AOPA You Can Fly guides refreshed for summer flying

The field guides are a collection of flight training best practices, advice, and information collected from students, CFIs, and flight schools who shared what has worked for them in past.

For students, the guide goes over everything a prospective pilot needs to know before getting started. It covers everything from getting an FAA medical certificate to picking the right flight school, including what costs to expect—and what important questions to ask flight schools and instructors before committing.

The guide goes on to help students identify their learning style and discover their motivation for flying and takes students through the flight training journey from introductory flight to checkride.

The guide for flight instructors gives tips and tricks to help CFIs build and strengthen their relationships with their students through positive experiences, and helps CFIs identify their students’ individual learning styles through guided questions. The guide also discusses ways to celebrate milestones like first lessons, passing FAA knowledge tests, and completing first solos and cross-country flights.

Flight schools will find valuable knowledge for running a successful business, including tips for setting business goals and building a strong foundation for success. The guide for flight schools also explains the importance of having a syllabus, providing tools to help CFIs be successful, and advice for matching students with the “right-for-them” instructor. Instructors and flight schools using the AOPA Flight Training Advantage platform will learn how to use AFTA to track student progress and get advice for setting student expectations and tools for success.