Adios, off days

With proper preparation, rest, diet, and focus, we can help banish most of our bad lessons.

Flight instructors typically assign homework either to help reinforce what was learned during a lesson or to introduce new concepts that will be tackled on the next flight. Complete the instructor’s ground assignment at a minimum, but proactively dig deeper to reap more benefits. Read applicable parts of the FAA’s reference publications Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and Airplane Flying Handbook. Take online courses, such as those from the AOPA Air Safety Institute, on the topic. Continuing the learning process between lessons will make each flight more impactful and help advance your thinking from rote memorization to understanding and correlation. Watch technique videos from reputable sources and chair fly between lessons—particularly the day before you fly. Doing so will keep the maneuver fresh, reinforcing the skills needed for that lesson.

Get plenty of rest and eat well. When we aren’t at our peak physically, it shows. “Fatigue is frequently associated with pilot error,” according to the Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. “Some of the effects of fatigue include degradation of attention and concentration, impaired coordination, and decreased ability to communicate. These factors seriously influence the ability to make effective decisions.” It’s also important to fuel our bodies for the demands of flying—running on caffeine and cookies won’t cut it. One of the effects of dehydration is fatigue. If we start out dehydrated before a long cross-country flight, the condition will only worsen as the flight continues and your mental state could deteriorate quickly on a hot summer day. When our bodies are drained of rest and nutrients, our performance suffers. For example, our landings might get progressively worse instead of better; we might have a difficult time focusing on the task at hand; or we might not be able to multitask, such as understanding rapid-fire air traffic control clearances while watching for traffic before and during traffic pattern entry.

One of the beautiful aspects of aviation is its power to clear our minds of everything else going on in life. It’s as if we leave it behind on the ground. However, sometimes we allow the distractions of work, school, and home life to compete for our attention right up until our lesson begins. When this happens, it can carry over into the flight. Try to limit distractions before a flight lesson to decompress and focus on flying. While driving to the airport, sitting in the parking lot, or waiting on an instructor, make a point not to scroll through social media, talk on the phone, or jot down notes for work. Focus exclusively on the upcoming lesson. Perhaps chair fly, think through the impact the winds or visibility will have on the flight, or review highlights from the material studied in advance.

Some circumstances, such as the death of someone close to us or the stress of losing or changing a job, might force us to take a break from flying until we can fully focus. The IMSAFE checklist is a helpful resource for evaluating our physical and mental fitness for flight. If we are off in any of those areas, we will likely have a more difficult flight lesson.

However, when we are well-prepared for the lesson, are rested and have nourished our bodies, and have created a distraction-free zone to focus on the flight, we will be able to enjoy peak physical and mental performance, making those so-called “off days” a thing of the past.