FAA Safety Briefing - Jul-Aug 2024

July/August 2024 1

July/August 2024

14 Checkride Day Errors

and How to Avoid Them18 FAAST-Tracking

Y our CFI Success22 Ground is Good – How to Be an Effective Ground Instructor

2 FAA Safety BriefingU.S. Department

of Transportation

Federal Aviation

Administration

ISSN: 1057-9648

FAA Safety BriefingJuly/August 2024Volume 64/Number 4

Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation

Michael Whitaker AdministratorDavid Boulter Associate Administrator for Aviation SafetyLarry Fields Executive Director, Flight Standards ServiceTom Hoffmann EditorJames Williams Associate Editor / Photo EditorRebekah Waters Associate EditorNicole Hartman Associate EditorPaul Cianciolo Associate Editor / Social MediaMarco Marchegiani Art Director

Published six times a year, FAA Safety Briefing, formerly

FAA Aviation News, promotes aviation safety by discussing current technical,

regulatory, and procedural aspects affecting the safe operation and maintenance of aircraft. Although based on current FAA policy and rule interpretations, all material is advisory or informational in nature and should not be construed to have regulatory effect. Certain details of accidents described herein may have been altered to protect the privacy of those involved.

The FAA does not officially endorse any goods, services, materials, or products of

manufacturers that may be referred to in an article. All brands, product names, company names, trademarks, and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

The Office of Management and Budget has approved the use

of public funds for printing FAA Safety Briefing.ABOUT THIS ISSUE…

The July/August 2024 issue of FAA Safety

Briefing explores the critical role flight

instructors play in keeping the National Airspace System safe and preparing the next generation of pilots. Feature articles focus on instructional best practices as well as the many tools and educational resources that can help sharpen your teaching skills.

Contact InformationThe magazine is available on the internet at: www.faa.gov/safety_briefing

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July/August 2024 1The FAA Safety Policy Voice of Non-commercial General Aviation

7Beyond Rote Learning

A Principles-Based Approach to Flight Training

by Rich Stowell

11The Expectations of ExperienceUnderstanding the Keys to Success in Flight Training

by Karen Kalishek and Paul Preidecker

14Why Was My Student’s Practical Test Canceled?A Look at Some Common Checkride

Day Errors and How to Prevent Them

by Kenny Bain and Regina Brock

18FAAST-Track Your Flight Instructor Success

How the FAA Safety Team Supports the Flight Instructor Community

by Tom Hoffmann

22Ground is GoodThe Ins and Outs of Effective Ground School Instruction

by William Dubois

26Inflight InsightsWords of Wisdom from Flight Instructors

by Nicole Hartman and Rebekah WatersDEPARTMENTS

2 Jumpseat: an executive policy

perspective

3 ATIS: GA news and current events

5 Aeromedical Advisory: a checkup on

all things aeromedical

30 Checklist: FAA resources and safety

reminders

32 D rone Debrief: drone safety roundup

33 Nuts , Bolts, and Electrons: GA

maintenance issues

34 Vertically Speaking: safety issues for

rotorcraft pilots

35 Flight Forum: letters from the Safety

Briefing mailbag

36 O n Final: an editor’s perspective

Inside back cover

FAA Faces: FAA employee profile

2 FAA Safety BriefingJUMPSEAT an executive policy perspective

LARRY FIELDS, FLIGHT STANDARDS SERVICE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

THE IMPORTANCE OF AVIATION EDUCATORS

I think most folks would agree that

flight instructors are an absolutely critical cog in the machinery of the aviation industry. At one point or another in our aviation endeavors, we depend on them for their exper -

tise, guidance, and mentorship, and look to them as role models that portray the professionalism and passion for aviation that we should all strive to achieve. Let’s also not forget the pivotal role they play in the growth of our industry by prepar -

ing the next generation of pilots and arming them with the knowledge and decision-making skills needed for safety and success. Given these vast responsibilities, I’ d argue there are few pursuits in aviation nobler than the role of flight instructor.

While flight instructors excel at

being educators , they have an equal

responsibility in being educatees by

keeping their skills sharp and main-taining a life-long learning process. That’s a key reason we’ve focused this issue on being a resource for flight instruction. Allow me to highlight a few areas within these pages that you may find helpful in your educational pursuits.

In the feature “Inflight Insights, ”

we provide an overview of an instruc-tor’s responsibilities, highlight several reasons to become an instructor, and share some words of wisdom from a few veterans in the field. Then, in the article “FAAST-Tracking Y our Flight Instructor Success, ” we discuss the critical support role that the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) provides to the instructor community by way of regular forums, special events, and an impressive library of free resources that are available to all. This article also covers the important role of instructors in the WINGS Pilot Proficiency program.

Other features in this issue cover

how to shore up your ground school game, avoid costly mistakes for your students on check-ride day, and explore how a principles-based approach to flight training could help students reach a correlation level of learning more easily.

Another source of inspiration

for success I’ d like to call your attention to is this year’s National General Aviation Award winners: Flight Instructor of the Y ear Adam Magee, Aviation Technician of the Ye ar Marty King , and FAASTeam

Representative of the Y ear Cary Grant . Please join me in congratulat-

ing these airmen for this prestigious honor and be on the lookout for them this July at AirVenture. Be sure to go to generalaviationawards.com to learn more about their amazing achievements, as well as how to nom-inate a deserving airman you know next year.

Another great resource for instruc-

tors is the Flight Instructor’s Model Code of Conduct. If you’re not famil-iar with the Aviator’s Model Code of Conduct series produced by the Aviators Code Initiative, I encourage you to check it out at secureav.com. We jointly encourage instructors to:

a. make safety a high priority,

b. seek excellence in airmanship,

c.develop, exercise, and teachgood judgment, and aeronauticaldecision-making,

d. recognize and manage risks effec-tively, and teach sound principlesof risk management,

e.demonstrate and teach situationalawareness, prudent operatingpractices, and personal operatingparameters (e.g., minimums),

f.aspire to professionalism,

g. act with responsibility and cour -

tesy, and

h. adhere to applicable laws andregulations.

In closing, I’ d like to again acknowl-

edge and recognize all those who have taken up the call to be educators, whether you’re just starting out, or have made flight instruction a lifelong pursuit. I’m also reminded of some sage advice for instructors provided by the former editor of this publication, Susan Parson. “No matter why you are in the aviation instruction business, you can give — you should give — you must give — the very best you can offer to this time when you touch both the present and the future of aviation. ”

Thank you and safe flying!

July/August 2024 3

ATISGA news and current events

AVIATION NEWS ROUNDUP

New Airman Certification Standards

and Practical Test Standards

The FAA introduced the new Airman

Certification Standards (ACS) and Practical Test Standards (PTS); Incorporation by Reference (IBR) final rule on April 1, 2024, available at ecfr.gov. The final rule codifies 15 ACS and 18 PTS into Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), under parts 61, 63, and 65 per the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), which provides for public comment during rulemaking. As a result, the regulation identifies specific testing standards associated with each cer -

tificate, rating, or proficiency check, eliminating ambiguity as to which standard must be used. The final rule provided a 60-day implementa-tion period from the published date and became effective on May 31, 2024. The FAA also provided per -

tinent guidance for part 61 airman certification for this new rule and published Notice 8900.691, Airman Certification Standards and Practical Test Standards for Airmen . Y ou can

view the notice at bit.ly/3QCN5Et.

What changed during this rulemak-

ing is that the FAA published six new ACS for the powered-lift category. The FAA also converted several PTS to ACS for the rotorcraft/heli-copter, which include Private Pilot for Rotorcraft: Helicopter Rating and Instrument Rating; Helicopter, Commercial Pilot for Rotorcraft Category: Helicopter Rating; and the Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft Category: Helicopter Rating. The existing ACS for the airplane category was revised, while Flight Instructor for Airplane Category PTS was also converted to the ACS format. The FAA also published the

new ACS Companion Guide for Pilots (FAA-G-ACS-2) at bit.ly/FAAACS to assist ACS users with familiarization of its content as well as testing requirements.

The FAA will work with our

industry partners through the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee to continue convert-ing the remaining PTS to ACS format to ensure robust testing standards that correlate with all facets of airman testing.

AirVenture 2024 Procedures

The FAA published the Oshkosh

2024 Notice — a must-read for anyone flying an aircraft to AirVenture. The document out-lines procedures for many types of aircraft that fly to Oshkosh for the event, as well as aircraft that land at nearby airports.

The ATC-assignable transition

points approaching Oshkosh from the west that will ease holding and congestion will again be in effect in 2024. These points are at Endeavor Bridge, Puckaway Lake, and Green Lake. They will be announced on the arrival ATIS when ATC activates them at times of highest traffic flows. Some changes to the 2024 Notice include:

•A TFR will be in effect in MKEairspace on July 15-18

•A new FISK holding procedure

•No FISK arrivals before 8 a.m.CDT on Thursday, July 25

To ensure safe operations on arrival

and departure, go to bit.ly/OSHnotice to download the Notice. Updated Advisory Circular Supports Paperless Flight

The FAA recently issued Advisory

Circular (AC) 91-78A, Use of Electronic Flight Bags, to give clarity to those wanting to replace required paper information and/or utilize hosted database and software appli-cations as part of electronic flight bag (EFB) functionality. The AC describes an acceptable means, but not the only means, to replace required paper information. However, if you use the means described in the AC, you must follow it in all important respects.

This guidance allows pilots and

aircraft owners to fully digitize their cockpits and associated reference materials, including aircraft manuals, supplements, and weight and balance information. Y ou can review this AC at bit.ly/9178EFB .

4 FAA Safety Briefing

ATIS GA news and current eventsCFI Certificate Expiration Rule

The proposal to amend the flight

instructor certificate renewal require-ments by changing the existing renewal requirements to recent expe-rience requirements and adding a new method for persons to establish recent flight instructor experience is still in the rulemaking process at press time and moving forward.

Officially named “Removal of

Expiration Date on a Flight Instructor Certificate; Additional Qualification Requirements to Train Initial Flight Instructor Applicants; and Other Provisions, ” the proposed rulemaking includes five key changes:

1. Removes the expiration dateon CFI certificates and changesexisting renewal requirements torecent experience requirements.

2. Codifies the FAA ’s WINGS PilotProficiency Program into regu-lation as a method to meet CFIrecent experience.

3. Reinstates lapsed CFI privi-leges through a flight instructorrefresher course (FIRC), providedthe CFI’s recent experience hasnot lapsed for more than threecalendar months.

4. Adds two new qualificationmethods for flight instructors totrain initial CFI applicants.

5. Relocates and codifies SpecialFederal Aviation Regulation(SFAR) 100-2 into regulations.

Y ou can check the status and review

the details of the proposed rulemak-ing at bit.ly/3wla3sP .

FAA Adds to Approved Meds List

The FAA added three medications that

are allowed for special issuance consid-eration for use by pilots and air traffic controllers, a significant development for the mental well-being of profession-als working in the aviation industry. The FAA now allows certain selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), and dopamine/norepinephrine-reuptake inhibitors (NDRI) for special issuance/special consideration. In total, there are eight drugs that pilots and controllers can take and keep their medical certificates.

For more information, visit faa.gov/

ame_guide .

2024 FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Symposium

This year’s FAA Drone and Advanced

Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium focuses on how the FAA continues to safely integrate these aircraft while creating a framework to accelerate advanced operations.

The event, which runs from July 30

to Aug. 1 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland, brings together representatives from the FAA, other government agencies, international aviation experts, industry leaders, and academia. The presenters and panelists will discuss the latest information and advancements related to the diverse uses of drones and the safe integration of AAM aircraft, like air taxis, into the national airspace system.

This year’s theme is Connected Skies/

Connected Communities. Sessions and workshops focus on how the FAA con-tinues to safely integrate drones while creating a regulatory and operational framework to accelerate advanced oper -

ations such as beyond visual line of sight and UAS Traffic Management (UTM). AAM sessions and workshops focus on how air taxis and electric vertical take-off, and landing (eVTOL) aircraft will change aviation as we know it.

To register and get updates

on event programming, visit faadroneaamsymposium.org .FAA Requires Aviation Organizations to Detect, Address Safety Risks Early

The FAA is issuing new requirements

for charter airlines, commuter airlines, air tour operators, and certain aircraft manufacturers to implement a safety management system (SMS).

SMS provides a structured, repeat-

able, systematic approach to proac-tively identifying hazards and manag-ing safety risk. By incorporating SMS, these aviation organizations will be better able to develop and implement mitigations appropriate to their spe-cific environment and operations.

The FAA ’s final rule mandates that

these organizations develop an SMS within one to three years, depend-ing on the operation. The FAA has required U.S. airlines to have SMS since 2018, and some manufacturers already developed and implemented SMS, which the FAA accepted.

The rule also requires those who have

an SMS to share hazard information with other aviation organizations so they can work collaboratively to identify and address potential safety issues.

The final rule goes beyond

the requirements of the Aircraft Certification, Safety and Accountability Act of 2020, which directed the FAA to mandate SMS only for aircraft man-ufacturers. The rule also addresses recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board and inde-pendent review panels.

Y ou can read the final rule at bit.ly/

SMSrule .

CONDITIONALLY Acceptable Antidepressant Medications with SI

(used as a single agent, if otherwise qualified.)

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI):

• citalopram (Celexa)

• escitalopram (Lexapro)

• fluoxetine (Prozac; Sarafem)

• sertraline (Zoloft)Serotonin and norepinphrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI):

• desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

• duloxetine (Cymbalta)

• venlafaxine (Effecor)

Dopamine/norepinephrine-reuptake inhibitor (NDRI):

• buproprion (Wellbutrin) SR/ER formulations ONLY

July/August 2024 5

AEROMEDICAL ADVISORYa checkup on all things aeromedical

DR. SUSAN NORTHRUP , FAA FEDERAL AIR SURGEON

GETTING TO YES

In the May/Jun 2024 issue, I reviewed

some fatal accidents where either a

mental health diagnosis and/or drug

(some illicit) contributed. These were

examples of why we do not authorize

some diagnoses and treatments for flying. Now I would like to review what

we have done over the past decades

to allow more pilots with formerly disqualifying conditions to fly (after

appropriate evaluation and treatment).

Before we do that, recall that the FAA

medical examination can differ from

a clinical evaluation. The FAA exam is more akin to an occupational exam.

Our goal is to determine if someone can

safely operate in the National Airspace System (NAS). As such, we sometimes

ask for testing, which would not be

requested for routine clinical man-

agement. We also do not allow some

treatment options, which may adversely impact aviation safety.

Long ago, the professional avi-

ation community recognized that

alcohol abuse was a significant safety

issue; however, it was often hidden due to concerns that disclosure was

career-ending. In the 1970s, the FAA,

industry, and the unions collaborated to develop the current HIMS (Human

Intervention Motivational Study)

program. FYI, the program was pur -

posely called HIMS to avoid any neg-ative attention since it was designed to return pilots to the cockpit despite a

known substance abuse disorder once

in satisfactory recovery. To date, thou-sands of pilots have successfully been

treated, monitored, and returned to

both the flight deck and sobriety. The

85% success rate is among the highest

of similar programs.

Significant cardiac disease was once

a permanent grounding item. If you had a heart attack, you could not fly again as a crew member. Since the early 1980s, coronary bypass graft surger -

ies, balloon angioplasty, stenting, and valve replacement have become almost

routine, and thousands of pilots with

these procedures have been returned to flight status. We convene a team of

cardiologists to review these cases on a

regular basis. We often request addi-tional testing, but remember, we are

not evaluating just your clinical care,

but the risk to aviation safety.

Insulin-treated diabetes mellitus

was also permanently disqualifying for many years. Both a low blood

sugar and one too high can impair

cognition. In the 1980s, the FAA first authorized non-insulin treatment of

diabetes for pilots. In 1996, the FAA

approved a protocol for the use of

insulin by pilots holding a Class III

medical. Technology continued to advance, and the FAA began autho-

rization of insulin-treated pilots with

diabetes for Class I and II medical cer -

tificates in 2019 if they demonstrate excellent control. To date, more than 250 pilots have been authorized for

a Class I or II medical despite using

insulin to control their diabetes.

ADHD, attention deficit hyper -

activity disorder, is a diagnosis seen much more frequently now than a

few decades ago. Some of this is due

to better recognition; unfortunately, some is due to overdiagnosis. We have

recently looked at our records of those

with this diagnosis and the outcomes of the evaluations that we required.

As a result, we have been able to

institute a fast-track pathway to more

rapid approval for those who are off

medications and have functioned well (such as occupational or academic

success without accommodation) for

at least four years. Depression and the use of anti-de-

pressants have been particularly chal-lenging for the FAA to approve. Why? Both the medications and the under -

lying diagnosis can impair executive functions such as problem-solving and decision-making. In other words,

both can impair one’s ability to rec-

ognize self-impairment. After careful

research and discussion, we autho-

rized four SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) under a specific

protocol in 2010. This program has

been very successful. Over the past

year, we have added an additional four

medications as acceptable treatments of depression and anxiety.

While we cannot approve every-

one, we have steadily increased the number of conditions that we can

approve after appropriate evaluation

and treatment. Both the treatment

and condition must be aeromedically

acceptable; this has been and will

remain challenging. Nonetheless, we

will continue our efforts to get to “yes”

when it is safe to do so.

Dr. Susan Northrup received a bachelor’s degree in

chemistry, a medical degree from The Ohio State University,

and a master’s degree in public health from the University

of Texas. She is double board-certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine in Aerospace Medicine and Occupational Medicine. She is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel

and a former regional medical director for Delta Air Lines.

She is also an active private pilot.

FAA SAFETY CENTER FORUMS

July 22 – 27, 2024

FAA Forums open daily at 0830 unless otherwise noted.

Schedule is subject to change. For updates, scan the QR code to

the right or go to: bit.ly/FAA_Forums

Find FAASTeam safety brochures by

scanning the QR code to the left or at:

bit.ly/FAAST_pamphlets

0830 – 0945 1015 – 1130 1200 – 1330 1400 – 1530 1600 – 1715

MONDAY

JULY 22FAA Accident

Investigation

Updates

Patrick Hempen

FAACleared for

Take-Off

James Groat

FAA Engine Failure

and Return to the

Airport

Dr. George Bolon

Win Air Aviation

Services How to Talk to ATC

Heather McNevin

FAA/ATOReducing Risk

from Common

Dangerous Goods

Victoria Lehman

FAAJoin us for

daily forums

at the FAA

Safety Center.

WINGS: BK1 WINGS: BK2 WINGS: AK2 WINGS: BK3 WINGS: BK3

TUESDAY

JULY 23How to Obtain

a Compliant

Weather Briefing

Terry Lankford

FAAGPS Resiliency

Dr. Vince Massimini

Rick Niles

Joann Ford

FAAPostmortem or

Premortem

Bruce Webb

Dir. Educ.

AirbusLoss of Control on

Land and Water

Steve Guetter

Wipaire How to Avoid a

Fighter Intercept

Trevor Boswell

NORADSeaplane

Base Forums?

Use the QR

code below.

WINGS: BK1 WINGS: BK3 WINGS: AK1 WINGS: AK2 WINGS: BK1

WEDNESDAY

JULY 24Learning or

Training

Bruce Webb

Dir. Educ. AirbusColorado

Mountain

Flying & WX

Bill Standerfer

Chairman CPA Checkride

Failure Trends:

Interactive

Discussion

Sarah Rovner

FAA DesigneeStraight Talk

About Aviation

Safety

John & Martha

King King SchoolsPowering

Up Vertical

Aviation with

Superior ADM

James Viola

Kim Hutchings

Pete Bunce

VAIFAA Legal

will be our

mid-day star

tomorrow!

WINGS: AK2 WINGS: BK1 WINGS: AK1 WINGS: BK2 WINGS: BK3

THURSDAY

JULY 25General Aviation

Awards

*CFI of the Year

*AV Tech of the

Year

*FAASTeam Rep of

the YearOperational

Discipline: Do You

Really Have It?

Greg Feith

NTSB retired*No Session*

Meet the FAA

Administrator

@ Theater in the

WoodsLetters from

FAA Legal: What

to Expect

Brian Khan

FAA CO! It’s a Gas!

Mike Montefusco

FAASTeam RepMeet the FAA

at Theater in

the Woods

today!

WINGS: BK1 *No Session* WINGS: BK3 WINGS: BK3

FRIDAY

JULY 26Aeromedical

Updates

Dr. Susan Northrup

FAA Federal Air

SurgeonPower Loss at

300 Feet: What

Went Wrong,

What Went Right

Philip Mandel

FAASTeam RepPrepare & Prevent

Instead of Repair

& Repent

Ramin Panahi

FAA Perfect Landings

Mike Montefusco

FAASTeam RepHomebuilt

Aircraft

Maintenance:

Who Can Do It?

Joe Norris

FAASTeam Rep CFI education

most of the

day today!

WINGS: BK3 WINGS: BK2 WINGS: BK1 WINGS: BK2 AMT: 1.0

SATURDAY

JULY 27Enhancing

Turbulence Info

for GA

Tammy Flowe

FAA The Most Common

Cause of Fatal

Accidents

Ed Verville

FAA DesigneeIFR Tools for

VFR Pilots

Tom Slater

Professional PilotInstrument

Departures: ODPs

and SIDs

Ed Verville

FAA DesigneeWhat Went

Wrong? Pilot

Factors in WX

Accidents

Dr. Ian Johnson

FAA Seaplane Base

Forums are

Monday thru

Friday only!

WINGS: AK1 WINGS: BK2 WINGS: BK1 WINGS: AK1 WINGS: BK1

July/August 2024 7

Beyond Rote Learning

A Principles-based Approach to Flight T raining

By Rich Stowell

According to the FAA ’s Airplane Flying Handbook ,

airmanship includes “a sound knowledge of and

experience with the principles of flight. ” The classic

treatment focuses on things like the atmosphere, airfoil design, and theories about lift. But these are the principles of designing an airplane.

Two questions come to mind:

1. What are the first principles of flying an airplane?

2. Would training in the context of such principles helppush knowledge and skill to the correlation level oflearning and help them to solve problems?

After months of thinking about the first question, I

identified nine first principles of flying small airplanes. They fall into three categories as shown in the graphic: Mechanics, Mindset, and Motion.

The terminology is familiar and simple. That’s no coinci-

dence. We’ve been using these words and alluding to these principles all along. We see fragments of them in training manuals. We hear whispers of them behind the words used by flight instructors. But the principles aren’t explicitly declared anywhere. Because flight training isn’t tied to first principles, concepts

and maneuvers tend to get compartmentalized. Take turns around a point and rectangular courses, for instance. One teaches pilots how to judge and compensate for the effects of the wind. The other models the traffic pattern. Correlation means blending the concepts and skills developed in these maneuvers when flying real-world traffic patterns. Y et too many pilots don’t correct for the wind in the pattern.

A diagram of the nine principles of flying small (light) airplanes.

8 FAA Safety Briefing

Reaction

I published the nine principles in October 2022. Some

instructors aren’t sure what to do with them yet. Others

have embraced the challenge of making them an inten-

tional part of the training they provide.

Nine-time master instructor Michael Phillips said that

“first principles serve as a roadmap for optimal teaching by instructors. That in turn can lead to optimal learning by

their students. ”

Bruce Chase, designated pilot examiner and chair of the

Flight Science Department at LeTourneau University, wrote:

“First principles are the foundation of pilot training.

Mindset, Motion, and Mechanics provide simple but deep concepts from which a pilot can grow. Without a grounding in first principles, pilots often attempt to mem-orize wholes while failing to comprehend the parts. This

leads to faulty assumptions and error. ”

I also had ChatGPT critique the principles. The chatbot

said:

“[T]he nine principles ... offer a comprehensive founda-

tion for understanding the core principles of flying light [small] aircraft. These principles cover the essential knowl-edge and skills required for safe and proficient flying ... . ”

As part of an experiment in optimal learning, the nine

principles informed content that will be delivered during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisc., this year. The non-tra-

ditional approach to teaching and learning will be tested

over several days at the EAA Pilot Proficiency Center. (For

more information, see bit.ly/4aQFt8m).

Assessing Learning

The FAA Aviation Instructor’s Handbook lists the basic

levels of learning as rote, understanding, application, and correlation (RUAC). The handbook also gives a generic

description of each level. Instructors can recite the levels of

learning (a perfect example of rote learning), but can they

The nine principles offer a

comprehensive foundation for

understanding the core principles of

flying small aircraft.

July/August 2024 9

give practical examples of each level to their students? How

do students know where they are on the RUAC scale?

Here’s where principles can help. The graphic above

shows an example of the RUAC levels filled in for the Mindset principle, fly the airplane . Of course, other exam-

ples of the levels of learning are possible for this principle.

Per the FAA ’s Aviation Instructor’s Handbook , an

authentic assessment of learning requires pilots to exhibit “in-depth knowledge by generating a solution instead of merely choosing a response. ” Flight training is also supposed to create pilots who are safe and competent. A deliberate, principles-based approach can steer this process for instructors and students alike.

A Thought Exercise

For the second question I presented earlier, consider this thought exercise. Imagine that on day one of training, we introduced students to the motion principles of lines and circles and roll, yaw, and pitch.

Guided by the instructor, the student works out that all

flight paths are made up of straight lines and circles; that lines can be described as level, climbing, or descending; and that circles can occur in the horizontal, vertical, or oblique. Note that “turns” and “loops” are synonymous with “circles” and “curved flight paths. ”

Also on day one, imagine the student learns to perceive

roll, yaw, and pitch motions relative to them like this:

•Roll appears as a head-to-hip movement.

•Y aw appears as an ear-to-ear movement.

•Pitch appears as a head-to-feet movement.

Roll, yaw, and pitch will now look the same to the

student no matter the attitude of the airplane.

Once intellectualized, the student experiences these

motions through visualization or in a simulator and then gets to see and feel roll, yaw, and pitch motions in flight.

The student also learns about secondary effects such as

adverse yaw, torque, P-factor, and slipstream. They then experience these effects using training exercises described in Advisory Circular 61-67C, Stall and Spin Awareness Training.

Another Level

Let’s broaden our thinking even more. Now imagine you’re looking at the tail end of an airplane. It’s in level flight, banked 30 degrees to the left. Y ou don’t know how it got there, or where it’s going. Y ou’re seeing a snapshot during some maneuver.

Assume that:

•The airplane is approved and capable of any maneuver.

•The pilot has the skills to do any maneuver.

•The energy is whatever is needed for whatever is next.

Thinking in lines and circles and roll, yaw, and pitch,

what’s next? What’s possible?

A level turn to the left is an obvious choice. But what

about a climbing or descending spiral? Or a chandelle? Why not an inside or even an outside loop tilted 30 degrees to the left? How about an inside or an outside rolling turn? What else can you envision?

What if we found similar ways for students to play with

all the principles like this during training?

Toward Correlation

Like Neo in the film The Matrix, we’re able to see the underlying code at the correlation level of learning. These two motion principles reveal the simplicity of flight: lines, circles, roll, yaw, and pitch. We build our maneuvers by combining these elements in different ways. We can also deconstruct maneuvers into these elements. Think whole-part-whole learning.

The FAA calls straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs,

and descents the “four fundamentals. ” Through the lens of first principles, you can see these are just lines and circles. Y ou can imagine the combinations of roll, yaw, and pitch needed to go from straight-and-level flight to a wings-level climb or descent, from straight-and-level to a climb-ing turn like the chandelle, or from a level turn back to straight-and-level.

RUAC levels of learning for the fly the airplane principle.

An airplane banked 30-degrees to the left.

If we base flight training on first

principles first, maybe more pilots would reach the correlation level.

10 FAA Safety Briefing

But don’t confuse simple with easy. We can combine

lines, circles, roll, yaw, and pitch in a near-infinite number

of ways. Some of the other nine principles are also in play

— energy management and stalled flight to name two.

Design and maneuver limits, airspace, regulations,

weather, and human factors play roles as well. These and other factors make flying a complex activity. Y et the princi-

ples remain the same.

Results Matter

If we base flight training on first principles first, maybe

more pilots would reach the correlation level. Maybe more

than one-third of them would correlate changes in angle of attack and G-load with curving of the flight path, especially when asked what will happen when pulling the elevator

control aft during normal cruise flight.

With a knowledge of first principles, no pilot would

wonder how an airplane can fly upside down. Or how it can be stalled with the nose below the horizon. No pilot

would be confused about what each control does or which

one is used to bend or straighten the flight path.

We would also realize that flying doesn’t happen to us. It

happens because of us. It’s our mindset that we bring into

the flight deck. We control the motion. We manage the

mechanics. And our actions have consequences. Supported by principles, maybe fewer of us would lose control of our airplanes.

Rich Stowell is the 2014 National FAASTeam Rep of the Year and the 2006 National Flight

Instructor of the Year. He has provided 9,400 hours of flight instruction, logging 26,000

landings and 35,000 spins along the way. For more information about The Nine Principles,

visit RichStowell.com.

LEARN MORE

FAA Risk Management Handbook

bit.ly/3Qbnmk0

Results of a poll during a 2021 FAASTeam webinar on avoiding loss of control.

July/August 2024 11

The Expectations

of Experience

The Right Experiences are the Keys to Success

By Karen Kalishek and Paul Preidecker

When a pilot is interested in training for another

certificate, it’s common to hear the question, “How

much time do I need to get an airline transport

pilot certificate (ATP)?” Not very many ask, “What kind of experience do I need to get an ATP?”

The time versus experience discussion has been around

for as long as we have been flying. After the implementa-tion of Public Law 111-216 in August 2013 requiring an

ATP certificate to operate in the part 121 environment, much energy and debate has been devoted to this issue. It’s

a topic that polarizes the industry. The regulations required

to support this law are often referred to as the 1,500-hour

rule. It would be more accurate to call it the ATP rule.

The number of hours required to be eligible for an ATP has always been 1,500. What changed was the need for an

ATP certificate to work in a part 121 operation. Before the

change, only the captain required an ATP; the first officer could have a commercial certificate. Now, both crewmem-

bers need an ATP .

There are well-known pathways under Title 14, Code

of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), section 61.160 that allow

issuance of a restricted ATP with less than 1,500 hours. If you want details, 14 CFR section 61.160 (a-d) outlines the requirements for a restricted ATP allowing certification

with 750, 1,000, and 1,250 hours based on meeting specific

requirements. The “restricted” part simply means that you

are not allowed to upgrade to captain (pilot-in-command)

until you log 1,500 hours of total time.

Time Flies By, But Experience Lasts

The time versus experience discussion is not binary. Y ou cannot have experience without time. In our opinion,

though, the right experiences are the keys to success in

flight training. The dynamics of pilot hiring and pilot train-

ing have changed over time. There was a time when airlines

were hiring pilots with 500 flight hours or less. These pilots were successful and are now in the left seat at an air carrier.

No one thought they were unsafe because they “only” had

500 hours. They were safe because they came with the right experience, which was then combined with quality train-

ing. That should be the focus. In a nutshell, quality training

is the bridge between time and experience.

Graduates of accelerated programs and those on the

pathways to a restricted ATP must build hours to meet

12 FAA Safety Briefing

the current regulations if they are looking for an airline

job. Opportunities to build time include flight instruc-

tion, aerial surveying, pipeline patrol, and perhaps banner

towing. However, building your time in the latter three will

not help your instrument scan or skills. That leaves flight

instruction as a common and practical pathway.

The industry is experiencing rapid growth and turnover

of pilot resources. The mainline carriers are drawing pilots from the regional airlines, and the regional airlines are drawing from the flight schools. Depending on the situ-

ation, a new flight instructor may have 300 hours of total

time and teach for a year before moving on. Is that enough

time to get the right experience needed for an airline

training program? In many cases, no. Airlines have added time to the footprint of their training program to allow for

additional skill building.

The Consequences of a Time Focus

Experience has implications broader than the career path

of an individual pilot. At the National Association of Flight

Instructors (NAFI), we saw from field reports and research

that there was an alarming drop in pilot exam first-attempt

passing rates in 2022. We brought this trend to the attention of the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC).

Statistics and anecdotal evidence indicate that it was not

a short-term blip; rather, it has been a longer-lasting and

concerning degradation. FAA designated pilot examiners (DPEs) share stories reflecting a general lack of training

depth that is associated with higher rates of test failures.

While there are numerous factors involved, the appeal of

entering a lucrative airline career has been combined with a

mindset that seniority is extremely important in the airline world. The resulting market demand to meet airline hiring

criteria as quickly as possible resulted in the rapid growth

of accelerated flight training programs and general pressure throughout the flight training industry to provide training

to a significant number of pilot candidates as efficiently as

possible.

The FAA issued 134,057 pilot certificates in 2023, a 26%

increase from 2022. A total of 69,503 student pilot certifi-cates were issued in 2023 and 11,337 new flight instructor

certificates. A consequence has been a growing number of

flight instructors with high student loads passing through the profession for a short period. Although experience

is gained incrementally through training multiple pilots,

there may be little time or motivation for reflection, honing

instructional skills, and further self-study. This environ-

ment lends itself to a leaky bucket in which pilots who have received marginal training become flight instructors enroute

to other work. A lack of experience spreads over time to a

broader group as instructors pass their ever-thinner knowl-

edge and skills to the next generation. Pilots in training who

are focused on the goal of acquiring certificates and their own rapid advancement may not recognize areas where their

own training is insufficient until an examination is unsuc-

cessful. It is not necessarily better if they pass with only mar -

ginally acceptable performance, because they move through

the system to potentially become flight instructors.

Broad trends do not, of course, reflect individual cir -

cumstances. Many relatively inexperienced instructors are

excellent at teaching. These instructors have a professional attitude, realizing that primary training, which is most of

their work, is the foundation for every pilot and passenger’s

safety. They understand that they are role models for their learners and take their instructional responsibilities seri-

ously. Although they may be active as flight instructors for

a relatively short period, they approach the position with

respect for its importance and do their utmost to provide

the best possible outcome to those they educate.

Regrettably, our industry also includes active instruc-

tors who have somehow achieved flight instructor certi-fication without some of the skills required of a private

pilot. It includes those who, for example, have never filed

a VFR flight plan and cannot use or teach VOR naviga-tion effectively. DPE get-togethers abound with stories of

candidates who indicate that an aircraft engine has one

July/August 2024 13

cylinder, depart in the wrong direction under pilotage,

and quickly become lost, and a multitude of other failings.

While there remains pressure to increase throughput in

the pilot pipeline, the truth is that degraded training clogs

the system with those who are under-trained back for

retraining and retesting.

Technology Matters

It’s important that we, both as individuals and as an indus-try, leverage technology to create the path to experience.

Advances in simulation technology and attractive pricing

make this option more available for everyone. Even if you

use a flight training device (or aviation training device)

that does not count as credit toward time for a certificate or rating, you are still building skills. Flight training devices

are an excellent way to practice emergency procedures

that would be difficult, if not impossible, to perform in an actual aircraft safely. Flight training devices offer the

chance to fly a more complicated arrival or departure pro-

cedure. They help with your scan and are a very efficient

use of time compared to the actual aircraft where you

might be sitting for 15 minutes or more with the engine and clock running, waiting to depart from a busy airport.

Combining flight simulation technology with scenar -

io-based training helps you add experience to your time.

Some well-known part 141 flight schools have incor -

porated virtual reality (VR) technology into their training

programs. Currently, there is no approved time credit from

the FAA for pilots who use this technology. However, as the

schools have discovered, the absence of credit does not mean the absence of proficiency and safety training benefits.

Experience Is the Value of Time

We all have our reasons for becoming involved in avia-tion. Many opportunities are available. If you choose flight

instruction as a path to another career, take that time to

be the best possible instructor you can be by setting good

examples of leadership, professionalism, and knowledge.

Y ou’ll be encouraging those you teach to do the same. We all win with the right experience. Experience and dedica-

tion to training excellence matter. Paul J. Preidecker has been a flight instructor for almost 34 years. Retired from a regional

airline as chief instructor, he has served on various industry committees, was co-host of FAA

Safety Briefly Live, and is president of the National Association of Flight Instructors. Paul is

also president of his own company, FlightDeck Insights, where he develops and promotes

best practices and SOPs for the general aviation pilot.

Karen Kalishek is a flight and ground instructor, ATP , NAFI Master and FAA Gold Seal Instructor,

and DPE. She is chair of the National Association of Flight Instructors, a major in the Civil Air Patrol, 2019 National FAASTeam Representative of the Year, and active in numerous FAA and industry groups. Before aviation, Kalishek was a banking executive, taught graduate school,

and spent over 20 years as an international consultant.Experience Matters

When I was a flight instructor at Middleton

Municipal Airport (C29) near Madison, Wisc., the

owner had created a nationally known instru-

ment training program called Morey’s West Coast Adventures. Hundreds of pilots took advantage of the unique training offered by this program.

Two pilots arrived for each “adventure” with

a minimum of 20 hours of basic attitude instru-ment flying. Then, in a turbo Cessna 182RG, we

launched across the U.S. towards Seattle, along

the coast to the Los Angeles basin, and back to Wisconsin, having crossed the Rocky Mountains twice. The trip took six days, with 40 approaches,

and about 45 hours split between the two pilots.

At the end, the pilots received a practical test. I was the instructor pilot on 23 of those trips in 24

months. This method of training was meant to

immerse pilots in the experience of instrument flying. When I applied to a regional airline, the chief pilot looked at my resume and said that while

I did not meet all the time requirements (no turbine

time), I more than made up for it with experi-ence. What kind of experience? Cross country,

pilot-in-command (PIC), and instrument flying in

instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). I had a class date three weeks after my initial contact with the airline and quickly moved into the airline’s

training department.

— Paul Preidecker

#FLYSAFE GA SAFETY ENHANCEMENT TOPICS Please visit bit.ly/FlySafeMedium for more information on these and other topics.

JULY

Short Field Operations —

understanding the benefits

of training and practice with short field operations.

AUGUST

Weather Information —

a review of best practices on obtaining and using weather information for your flight.

14 FAA Safety Briefing

Why Was

My Student’s

Practical Test

Canceled?

A Look at Some Common Checkride

Day Errors and How to Prevent Them

By Kenny Bain and Regina Brock

In the past 12 months, more than 50,000 practical tests

were ended before they even started due in part to

applicant qualification and aircraft airworthiness issues.

Flight instructors are unwittingly hastening their students off to practical tests only to be turned away by the desig-

nated pilot examiner (DPE). Issues with endorsements, lack of aeronautical experience or aeronautical knowledge,

application errors, and aircraft airworthiness issues are

all contributing factors. These cancellations bring about a glaring backlog of applicants waiting, sometimes months,

to obtain a much-anticipated practical test.

Part of the flight instructor’s responsibilities are to evalu-

ate the student’s piloting ability, make practical test recom-

mendations, and ensure the student is prepared and ready before scheduling the practical test. Last-minute cancel-

ations, because an applicant isn’t ready, further encumber

an already backlogged process.

Some of the common errors made are simple, correct-

able mistakes. Applicants are disqualified from testing due to deficiencies with Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations

(14 CFR), part 61 aeronautical experience and knowledge

requirements, missing endorsements, Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) issues, and

aircraft airworthiness issues. We spoke with FAA aviation

safety inspectors (ASIs) and DPEs about the ineligibility issues and discovered many common errors. Let’s discuss some specific examples.

Common Flight Experience Errors

One issue that often comes up is not meeting the flight time requirement for the solo cross-country flight. 14 CFR

section 61.109(a)(5)(ii) describes the solo cross-country

requirements for a private pilot applicant airplane single

engine rating. The requirement is for “one solo cross-coun-

try flight of 150 nautical miles (nm) total distance, with full-stop landings at three points, and one segment of

the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of more

than 50 nautical miles between the takeoff and landing

locations. ” To fully understand this regulation, reference

the definition for cross-country time found in section

61.1(ii), which defines cross-country time for the purpose

of meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for a

private pilot certificate, commercial pilot certificate, and instrument rating. To meet this requirement, in part, the

cross-country must “include a point of landing that is at

least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles

from the original point of departure. ” The definition does

not require that any one leg of the flight be 50 nm, but the

flight includes a point of landing that is at least a straight-

line distance of more than 50 nm from the original point

July/August 2024 15

of departure . (See the Sisk 2008 and Van Zanen 2009 legal

interpretations at bit.ly/FAA-legal).

Let’s see if you can determine if your student meets the

solo cross-country requirement for a private pilot certif-

icate per section 61.109(a)(5)(ii). Y our student departs

Airport A and flies 40 nm north to Airport B, then flies 80 nm south to Airport C, then another 40 nm north back to

Airport A with full-stop landings at all airports. Did this

student meet the solo cross-country requirement?

40 NM40 NM80 NM

The answer is no. Even though the student met the total

distance of 150 nm requirement, there was no landing that

was at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical

miles from the original point of departure, as defined by

section 61.1.

Section 61.129(a)(4)(i) is the commercial aeronautical

experience requirement for airplane single engine. The requirement is for “one cross-country flight of not less than

300 nm total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250

nm from the original departure point. ” The same rule applies

here as well. The student must have a straight-line distance

from the original departure point, which is at least 250 nm from the original point of departure and includes a landing.

DPEs have reported issues with the requirements of

section 61.129(a)(4). This section requires “10 hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in

a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on

board. ” The pilot must choose one of these options as was

clarified in an FAA legal interpretation (Gannis 2016). Flight instructors must not combine the two alternatives.

Common Aeronautical Knowledge Errors

The logging of the aeronautical knowledge areas of sections 61.105 (private pilots), 61.125 (commercial pilots), and 61.65 (instrument ratings) are not being met. If provided, the flight instructor must log the ground training given on the appropriate knowledge areas for the certificate or rating

sought. This is not an endorsement. The regulation in the

sections listed above states in part: “ A person must receive

and log ground training from an authorized instructor or

complete a home-study course on the aeronautical knowl-

edge areas for the aircraft category and class rating sought. ”

If ground training is provided, this must be logged in the

student’s logbook or training record, not only to satisfy the regulatory sections discussed, but section 61.189(a) as

well. Finally, if using the option of a “home-study course, ”

make sure the certificate specifically states that ground

training on the appropriate knowledge areas was com-

pleted. Another important item of note is that the use of a “home-study course” does not satisfy the ground training

requirements of sections 61.107 or 61.127, which apply to

flight proficiency. An applicant must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor on the

areas of operation of the section that apply to the aircraft

category and class rating sought.

Common Endorsements Errors

Missing endorsements is another big issue. Specifically, section 61.39(a)(6) states: “… an applicant must have an

endorsement, if required by this part, in the applicant’s

logbook or training record that has been signed by an autho -

rized instructor who certifies that the applicant has received and logged training time within 2 calendar months preced-ing the month of application in preparation for the practical

test; is prepared for the required practical test; and has

demonstrated satisfactory knowledge on the subject areas in which the applicant was deficient on the airman knowl-

edge test. ” This is not the same endorsement required by

(Civil Air Patrol photo)

16 FAA Safety Briefing

the general eligibility requirements found in section 61.103

(private certification) and section 61.123 (commercial certification). Examples of all endorsements can be found in Advisory Circular (AC) 61-65H, Certification: Pilots and Flight and Ground Instructors ( bit.ly/AC6165H).

Make sure your student is qualified to take the practical test:

Practical tests are stressful, and no instructor intends to send their student to a practical test only to be sent home before the test begins. By following some simple guidelines, you, the flight instructor, can ensure your student is pre-pared and more relaxed to sit for the practical test.1. Make a checklist of items required for the practical.

2. Plan time with your student prior to the practicaltest to verify their eligibility.

3. Review the eligibility requirements in 14 CFR part61 for the certificate or rating sought. Verify theaeronautical experience is documented in the stu-dent’s logbook.

4. Check for a current flight review if applicable.

5. Review the IACRA application and verify the timesmatch what is in the student’s logbook. Review allthe blocks in the application and check for errors.Make sure the name matches the student’s identifi-cation and the knowledge test.

6. Provide the required endorsements. Refer to 14 CFRpart 61 eligibility requirements and AC 61-65H.

7. Coordinate with the DPE. Have them review theapplication, endorsements, and aircraft maintenancelogs prior to the day of the practical test, if possible.

8. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. DPEs and otherflight instructors are great resources.

9. Have an experienced instructor review your stu-dent’s eligibility.

10. Be onsite for the beginning of the practical test. Ifsomething is missing, such as an endorsement, thenyou could potentially fix the issue, and the practicaltest could continue.

(Civil Air Patrol photo)

July/August 2024 17

11. If given consent by your student, join your student

and the DPE for the debrief. This can be a valuablelearning experience for the instructor and will helpyou provide better instruction to future students.

Another way to increase efficiency and help reduce

wait times is to only schedule the practical test when your student has completed training and is fully prepared. Also, schedule with only one DPE, and if you must cancel, make sure to cancel as far out as possible so the DPE can sched-ule another applicant.

Airworthiness and Maintenance

Next, let’s talk about aircraft airworthiness and main-tenance records. We spoke with ASIs and DPEs about common airworthiness issues that have caused a practical test to be canceled. Here are the issues:

1. All items of inoperative instruments and equipmentdon’t meet the requirements of 14 CFR section

91.213(d), (placarded, deactivated, or removed and amaintenance record made if appropriate).

2. Aircraft registration is not current and valid.

3. Airworthiness certificate is not onboard or legiblewith the correct registration number.

4. Missing fasteners.

5. Compass correction card is not legible.

6. Missing or broken static wicks.

7. Frayed or damaged seat belts.

8. Missing seat stops.

9. Broken or cracked fairings.

10. Missing or illegible placards.

11. Oil, fuel, or hydraulic fluid leaks.

12. GPS database for instrument practical tests isout-of-date.

Please also review aircraft maintenance records, and

check for the following:

1.Annual inspection completed within the last 12 calen-dar months.

2.Airworthiness Directive compliance record indicatesno one-time or recurring ADs are due.

3.100-hour inspection completed if the aircraft is usedfor hire.

4.Pitot static and transponder check within the last 24calendar months.

5.VOR check within the last 30 days.

6.Any open discrepancy in the aircraft dispatch log.

7.Weight and balance.If you have a question about a maintenance issue, please

bring it to the attention of the maintenance department or mechanic. If you spotted an issue, the DPE is likely to as well. Y ou don’t want a practical test to be canceled because of a missing cowl screw. Even better, have maintenance personnel go through the aircraft records with you and do a comprehensive aircraft pre-flight with them present before the practical test. Y ou may be able to address any problem before it becomes an issue for the DPE.

The FAA is listening to the aviation community, and we

are aware of the lengthy wait times to get to the practical test. Flight instructors report delays of one to two months when they contact DPEs to schedule. The FAA has recently stepped up efforts to add additional DPEs to ensure better utilization of the designee representatives.

In the meantime, flight instructors can help by following

the tips in this article to make sure your student does not get turned away on the day of the practical test because of eligibility issues or an unairworthy aircraft.

Kenny Bain is a private pilot and an A&P with Inspection Authorization. He works as an FAA avi -

ation safety inspector with the General Aviation and Commercial Division’s Delegation Group.

Regina Brock holds an ATP and is a flight instructor (CFI, CFII, and MEL). She works as an FAA

aviation safety inspector with the General Aviation and Commercial Division’s Delegation Group.

LEARN MORE

“Supply and DPE Demand, ” FAA Safety Briefing, Sep/Oct 2023

bit.ly/FAASB_DPEdemand

Become a DPEbit.ly/BecomeDPE

18 FAA Safety Briefing

Your Flight Instructor Success

How the FAA Safety Team Supports the Flight Instructor Community

By Tom Hoffmann

Earning a flight instructor certificate is no easy task. It

requires a great deal of study, dedication, and a passion

for aviation and teaching. Like any profession, it also

requires significant continuing education to stay sharp, whether with the latest cockpit technology, changes in

regulations, or how to be a more effective teacher. With the constraints of a busy schedule, it can be challenging for an

instructor to find the right resources to help with continu-

ing education. The good news is you have an ally right here in the FAA to help with this endeavor. The FAA Safety

Team (FAASTeam) and its predecessor organizations have

been strong advocates for the flight instructor community

for many decades, offering numerous resources to improve

safety, efficiency, and professionalism in the flight training arena. Let’s have a closer look.

High-Flying Forums

Probably one of the most unique and impactful ways the FAASTeam helps the flight instructor community is

through quarterly forums (CFI Forums) that are held at

various locations across the country. FAASTeam Program

Managers (FPMs) in each Flight Standards District Office area are tasked with coordinating and hosting these events

per the FAASTeam’s National Performance Plan (NPP).

As stated in the NPP , these forums “provide an in-per -

son or online opportunity for aviation educators and

evaluators to engage in dialogue to share and employ best

practices in pilot training and evaluation, discuss and address local instructional challenges and opportunities,

and to promote continuing education through the WINGS

Pilot Proficiency Program. ”

Generally, two to three hours long, these forums cover

a host of important operational topics broken up into a presentation segment, followed by an open discussion of

local instructional issues and best practices. The presen-

tation materials are produced by the National FAASTeam and typically aim towards supporting accident mitigation

strategies developed by the General Aviation Joint Safety

Committee (GAJSC) and highlighting nationwide opera-

tional issues. The presentations also cover perennial safety

subjects like professionalism and proficiency, and they can be tailored to address more specific instructional-based

issues derived from recent data. The current fiscal year’s

theme covers human factors and safety culture and how

July/August 2024 19instructors can better integrate these concepts within a

learner pilot’s training curriculum.

FPMs are free to augment the forum curricula as they see

fit, sometimes recruiting the help of volunteer FAASTeam

Representatives (Reps) or bringing in guest speakers to share

their expertise. For some FPMs, this means inviting some of the local designated pilot examiners (DPEs) to pass on what

they’re seeing regarding any negative trends and/or shortfalls

in certificate and rating applicants.

“I always try to encourage interactive exchange with

attendees, ” says Scott Allen, an FPM from the Honolulu area. “It’s critical to allow for questions and comments —

particularly with some of our senior instructors — to point

out areas we can improve. The more interactive it gets, the better it is for meaningful takeaways. ”

There’s Still Room to Zoom

While the pandemic relegated flight instructor forums to a virtual format, these days, in-person presentations are alive

and well — a preference for FPMs like Allen who place value

in being able to read the room and see what kind of reactions

they’re getting. Many flight instructor forums now maintain

a hybrid approach, allowing for both online and in-person participation. In either case, there is the added benefit of

networking and collaboration with like-minded individuals.

Flight instructor forums may be held at FAA facilities,

airport buildings, or be hosted by flight schools or industry members. “I like holding the forums at a flight school and

will invite other flight schools to attend as well, ” says Allen.

“Many are very cooperative and enjoy working with us,

sometimes offering pizza or snacks to entice more attendees. ”

Attendance can vary depending on the time of year and

location, but the virtual option has allowed many areas to attract about 25 to 30 total participants. Keep in mind that with an event like this, bigger doesn’t always mean

better. “ A smaller group can lead to a more intimate and

meaningful discussion, ” says National FAASTeam Products

Manager John Steuernagle. He also points out there is a

force multiplier with these forum attendees (whether in small or large audiences) who are trained to help impart

the knowledge they gain at the forums.

One important footnote on the flight instructor forums:

you don’t have to be an instructor to attend. “If you’re

aspiring to be a future flight instructor, you’re welcome to attend, too, ” adds Steuernagle. “It’s an opportunity to inter -

act with your future peers and pick up a lot of good tips on how to be a good instructor. ”

Beyond the Forum Stage

More good news: The learning opportunities certainly don’t stop there! The FAASTeam regularly hosts seminars

and webinars featuring flight training-related content

throughout the country and provides outreach directly to flight schools and at several major aviation events like the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo and EAA AirVenture. FPMs

and Reps are also actively involved with promoting and

participating in the FAA ’s Runway Safety Action Team

meetings and pilot/air traffic controller forums. These

events are uniquely designed to bring together pilots and instructors with controllers and airport authorities to The FAASTeam has been a strong

advocate for the flight instructor

community for many decades,

offering numerous resources to

improve safety, efficiency, and

professionalism in the flight

training arena.

20 FAA Safety Briefing

discuss local safety issues, including surface safety concerns

or the impact of airport construction projects.

Notifications about upcoming flight instructor

forums, seminars, or local safety meetings are sent via

email through the FAASTeam’s Safety Program Airmen

Notification System, or SPANS. If you’re not receiving these notices, check your settings or set up your account at

FAASafety.gov . Note that there is a specific email prefer -

ence setting for instructors and flight schools.

Come Online with Us

Speaking of FAASafety.gov , getting connected to and

familiar with the FAASTeam’s website presents another vast resource available to flight instructors. There are several

hundred online courses and training materials designed to

enhance a flight instructor’s knowledge and skills. These

include training and testing scenarios, handbook links, best practices, and tips on how to conduct an effective flight

review. To view these and other materials, navigate to the

online library or the online resources section under the Resources tab on FAASafety.gov .

WINGS is an important part of promoting pilot safety,

allowing any airmen at any level to pick and choose a path

to maintaining proficiency. Flight instructors play a special

role when it comes to WINGS since they’re validating the instruction taking place.

One of the most unique and

impactful ways the FAASTeam helps

the flight instructor community is

with quarterly forums (CFI Forums)

that are held at various locations

across the country.

With that in mind, flight instructors will want to take

note of the Instructor Portal section of FAASafety.gov

where they can directly issue WINGS credit to airmen

without having to log in. (Note – you can also go to

EZWings.net to validate requested credit). Browse the

Instructor Tools to learn more about how the program works, how to validate and issue WINGS credit, and how

WINGS activity can help you renew your instructor cer -

tificate. (Please also see the Advisory Circular in the Learn

More section). We hope you’ll see the value in this program

and encourage its use with your students.

Holding FAAST To Safety

As you can see, the FAASTeam provides critical support

to the flight instructor community by providing access to

education and training in a variety of mediums. “We’re all

in this together, ” says Allen. “ And the FAA is firmly com-

mitted to being a valuable resource to help you succeed in

furthering the field of flight training and aviation safety. ”

LEARN MORE

FAA Safety Team website

FAASafety.gov

Advisory Circular 61-91J, WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program

bit.ly/AC61-91J

22 FAA Safety Briefing

GROUND IS GOODGROUND IS GOOD

The Ins and Outs of Effective Ground School Instruction

By William E. Dubois

Learning to operate the airplane is only a small part of

learning how to fly. There’s also aerodynamics, airspace,

avionics, communications, navigation, medical factors,

regulations, risk management, systems, weather, weight and balance, and much, much more.

In short, much of learning to fly is done on the ground.

Traditionally, these ground studies were part of a ground

school — a dedicated classroom environment with profes-

sional instructors following a set training curriculum. In

today’s world, many colleges and universities still provide dedicated ground classes, but in the flight school environ-

ment, ground instruction is often a mix of asynchronous

online learning and flight instructor responsibility.

The Flight Instructor as the Ground Instructor

While certificated ground instructors still exist (see the “Getting Grounded” sidebar), all certificated flight instruc-

tors are, in fact, ground instructors. If you are a CFI, your

certificate grants you all of the privileges of a ground

instructor.

But are you a good one? Ground instruction is uniquely different from in-flight

instruction, and being an effective ground instructor

requires more advanced prep than in-flight instruction. The good news is that it’s a largely one-time effort, and

an added benefit is that — done correctly — you’ll have

better-prepared learners sharing the flight deck with you.

They will be learners who pick up on the flight lessons

more quickly and with a higher degree of safety.

(Photo by Jeff Smith)

July/August 2024 23

Elements of Effective Ground Instruction

Because of the incredible breadth of knowledge that makes

up a course of ground study, the organization of ground lessons is essential. That said, there’s no single way to organize the knowledge areas. While much of the knowl-edge requirements for pilots comes from Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR), parts 61, 65, and 91, there’s no need to organize your material in the same way that it appears in the regs — in fact, it may be detrimental to do so. The regulations are organized in a certain manner for legal reasons, not educational clarity.

Start by making a master list of the primary subject

areas you will teach. This master list is your training sylla -

bus — the broad sweep of the material you will cover, for

instance, private pilot ground knowledge. This list should include all the various sub-topics that need lessons, each of which, in turn, will need a brief lesson plan. (More about those in a second.)

Once you have your master list, step back and use

your experience and mastery of the knowledge to arrange the subjects to be taught in a way that makes logical sense to you. Even if you are designing your ground lessons as a follow-on to a pre-packaged course of self-study, it is still possible to rearrange the packaged content to better reflect your overall course of flight instruction.

The organization of the material should reflect your

training philosophy. Of course, some study elements serve as prerequisites for others; for instance, it would be difficult to teach a learner about the horizontal component of lift if they had not previously been intro-duced to the four forces of flight. Ideally, ground lessons should be integrated with flight lessons and share common objectives, letting your learner connect theory with application.

As with the regulations, while the order of the appro-

priate Airman Certification Standards (ACS) document doesn’t necessarily dictate an appropriate teaching order, a review of the aligned ACS provides for excellent calibration between the core subjects to be taught and the associated risk management tasks, while additionally assuring that no test subject areas are overlooked.

As to lesson plans, they don’t need a lot of detail, espe-

cially if you are creating them for your own use. If you can read it out loud like a bedtime story, you did it wrong. Instead, it should be a succinct outline. The purpose of the lesson plan is to keep you on track, like a checklist. (Exception to the rule: if you are a chief instructor creating lesson plans for other instructors, more detailed instruc-tions may be required.)

And here’s a tip: If you ever wish your student knew

something in the air, that’s your cue that you should have covered the topic in ground sessions first.Tips for Being a (Highly) Effective Ground Instructor

A well-thought-out training syllabus with easily deploy-able lesson plans is your primary strategy for effective ground instruction. But how you use those tools is where the rubber meets the runway. Here are some tips for using those tools to be a highly effective ground instructor:

•Go group — Ground learning is more effective as

a group event than it is in a one-to-one setting. Thelearners benefit from each other’s questions and per -

spectives, and this remains true even if all the learnersaren’t 100% matched in their flight progression — themore experienced students become mentors to the lessexperienced. Group ground sessions are also a moreefficient use of your time, and they can be logged withthe same impact as individual ground instruction.

•Teaching isn’t telling — It’s important to note thatground instruction and lectures are not the same thing.Don’t just stand in front of your students and lecture.Instead, you are a tour guide whose job is to showpeople around your world.

•Watch your language — be mindful to never use aword or term you’ve not yet introduced and minimizeusing acronyms with primary students. With moreadvanced students, define any acronym at least twotimes before deploying it regularly. It takes time tolearn a new language, and your students are learning“aviation speak, ” a strange new language you’ve beenfully fluent in for so long you might not even give it asecond thought without conscious effort.

•“Dumb” it down — Keep concepts simple at first. Forinstance, don’t start an airspace lesson by drawing the“mushroom forest” on a whiteboard. Instead, back upand deploy an analogy to explain that airspace — likestate lines on a map — are real boundaries but areinvisible in the physical world. And that, like with states,the local “laws” vary with the jurisdiction. Then proceedinto the categories of enroute airspace vs. airportairspace and build from there. And fer cryin’ out loud,don’t start spewing out weather minimums until yourlearners have mastered the basic lay of the land.

•Energy management, classroom style — Keep yourground instruction sessions short. Don’t spend toomuch time on any one subject. Consider several“bite-sized” mini-lessons in each session. Be livelyand animated. Provide frequent breaks. Aviation isexciting, there is no reason for a ground session to beboring.

•Minimize words via pictures — Don’t rely on words ifvisuals can tell the story better. Use models and visualaids, including electronic aids such as animated videos,to help learners grasp complex concepts more quickly.

24 FAA Safety Briefing

•Deploy “war stories” — Y our experience is pure gold.

Use your personal real-world experiences to illustratethe concepts that you are teaching. War stories providea real-world framework for theoretical knowledge,turbocharge understanding, and set the stage for accel-erated application.

•Utilize learner “read-backs” — As a cross-check thatyour teaching is being effective for student learning,frequently ask for “read-backs” from your learners.Have them re-state, in their own words, the key aspectsof the lesson, so you can ensure that what they havegotten out of it was what you intended for them tolearn. This not only ensures that your lessons are beingeffectively taught, but it also helps you hone yourteaching skills.

Teaching with an Asynchronous ‘Partner’

There are many self-paced asynchronous home-study ground school products, and many of them are high quality. However, there are stumbling blocks that can reduce their effectiveness as a tool. Learners often deploy them at the end of their day when they are tired, and as there is no proctor monitoring, there is nothing to prevent “tune-out. ” The screen time to learning ratio is many times far from impressive.

An even greater potential danger is that, with no

instructor present to ensure that proper learning is taking place, there can be significant holes in the learner’s core knowledge; and worse yet, there is no oversight to prevent incorrect learning. An additional weakness of asynchro-nous products is that there is no quick mechanism for students to ask questions or get clarification — short of the pause-rewind-relisten method.There is nothing inherently wrong with asynchronous

learning, and it can be an excellent force-multiplier for a small instructional staff. But, if you use asynchronous learning with your students, be sure to constantly review assigned lessons with them in person to ensure the lesson was internalized as intended rather than relying on quiz scores from the product, which doesn’t always reflect learner understanding.

Ground Matters

Some flight instructors treat ground school as an afterthought or something that can be delegated to a pre-packaged course of home study with no effort on the part of the flight instructor. That’s doing discredit to your learners, and it makes your job harder than it needs to be.

Consider one of the largest successful outputs of new

aviators in history — the training programs our country developed during World War II. Even with the urgency of a global war, pilot candidates received 225 hours of ground school to 60 hours of flight time, nearly a 4-to-1 ratio.

Do you think that there is less ground knowledge to

master in current times? Or more?

If three-quarters — or more — of the job of teaching

learners how to fly happens on the ground, then effec-tive flight instruction must include effective ground instruction.

William E. Dubois is the ground school program manager for Infinity Flight Group and a

widely published aviation writer. He holds a ground instructor certificate with all ratings,

a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating, and is a dual-accredited master ground instructor.

July/August 2024 25

Getting Grounded (In a Good Way)

Like the flight instructor certificate, the ground instructor certificate is a

separate piece of plastic. And — like aviation maintenance technician and aircraft dispatcher certificates — it does not necessarily require the holder to have a pilot certificate. It is a stand-alone teaching credential that empowers its holders to teach ground classes, endorse candidates for knowledge tests, and — if senior enough — even provide training to flight instructor candidates.

Additionally, like many other FAA certificates, there are multiple ratings that are

achievable. The certificate is issued with a basic rating that grants the holder the authority to teach ground school for private pilot and below and sign off candidates for those knowledge tests. The advanced ground instructor rating gives the instructor the authority to teach commercial subjects and sign off can -

didates for the commercial knowledge test. And finally, the instrument ground instructor rating confers the authority to teach instrument ground and sign off candidates for the instrument knowledge test.

Logically enough, getting a ground instructor certificate is a ground operation.

It requires passing a series of knowledge tests, generally ranging from a min -

imum of two tests up to a maximum of four tests, depending on what ratings are sought. The basic requirements are to be at least 18 years of age and be En-glish proficient. All ground instructor candidates must pass a knowledge test on the Fundamentals of Instructing (unless they already hold a CFI certificate, are currently certified as a teacher at the 7

th-grade level or higher, or are employed

as a teacher at an accredited college or university), and pass specific knowledge tests for each rating desired. These are stand-alone knowledge tests, not the same knowledge tests that airmen need to pass as part of their certification. No endorsement is required to take any of these written tests.The privileges and limitations of ground instructors are codified in 14 CFR sections 61.211 to 61.217 and further expanded upon via several letters of interpretation. Ground instructor privileges include providing basic aeronautical instruction and written test prep, providing the required pre-solo and solo cross-country ground training for student pilots, and endorsing logbooks to reflect ground training. Ground instructors can additionally provide the required ground training for flight reviews at the certificate level that matches their instructor ratings. Ground instructors who have held their certificates for at least two years and have given at least 40 hours of instruction (or FAA-approved course ground instructors with 100 hours under their belts) can provide first-time flight instructor candidates with their required ground training and endorse the same.

Training students and pilots using flight simulators is a limited privilege carved

out by a pair of letters of interpretation (Gatlin 2010 at bit.ly/FAA_Gatlin2010 and Frick 2011 at bit.ly/FAA_Frick2011). Ground instructors may use any level of flight simulator as a method, or tool, of instruction — so long as that sim time is not logged and counted “towards meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for a pilot certificate or rating. ” Additionally, ground instructors may use sims to assist pilots in maintaining general proficiency, but, again, that sim time is not loggable as a flight activity, such as the experience required for instrument recency.

Ground instructor certificates are issued without specific expiration dates, but

to exercise the privilege of the certificate, the holder must meet the recency of experience requirement of 14 CFR section 61.217, which essentially requires the instructor to have been actively teaching in the previous year. A medical certifi-cate is not required to exercise the privileges of a ground instructor certificate.

26 FAA Safety Briefing

Inflight

Insights

Words of Wisdom from

Flight Instructors

By Nicole Hartman and Rebekah Waters“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s

a common question we ask young people that characteristically receives common answers.

Firefighters, veterinarians, doctors, and pilots are fre-quent responses. Surprisingly, associate editor for the FAA is absent from most lists, but we digress. Nevertheless, understanding why the dream of flying is so appealing doesn’t take a stretch of the imagination. While there are numerous ways to make a career out of flying and the most commonly thought-of option is commercial airline pilot, becoming a flight instructor can be a rewarding and exciting option.

Motives to Mentor

There are numerous reasons to become a flight instructor, the most obvious being the need to teach aspiring pilots and guide them through their training journey. Forecasts project that there will continue to be a demand for new pilots, and people to train them, over at least the next decade. As an instructor, you shoulder the enormous responsibility of assisting students to meet and exceed established standards by transferring the required knowledge. The five main responsibilities of aviation instructors are:

•Helping Learners — Instructors should help learners(students) stay motivated by making lessons enjoyablewithout sacrificing performance standards to maketasks easy.

•Providing Adequate Instruction — There are different

methods for understanding new information, andinstructors should get to know their students to tailortheir teaching techniques to be effective.

•Standards of Performance — Instructors must trainstudents to the established standards.

•Emphasize the Positive — Fear limits the learner’sability to perceive; use positive motivation becausepositive instruction results in positive learning.

•Ensuring Aviation Safety — Always emphasize safety by

example.

But you can’t give something that you don’t have your -

self. Being an effective flight instructor requires constant education and continuous training. The benefit is the opportunity to hone your own flying skills. Teaching others compels you to revisit basic concepts and develop a deeper understanding of them and requires you to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the aviation industry. Check out the article “FAAST-Track Y our Flight Instructor Success” in this issue for resources the FAASTeam offers to support the flight instructor community.

As a flight instructor, you also have to be able to demon-

strate procedures, maneuvers, and techniques to your students, enabling you to constantly practice. Additionally,

July/August 2024 27each student presents unique challenges and questions

allowing you the opportunity to dive deeper into the subject matter and build upon your proficiency. The out-comes of this continuous learning process are significant enhancements of your knowledge and skills.

The talents of being a flight instructor can also be used

to open doors for other employment opportunities. If you aspire to become an airline pilot, working as a flight instructor can help you gain the necessary flying expe-rience to get hired. Additionally, the communication, leadership, and analytic skills you develop as an instructor are highly transferrable and are assets in many other career paths. So even if your journey leads you away from avia-tion, your experience will still be very valuable.

But the most rewarding part of being a flight instructor,

and the reason you might decide to make it your career, is the opportunity to inspire and guide others who share your passion for aviation. Let’s be honest, learning to fly is a challenge and comes with numerous obstacles aside from just absorbing the material. As a flight instructor, you get the chance to help shape your students’ attitudes and behaviors toward safety and professionalism. Y our care and support during the tough training times can make all the difference in helping your students achieve their dreams. And the payoff comes when you witness your students “get” the skills you’ve taught them and know that you’ve made an impact on not only that person’s life but the avia-tion community and safety as a whole.

FAQs

Flight instructors have the immense responsibility to ensure learning pilots develop the skills and knowledge required for safe flight. Obviously and justifiably, this task comes with a lot of questions — common questions, unique inquiries, and the questions they wish more stu-dents would ask. Here’s what a few flight instructors had to share from their experiences teaching.

What are the most common questions you get from your students?

Marcel Bernard: How much does it cost and how long

will it take to become a pilot? The short answer is that it depends. The cost is contingent on the level of certif-icate you’re seeking, the type of aircraft you fly, where you live, and how often you train. It can take as little as three months to earn your private pilot certificate, but to become an airline pilot it takes at least two years to gain the required 1,500 hours of flight time. Weather, exam-iner availability, and your own availability/dedication and ability to learn the required information can also affect your training timeline.

Allan Kash: What part of the runway do I look at when

I am landing the airplane? Answer: When turning to the final approach segment, look at the runway and join its extended centerline at the appropriate airspeed and landing configuration. Then look for an aiming point at the beginning of the runway. To ensure a stable descent profile, keep the aiming point in a fixed spot on the windshield. Maintain a stabilized approach and smoothly start the roundout when the airplane is between 10 to 20 feet above the runway threshold. During the roundout, look about 3-4 centerline stripes down the runway to get an accuratesight picture. Looking closer could cause you to flare toohigh and looking too far down the runway could cause youto flare too low. After the airplane has transitioned froma descending attitude to a landing attitude, continue tolook down the runway until it settles a few feet above therunway. As airspeed dissipates, flare slowly and smoothlywhile looking slightly left of the nose toward the end of therunway. Also, use your peripheral vision to see the edgeof the runway, which will help judge altitude and runwayalignment as the airplane touches down. Be sure to main-tain positive control of the airplane throughout the landingand after touchdown. What can I do to improve mylandings? Answer: Practice landings frequently, maintaina stabilized approach, and use the correct airspeeds duringthe entire approach and landing. When can I solo the air -

plane? Answer: When you demonstrate the skills neededand do so safely.

Joe Morra: Is flight training safe? I initially felt that there

was an expectation to convince people that flight training was “safe. ” One day it hit me that it was probably better to discuss that topic differently. I started responding with, the chance of us getting seriously injured or killed was very, very low sitting in this office on this particular day. I went on to explain that when we get into the training aircraft

28 FAA Safety Briefing

together, the chance of injury or death certainly goes up,

but most things in life worth doing involve some risk. Even

crossing the street to get on a school bus or taking a ride

on your bicycle can be risky. So, if students felt like flight

training was something worthwhile to them, then they

came to the right place. Everything flight instructors do is about lessening risk and practicing for worst-case scenarios

or even minor things that can lead to bad scenarios. Now,

when somebody asks me if flight training is “safe, ” my answer isn’t yes or no. Instead, it is a longer conversation

than they probably expected.

Bob Raskey: What is the best way to succeed on my

upcoming check ride? Answer: The best way to succeed

in passing your checkride is to focus on your training with

your instructor. Ask questions often, especially to reinforce

your learning curve. Keep a positive attitude throughout the

ground and flight training process. Develop a post-lesson (ground or flight) review of what went right, what went wrong, and what actions to take to be better. Be sure to

understand the FAA Airman Certifications Standards (ACS)

for each practical test, including knowledge and flight expec -

tations. I found success with my practical tests by continuous training reviews with my instructor and fellow classmates to

reinforce my practical knowledge. I also use “chair flying” to

perfect the maneuvers that will be examined.

What is the best or most unique question you’ve received?

Allan Kash: Can we use an aviation training device

(ATD) at appropriate times in my training? Answer:

When available, ATDs provide effective training for

aircraft systems familiarization and to better understand

maneuvers. Bob Raskey: What is the success rate of an emergency

landing on the water? The reality is that overall general

aviation survival rates from ditching in the water is close

to 90%. There is strong data that shows that, when faced

with areas of trees, rocks, and un-improved land, properly

executed water landings have a much higher success rate. The key factors to a successful emergency water landing

are to maintain aircraft control, analyze the situation, and

take the appropriate actions. The basic element of success in a water landing is to set the proper glide speeds for your

plane. Be aware of your altitude, wind, and water condi-

tions below. Choose the best course of action and manage

your descent profile. Use “ AAA ” — aimpoint, airspeed, and

aspect (glide angles) — to find a point on that lake where you can land and come to a stop. Make your “mayday”

calls and manually activate your ELT. Try to assess the

lake water to be close enough to shore but not an area of debris. Try landing into the wind in calm water, brace for

impact, touchdown as slowly as possible without stalling,

and be ready to egress. Expedite the egress, then asses your

surroundings from there.

What questions do you wish more students would ask?

Marcel Bernard: There are four: 1) Do you use a formal

training syllabus, and do you use a flight simulator as part of your training program? 2) Are you able to fly

at least three lessons a week with me? 3) Are you avail-

able to conduct flight training full-time, and will you

be available for the next six months? 4) And finally, is there a chief flight instructor, and if so, can I meet them?

Becoming a pilot takes a certain level of determination and

dedication. Getting questions like these demonstrates a stu-dent’s drive and commitment to achieving their goal.

July/August 2024 29

Allan Kash: What can I do to become a better student

pilot? Answer: Accept/complete all homestudy assign-

ments. Always be prepared for your next flight lesson. Fly two to three times a week, and train for high proficiency,

not just to pass the test.

Bob Raskey: As a progressing student pilot, what actions

do you recommend to keep my aeronautical knowl-

edge and flight skills strong over time? A pilot’s journey

through initial pilot training to the completion of a com-

mercial or airline transport pilot certificate provides them with critically important flight skills that prepare them

to enter rewarding aviation career fields. From follow-on

roles as flight instructors, corporate pilots, military pilots, and airline pilots, many skill sets are learned that provide

safe operations over time. Y et we can also experience an

erosion of our technical and knowledge skills as flying

pilots as time passes. As in many professional fields, pilots can decline in certain flying skills due to routine actions,

periods of time off, less demand for high-level systems

knowledge, and extended periods of positions in non-fly-

ing roles. Also not keeping up with technological upgrades

on the flight deck and with avionics systems creates a

cognitive decline in systems management. Pilots can develop an “automation dependency” which reduces the

fidelity of our hand-flying skills. This loss of manual flying

skills has been a factor in several aviation accidents and incidents over the years. Pilots should hand fly more, stay

updated with avionics generational updates, stay updated

on systems knowledge, and develop a personal program

of study to keep up with the rapidly challenging aviation

environment.

The Sky is Not the Limit, It’s Just the Beginning

The journey to becoming a flight instructor is challeng-ing and demanding. There is rigorous training, the need

for constant learning, and the safety responsibility for

your students and others in the National Airspace System

(NAS). But the chance to enhance your flying skills,

increase employment opportunities, and inspire and teach others earns it a top spot on our “What do you want to be

when you grow up?” list.

Nicole Hartman and Rebekah Waters are FAA Safety Briefing associate editors and technical

writer-editors in the FAA’s Flight Standards Service.

LEARN MORE

FAA Aviation Instructor’s Handbook, Chapter 8

bit.ly/AvInstructorMeet the Flight Instructors

Allan Kash is an aviation safety

inspector with the FAA’s Training and

Certification Group. Before joining

the FAA, he did part-time corporate flying and became a flight instruc-tor teaching single and multiengine

students, racking up more than

5,400 hours of dual instruction time. He earned his bachelor’s degree in

aviation science at the University of

Maryland Eastern Shore.

Marcel Bernard is an aviation safety

inspector with the FAA’s Training and

Certification Group. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Science at Embry-Riddle University in 1984. He was a part 61/141 flight instructor and later chief instructor

at Freeway Airport in Maryland for 22

years. He also worked as a corporate pilot for 3 years. He holds both an ATP certificate and flight instructor

certificate.

Joe Morra is the inaugural Division

Manager of AFS-700, the Emerging

Technologies Division focused on

implementing efficiencies related to drone integration. He owned and

operated a part 61 flight school and

went on to be school director of a part 141 flight school that has schools nationwide. Along the way, he was an assistant chief pilot and director of operations. When not managing those

businesses, he accumulated over 1,000

hours of dual flight instruction given.

Robert “Bob” Raskey was the 2023

National Flight Instructor of the Year.

Raskey is a current FAA Gold Seal Flight Instructor; FAASTeam industry member; and United Airlines Boeing

777 captain with over forty years and

23,000 hours of general, commercial, and military flight experience. Raskey

has been a flight instructor and pilot

examiner on various airplanes, heli-copters, warbirds, and experimental aircraft.

Experienced instructor and FAA Safety Briefing contributor Karen Kalishek instructing in

the cockpit.

30 FAA Safety Briefing

CHECKLIST FAA resources and safety remindersJAMES WILLIAMS

STEERING FOR SAFETY

Any regulated industry has its inside

baseball events, and aviation is no

different. A product of that meta-

phorical contest is a host of acronyms

representing various groups or

interests. Y ou’re probably familiar with the big ones like the Aircraft

Owners and Pilots Association

(AOPA) and Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). Y ou might

even know others like the General

Aviation Manufacturers Association

(GAMA) or the National Business

Aviation Association (NBAA). But one you may not have heard about,

in part due to a recent name change,

is the General Aviation Joint Safety Committee (GAJSC), formerly the

General Aviation Joint Steering

Committee. Composed of a mix of

government, academia, and industry

members, the GAJSC is designed to use a data-driven non-regulatory

approach to reduce risk in the GA

world. Its mission is to steer GA flyers

toward a better understanding of

the risks they face and how to mit-igate them. To do this, the GAJSC

has several risk mitigations, or safety

enhancements (SEs), covering flying, maintenance, and aircraft design.

Here are a few that are pertinent to

instructors.

Change, Change, Change

It’s pretty basic that change can intro-

duce risk. But change is a given fact of

life. That’s why the GAJSC has SE-05:

Transition Training . This SE draws

together resources for pilots and

instructors doing transition training.

These web-based tools help pilots

prepare for training and instructors design proper training to ensure pilots

are ready for their new aircraft. The

GAJSC’s input is also encapsulated in Advisory Circular 90-109A, Transition to Unfamiliar Aircraft , which pro-

vides best practices for pilots and instructors.

Additionally, SE-07, Utilization of

Type Clubs, is a crucial resource for pilots transitioning to a new air -

craft. Type clubs are great hubs for aircraft-specific information. From maintenance recommendations to

flying tips, there’s no need to reinvent

the wheel when organizations like type

clubs have already done the work. Any

instructor who flies extensively in a specific aircraft type would be wise to

get involved with a type club.

Brushing the Rust Off

Another area of keen interest for

instructors should be getting pilots back

into the sky safely. From time to time,

many pilots have had to take a break from flying. One of the first steps back

is to work with an instructor to sharpen

those flying skills back to a functional

state. That’s why SE-08 covers Flight

Training After a Period of Inactivity.

Another critical topic in this arena is

SE-21, Risk-based Flight Review. SE-21

is complemented with an FAA resource,

Conducting an Effective Flight Review,

developed by a GAJSC collaborative

team ( bit.ly/4dH9jiB). This subject fits

hand in hand with SE-08 — in that the flight review should be tailored to the pilot, and this is especially critical

when the pilot has been away from

flying for a while. In such cases, a

simple flight review may not be suf-

ficient to address the risks involved, and as an instructor, you should work

with your students to ensure they

understand why. Setting clear expec-tations early in the process can help

avoid problems later. Setting the Tone

As an instructor, you are the vanguard

of GA. It’s important to remember this when working with students.

It’s easy to fall into complacency and

relax on issues since it probably won’t be an issue for this flight. But your

students are watching. They don’t

see skipped steps or procedures as

a time-saving measure based on a

reasonable decision, but as a general approach that devalues the skipped

procedure. Y ou may not feel you need

to preflight the airplane as thoroughly if you just finished a flight in that

airplane 15 minutes ago. Y ou may not

need to get a weather brief from an

airport you just arrived from, which

is only a short flight away. Y ou may be right, but what you’re modeling isn’t.

SE-03, Aeronautical Decision Making

(ADM), and SE-33,

Safety Culture ,

touch on these circumstances. Safety culture relies on you setting a good

example, and skipping procedures may

limit opportunities to practice ADM in

training, which is a critical skill. Be sure to check out the new FAASTeam course

on safety culture at bit.ly/ALC-1175.

The current name for GAJSC is a

better representation of what the orga-nization focuses on, which is safety.

But the previous name did emphasize

that we’re only steering with advice

and resources and need the help of aviation educators to get the safe out-

comes we all want.

LEARN MORE

GAJSC Safety Enhancements

gajsc.org/se

32 FAA Safety Briefing

DRONE DEBRIEF drone safety roundupREBEKAH WATERS

DRONE TESTING 1, 2, 3

Thinking about getting your remote

pilot certificate to fly more than rec-reationally? If you read this column in the Sep/Oct 2023 issue, you know that a lot of everyday drone activities actu-ally fall under part 107. This means that, unless you are a part 61 pilot with a current flight review, you’re going to have to take a test. If you are starting to feel some test anxiety, let me set you at ease. Getting your remote pilot certificate takes just three easy steps!

1. Get Ready

First, let’s make sure you’re eligible to

take this test. The requirements for being a remote pilot, besides passing the Unmanned Aircraft General–Small (UAG) knowledge test, are to be at least 16 years old; read, speak, write, and understand English; and be physically and mentally fit to safely fly a drone.

The test is 60 questions, and you are

given two hours to complete it. That means you’ll have about two minutes for each question. Y ou’ll need to score 70% or higher to pass. So, before you take this test, you’ll want to make sure you’ve studied. The FAA has three free resources you can use to study: the Airmen Certification Standards (ACS) for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, the Remote Pilot Study Guide, and online sample questions. These can be found at bit.ly/107Study .But what if you need more

help than this to be prepared? Keep in mind, people have different learning styles, so you’ll need to study the way that works best for you. The FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) has volunteers called DronePros who work closely with the FAA to promote safety in their local area. They are trained and equipped to plan events and give presenta-tions. If you’re interested in learn-ing from a DronePro, go to bit.ly/FAASTeamDirectory and check the DronePro box. There are also free and paid commercial test prep options, but the FAA does not endorse or approve these companies, so make sure you research these options if you decide to use one.

2. Take the Test

The test costs $175 and is available

by appointment only. To make an appointment, you’ll need an FAA Tracking Number (FTN). This is how the FAA will identify you throughout your aviation career. To get one, all you need to do is make a profile on the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) at iacra.faa.gov . Next,

locate an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center near you and sched -

ule your test (bit.ly/Testingcenter). On the day of the test, you must bring your government-issued photo ID. Y ou are also allowed to bring certain test aids, like protractors or calcula-tors. See Advisory Circular 60-11C for a full list (bit.ly/AC60-11C). Most people pass this test the first time, but if you don’t, don’t worry — you can do some additional studying and take the test again after 14 days. 3. Stay Current

Once you pass your test, complete your

application in IACRA, and, after your TSA security background check is complete, you now hold a remote pilot certificate. Y ou’ll receive your perma-nent certificate in the mail. If you’re not a fan of tests, I have good news: you never have to take this test again — as long as you stay current. So, make sure you take the Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent (ALC-677) online training course every 24 months. The course is free and available at bit.ly/ALC667.

Becoming a remote pilot opens up

a world of possibilities for you and your drone. Don’t let the knowledge test stand in your way. Remember: it’s just three easy steps: get ready, take the test, and stay current.

Rebekah Waters is an FAA Safety Briefing associate

editor. She is a technical writer-editor in the FAA’s Flight Standards Service.

LEARN MORE

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)

bit.ly/UAS-TRUST

Become a Certificated Remote Pilot

bit.ly/4bR3T2I

Getting your remote

pilot certificate takes just three easy steps: get ready, take the test, and stay current.

July/August 2024 33

NUTS, BOL TS, AND ELECTRONS GA maintenance issuesREBEKAH WATERS

THE DOWNLOW ON DMES

The FAA has used designees since

1927, when it first appointed fifty

doctors as aviation medical examiners

(AME), but it wasn’t until the FAA Act

of 1958, that legislation allowed a wide

variety of designees to issue certifi-cates. Designees, who act as surrogates

for the FAA, provide quick service to

the public and reduce overall gov-ernment costs. Today, designated

mechanic examiners (DME) ensure

the competency and proficiency of

aircraft maintenance personnel. From

inspecting aircraft to issuing certifica-tions, DMEs have an important role in

keeping our airspace safe.

Serving the Community

DMEs are not FAA employees, but they

have the authority to assess candidates

to ensure they meet FAA standards

by conducting oral and practical tests. Appointed by the FAA under 14 CFR

section 183.25, a DME is responsible

for examining and assessing the com-

petency of individuals involved in the

maintenance of aircraft. They are given special authority to administer testing

to aspiring aircraft mechanics by the

local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). FSDOs decide the number of

examiners needed. This number will

vary depending on workload, need,

and how many the office can manage.

Becoming a DME requires an exten-

sive background in aviation mainte-nance, coupled with years of practical

experience. The FAA requires DMEs to

hold a valid aviation mechanic certif-

icate and possess the technical knowl-edge and experience required for avia-

tion mechanic certification. Applicants

who wish to become DMEs are evaluated by a panel to make sure they

are well qualified to do the job. DMEs

must also demonstrate they have the necessary tools and equipment needed to administer testing. Whether assess-

ing a candidate’s ability to troubleshoot

complex aircraft systems or ensuring

compliance with regulatory standards,

DMEs are unwavering in their com-mitment to upholding aviation safety.

In FY 2023 there were 247 active

DMEs. They conducted 17,142 tests

and issued 14,451 mechanic certif-

icates. DMEs set a high standard of airmanship and safety through per -

sonal example and represent the FAA and its workforce to the public in a positive manner. DMEs help to ensure

that we continue to have the safest avi-

ation system in the world.

Not Community Service

Like other FAA designees, DMEs are

allowed to charge reasonable appli-

cant fees for the services they provide

to the public. They must make sure

that the applicant understands all fees charged, including the fee for

retesting after failure before they

accept the airman certificate and/or rating application. Since DMEs are

private individuals acting as represen-

tatives, they are only allowed to take payments from the applicant or on behalf of the applicant.

“There is projected to be an A&P

shortage, and DMEs are needed

to help with that shortage, ” says

Jennifer Lentz with the Airworthiness Delegation Section of the FAA ’s

General Aviation and Commercial

Division. “Without DMEs, applicants

won’t be able to complete the testing

process to become a certificated mechanic. ” Learn more about becom-

ing a DME at bit.ly/3UIbV8b .

Guardians of Safety

In the intricate tapestry of aviation

safety, FAA Designated Mechanic

Examiners are the unsung heroes

who ensure that every applicant has achieved a level of competency to be

able to maintain and inspect aircraft

safely and embody the highest stan-

dards of professionalism and expertise.

Their contributions are indispensable in preserving the integrity and safety of

the skies for generations to come.

Rebekah Waters is an FAA Safety Briefing associate

editor. She is a technical writer-editor in the FAA’s Flight

Standards Service.

34 FAA Safety Briefing

VERTICALLY SPEAKING safety issues for rotorcraft pilotsGENE TRAINOR

NEW ACS FOR HELICOPTER FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS

New Airman Certification Standards

(ACS) for helicopter flight instruc-tors took effect May 31 to ensure that helicopter flight instructors have the knowledge, skills, and ability to teach students how to fly and manage risks consistent with someone acting as the pilot-in-command.

The Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft

Category Helicopter Rating stan-dards is part of across-the-board ACS updates that also took effect May 31. The standards cover a range ofspecialties for airplane, helicopter, and powered-lift pilots.

The FAA drew upon the exper -

tise of organizations and individuals across the U.S. and some international aviation and training communities to develop these standards, including the helicopter flight instructor.

“Is this person well qualified?”

said James Ciccone, an FAA aviation safety inspector who helped usher the standards through the federal regula-tory process. “Is this person safe? This helps answer that. ”

The ACS incorporates and super -

sedes the Practical Test Standards (PTS) that, up until the ACS, had set the FAA parameters for testing pilots and flight instructors. FAA officials call the ACS an “enhanced” version of the PTS because it adds task-specific knowledge and risk-management elements into each PTS area of opera-tions and tasks. They add that the ACS provides “the single-source set of stan-dards” for both the test’s knowledge section and the practical or skill exam.

Other ACS benefits include:

•It clearly tells applicants, instruc-tors, and evaluators what anairman must know, consider, anddo to pass the knowledge test andthe practical test for an airman certificate or rating.

•It shows how the required knowl-edge, risk management, and skillelements for each area of opera-tion/task are connected.

•It defines expectations and behav-iors for risk management andconnects them to specific tasks.

•It gives context for the “specialemphasis” items from the PTS.

To show an example of how the

ACS is structured, let’s take a look at the hover taxi task skill section that requires helicopter flight instructor applicants to demonstrate and simul-taneously explain while in a helicopter how to:

•Complete the appropriatechecklist(s).

•Receive and correctly readback clearances/instructions, ifapplicable.

•Use an airport diagram or taxichart during taxiing, if pub-lished, and maintain situationalawareness.

•Comply with airport/heliporttaxiway markings, signals, andsigns.

•Maintain powerplant and mainrotor (Nr) speed within normallimits.

•Maintain a straight ground trackwithin ±2 feet of a designatedground track.

•Maintain recommended hover -

ing altitude, ±1/2 of that altitudewithin 10 feet of the surface, ifabove 10 feet, ±5 feet.

•Hover taxi over specified groundreferences, demonstratingforward, sideward, and rearward hovering and hovering turns.

•Maintain a constant rate of turn atpivot points.

•Maintain a position within 2 feetof each pivot point during turns.

•Make a 360-degree pivoting turn,left and right, stopping within 10degrees of a specified heading.

•Make smooth, timely, and correctcontrol application during themaneuver.

•Analyze and correct commonerrors related to this task.

The industry has used the ACS to

help ensure that its handbooks are aligned with the federal standards. The FAA in turn has incorporated industry recommendations into the ACS.

The bottom line is that all of this is

for safety. “Safe operations in today’s National Airspace System (NAS) require the integration of aeronautical knowledge, risk management, and flight proficiency standards, ” reads the introduction for the ACS for rotorcraft category helicopter flight instructors.

The new ACS is a step forward in

that direction.

Gene Trainor is a technical writer/editor in the FAA’s Aircraft

Certification Service.

LEARN MORE

Flight Instructor for Rotorcraft Category

Helicopter Rating (FAA-S-ACS-29)bit.ly/FAAACS

July/August 2024 35

FLIGHT FORUM letters from the FAA Safety Briefing mailbag

Check out our GA Safety

Facebook page at

Facebook.com/groups/

GASafety .

If you’re not a member, we encour -

age you to join the group of more than 16,000 participants in the GA

community who share safety prin-

ciples and best practices, participate in positive and safe engagement

with the FAA Safety Team

(FAASTeam), and post relevant GA content that makes the National

Airspace System safer.

Previous Presentations

I signed up for National Association

of Flight Instructors (NAFI) -

Clinical Aspects of Pilots Mental Health and was unable to attend the

session (Select #CE03128026). Have

the classes been recorded so that I

can access this at a later date?

— Russell

Hi Russell. Thanks for reaching out!

Sorry to hear you missed the monthly

MentorLIVE session, but fortunately you

can access previous broadcasts at nafinet.

org/mentorlive-archive. These programs feature subject matter experts from many aspects of the flight instruction industry and are focused on helping flight instruc-

tors succeed in their training endeavors.

And bonus — all presentations are WINGS approved! So be sure to check

back often for upcoming broadcasts and

review the archives for previous presenta -

tions that might be valuable to you.

From the FAA’s LinkedIn Page

“Thank God for My Instructor”

In a recent episode of the FAA ’s

podcast “ The Air Up There,” Victoria

“V” Ross shares her challenging journey to obtaining her private pilot’s certificate. When asked about

her first solo flight, she credits her

instructor’s support and patience to

achieve her goal.

Victoria: “It was scary. It was so

scary. First of all, it took me so long to solo because I had a crippling fear of

flying the plane by myself but thank

God for my instructor. He was so

patient with me and he’s like, I know

you’re ready V . It’s the perfect time.

There’s zero wind. There’s no one in the traffic pattern. It’s early morning. These

are the perfect conditions. You’re doing

it and I’m like, you sure? He’s like, no, you’re doing it. And I’m like, okay and

then I did it and I was just like, well,

I’m done. Give me my certificate right

now. Like I passed. I’m ready. ”

Victoria is currently working on her

flight instructor certificate. Afterward,

she plans to get her instrument flight

instructor rating and start building

the 1,500 hours necessary to become a

commercial airline pilot.

Commenters on the FAA ’s LinkedIn

page, including her former instructor, expressed their support:

Listen to this podcast and other

episodes at youtube.com/@FAAnews/podcasts.

For more stories and news,

check out our blog “Cleared for Takeoff”

at medium.com/FAA .

Let us hear from you! Send your comments, suggestions, and questions

to SafetyBriefing@faa.gov . You can

also reach us on X (formerly known

as Twitter) @FAASafetyBrief or on

Facebook at facebook.com/FAA.

We may edit letters for style and/or

length. Due to our publishing sched-

ule, responses may not appear for

several issues. While we do not print anonymous letters, we will withhold

names or send personal replies upon

request. If you have a concern with

an immediate FAA operational issue,

contact your local Flight Standards Office or air traffic facility.

36 FAA Safety BriefingON FINAL an editor's perspective

TOM HOFFMANN

REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

If I am walking with two other

men, each of them will serve as

my teacher. I will pick out the

good points of the one and imitate

them, and the bad points of the

other and correct them in myself.

— Confucius

The educators we encounter in our

lives, whether in the classroom or the

cockpit, have a unique ability to help

guide us, mold us, and make us better

people (and pilots). And it’s not just

the amount of knowledge they impart; it’s how they deliver it, so it sinks in

and makes an impression. This is not

an easy task given how people learn and appreciate things in infinitely

different ways.

While the schoolteacher and

flight instructor professions might

seem worlds apart, there are several parallel tracks in terms of roles and

responsibilities that can have a lasting

impact on a student’s future success. I credit these experiences with helping

me reach new heights, literally and

figuratively. Looking back, we can all probably

recall a few outstanding academic

teachers who made a significant

impact on our learning and maybe even our career aspirations. I recall

a high school English teacher who

saw some potential in me during our in-class creative writing exercises. Her

constructive criticism of my prose

helped me identify some weak areas,

but also take note of precisely where

I excelled. I’m sure I had other good English teachers during my schooling,

so it’s funny how some of those inter -

actions, even the seemingly subtle

ones, resonate with us and stick out in

our minds.

On the flip side, I’m sure everyone

can similarly recall some not-so-

good educators who seemed much less inclined to impart their wisdom.

My AP Calculus teacher immediately

comes to mind. Convinced that no

one in the class was even capable of

learning the subject aside from one or two students, he proceeded to

teach just those students while the

rest of us were instructed to read a book or take a nap. Seriously! I

quickly dropped the class and was

resigned to taking it in college. As

it turns out, I had a great calculus

teacher during my freshman year in college who made learning the some-

times-intimidating subject fun with

real-world examples. I had no desire to become a mathematician after

that, but it did show how the right

teacher can make a difference, even

with a difficult subject.

My experience with aviation

educators is not all that different. As I’ve pointed out here in previous On

Final columns, my flight training

was a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I

did my best to take away something positive in every case. There were some instructors who seemed to be

biding their time, while others took a

genuine interest in helping me work on my weaknesses and went out of

their way to help me become a better

aviator. Many of my flight instructors also helped underscore the sheer fun

of flying, a facet of flight training that

can — but most certainly shouldn’t —

be overlooked. We can be safe and still

have fun, right?

Much like a classroom teacher, an

aviation educator should endeavor to take a personal interest in learners, offer constructive criticism where and

when needed, and help their students

see how to improve. It’s important

to also set a good example, strive to

be courteous and professional, and continually demonstrate the qualities

of a good airman.

These actions can have a lasting

and positive impression on students.

With GA instructional flying being significantly higher these days —

accounting for nearly one-quarter of

hours flown according to 2022 FAA survey data — it’s more important

than ever to model these attributes to

cultivate confidence, advance sound

decision-making, and contribute to

the overall safety of the national air -

space system.

The education occupation is a

mighty responsibility, but the rewards of seeing your students succeed and

shaping their future in a positive light

can make it all worthwhile. It’s not

lost on me that as I write this, it just

so happens to be National Teacher Appreciation Week. However, I’ d

say it’s always a good time to honor

and acknowledge all teachers far and

wide, on the ground and in the air. We

appreciate you!

FAA FACESFAA employee profile

PAUL CIANCIOLO

ADINA PAPP

FAASTeam Program Manager, FAA’s Albany Flight Standards District Office

Aviation education is a passion for

Adina Papp. Flying is in her DNA. She even met her pilot-husband while attending EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.

Adina grew up in Boonville,

N.Y ., spending time with familyat the local grass strip. And fourgenerations of pilots — from hergrandfather, father, and herself toher son and his wife — have flowntheir family-owned Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer. The family fleet also includesa Piper PA-18 Super Cub , Piper J-3

Cub, Piper PA-11 Cub Special , and

Aeronca Model 7AC Champ .

She learned to fly while attending

Murray State University, working for the local fixed-based operator (FBO) pumping fuel and mowing lawns to pay for her wings. She then continued commercial, instrument, and flight instructor training.

“I worked as a flight instructor for

many years, specializing in primary and tailwheel instruction, ” she notes. “I am one of the few who continued flight instructing because I loved it. I did this for fifteen years while raising a family. ”

After her son started college, Adina

started down the path to becoming an airline pilot — a lifelong dream. She flew for several 14 CFR part 135 oper -

ators at the controls of a Piper PA-31 Navajo , Cessna 402 Businessliner , and

Beechcraft King Air . However, the

travel and many nights away from home eventually altered her trajectory.

Adina joined the FAA family as an

aviation safety inspector in 2017 to pursue a more stable career and life-style. Now, she is one of the local FAA Safety Team Program Managers at the FAA Flight Standards District Office in Albany, N.Y .

“This is the perfect position for me

— distributing educational material and regulatory updates to the flying public. I enjoy working with general aviation pilots and the aviation indus-try to promote safety, ” she explains. “In this position, I am proactive instead of reactive, helping to prevent accidents before they occur. ”

As a passionate flight instructor,

Adina sees one of the industry’s most challenging problems is that most use flight instruction as a stepping-stone to build time for higher-paying com-mercial positions.

“The most experienced pilots

should be teaching, but it is often the least experienced pilots teaching, ” she expands. “There is much more to teaching than just teaching what you know. Some critical skills take time to develop to be a good instructor, which are often missed. One of those skills is the psychology of teaching. ”

How you teach to everyone’s learn-

ing style is very important. A good start is understanding the fundamen-tals of instruction by studying the FAA ’s Aviation Instructor’s Handbook

(bit.ly/AvInstructor). The law of pri-macy — first impressions are strong impressions — is what Adina equates to one of the most important for any flight instructor to know.

“What a pilot learns first is very

likely what they will continue throughout their flying career, ” she explains. “Flight instructors must teach correctly, be excellent role models, set good examples, and instill good habits. They must be a good example of responsibility and profes-sionalism, dress appropriately, speak appropriately, and set good moral and ethical standards. They must be on time and respectful. They must lead by example because the student will do what the flight instructor does. ”

One last piece of advice: adjust your

teaching style to accommodate each student’s way of learning.

“This is part of the challenge that

keeps instructing interesting and fun. Change it up, try new ways to get your point across, and enjoy the experience. ”

Paul Cianciolo is an associate editor and the social media

lead for FAA Safety Briefing. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and an auxiliary airman with Civil Air Patrol.

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of Transportation

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Administration

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Washington, D.C. 20591

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Look Who’s Reading

FAA Safety Briefing

Master Flight Instructor and veteran

spin expert Rich Stowell turns to

FAA Safety Briefing to keep straight and level on aviation safety.