Be a teacher

Measures of successful maneuvering are clearly stated by the FAA as they are for other pilot certificates. Controlling the aircraft from the instructor’s seat is an acquired skill identical to other piloting tasks, but communicating effectively with the student before and throughout the maneuver is a challenge unique to being a CFI. Whereas the commercial pilot achieves success by flying an aircraft well, the flight instructor achieves success by flying well and by teaching well—two separate and important areas requiring knowledge and skill.

The fundamental difference between being a commercial pilot and being a certificated flight instructor is the ability to teach.

First, have a lesson plan. All CFIs—even the most experienced—need to have lesson plans that address the building blocks of learning needed for pilot certification. In addition to the FAA requirements, lessons to be learned must satisfy the personal ambitions of the student as well as their safety needs. Lesson plans begin with a clear objective, well stated, even when the maneuver’s purpose seems obvious.

While FAA standards are set, no two students are the same. One may respond positively to an instructor’s aggressive instruction while another may become defensive and reject well intended intervention. Each student is a unique individual. When preparing and teaching lesson plans, effective CFIs respect that individually. They tailor their presentations accordingly.

Before initiating training, effective CFIs engage their students in conversation to understand their reasons for becoming a pilot, therefore aligning their teaching techniques with the student’s ambitions and learning characteristics.

People learn best when they understand the reason why mastering a task provides benefits. Lesson plans need to emphasize why the maneuver must be learned, where the procedure fits into the overall course of training, how applying the procedures presented in the lesson plan produce the best results, and what are the measures of success (i.e., what identifies successful completion of the task to be learned). A set of lesson plans supports the student’s course of training, and the course of training is designed to produce a safe and productive pilot, which is the objective of all training.

While the best approach might be preparing customized lesson plans for each student, few instructors have the time and patience for such labor. Also, CFIs are obliged to use their employer’s approved training syllabus. The FAA requires instructors to have a training syllabus even if they instruct as independent teachers, but there is no requirement for government review of the independent instructor’s syllabus as there is with FAA approved flight schools. Several commercial providers offer training aids. Regardless of source, all lesson plans should include an area for special emphasis that addresses the student’s unique needs. Instructors are wise to make notes to themselves that emphasize key points when introducing each lesson plan during ground instruction prior to flight.

People learn best when they understand the reason why mastering a task provides benefits.

Instructors’ mantra: teach, demonstrate, drill, and test. Every lesson should begin with a ground session where the lesson plan is reviewed and the maneuver is taught, starting with the maneuver’s elements to be mastered and including a discussion of standard procedure for successful completion. Teaching is done on the ground before flight, in a quiet environment where the student can concentrate on the task being taught and not be distracted by the excitement of flying. Airborne is the place for demonstration, drill, and test.

When demonstrating maneuvers, the CFI emphasizes the student’s sight picture (i.e., what the student sees when viewing the natural and artificial horizon during a properly flown maneuver). The student describes to the CFI where key nose and wing tip reference points are with respect to the horizon, and the CFI re-enforces what the student should remember. Obviously, the instructor’s flying must be precise so the student sees the correct position of aircraft attitude and can duplicate the maneuver successfully.

The airborne aircraft is not the best environment for teaching. It is, however, the place for the CFI demonstrating the maneuver and for the student drilling (i.e., practicing) what has been taught on the ground and demonstrated in the air by the instructor. Airborne is also the place for the student to gain confidence in his or her mastery of the maneuver by “passing” the CFI’s review of the lesson learned. All tasks should include a “test” element.

Subpart H of federal aviation regulations Part 61 (which addresses certification of flight instructors other than flight instructors with a sport pilot rating) clearly establishes the importance of teaching skills and knowing how information is conveyed between student and CFI. The initial paragraphs of FAR 61.185 address fundamentals of instruction, including the learning process, elements of effective teaching, student evaluation and testing, course development and classroom training techniques. Subsequently, the subpart addresses flight proficiency. The CFI must strive to be a proficient teacher as well as a proficient pilot.

Pilots take pride in flying precisely. Flight instructors take pride in their students flying precisely. Success, however, requires more than skillful piloting by either instructor or student.

Skillful teaching is necessary.