impression Number 2!

You can see where I am going with this.

My view of training is rather simplistic. Spend as much time as you need to briefing and debriefing new pilots. Face the fact that they don't know what it means if you tell them the yoke is not like a car steering wheel. Explain the differences; show them exactly what the rudder pedals do....what they are connected to and how they help on the ground, during the take off and during flight.

I have been instructing for more than 30 years and currently, working for a major aircraft manufacturer as a flight instructor on the Learjet 31a, Learjet 45 and Challenger. In addition, I am a training center examiner and a training center evaluator the European JAA. I'll publish your thoughts on instructing as long as they are reasonable to me. I reserve the right to not publish any material sent to this web site.

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