admin on July 18th, 2009

I was reading Bob Miller’s newsletter, and I about had a bird over inadequate training…. I am hoping this is an abnormality, but I fear it isnt. From Bob’s newsletter.
A CFI who recently graduated from a well-known four-year aviation college in the Northeast United States came into my office recently inquiring about [...]

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admin on July 15th, 2009

Its funny looking back, how aviation tended to level out social demographics. The funniest I ever experienced was the dialog between a F100 A level exec and a auto mechanic. At the airport, both tended to wear biker attire, and flew similar airplanes, and often chat with one another. During the workweek, each had dramatically [...]

Continue reading about Aviation, the social leveling agent ?

admin on June 21st, 2009

When I sign off on an 8710, I’m stating that the student has the required pilot skill, and the judgment necessary to safely exercise the privileges granted by the certificate/rating he is going to be tested for. The DPE, or FAA inspector, just serves as a small cross check to see if I’ve done my job [...]

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admin on March 31st, 2007

This is something students always bring up sooner or later. They hate the idea of renting without building any equity. Yet, as we all know, the fixed costs are often times the real killer when it comes to private aircraft ownership. Years back, when I was doing the mechanic thing, we had a Baron we [...]

Continue reading about I want to buy my own plane

admin on May 18th, 2006

Sorry, I couldn’t resist the title as an eye catcher. As most seasoned CFI’s will state, they take a dim view of offering flight instruction, until a student has the mental capability to understand the immense responsibility of being a pilot. By the same token, we also like to foster an interest in aviation amongst [...]

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admin on April 16th, 2006

Podcasting is a tool a CFI can use to increase instructional efficiency, build business, and potentially provide an additional revenue stream.
First a definition. Podcasting , in its simplest terms is prerecorded and subscribable audio programs that can de downloaded from the internet and played on an Ipod, MP3 player, or even on ones pc through [...]

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admin on April 13th, 2006

Aviation decision making and judgement are tough subjects to teach. There is a disconnect between academic knowledge, monday morning quarterbacking, and decisions made in real time. Scenario based training (FITS) is probably a good compromise, but it still lacks the real time psychological issues that dealing with an inflight problem present.
 Thus ASRS reports, and local [...]

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admin on April 4th, 2006

One of the questions I've been asked over the years is where is the best flight school? And of course, my comeback is the one I'm working for at the time Well, no not really, the real key is defining best from the students standpoint.As a matter of professionalism, I think we owe it to [...]

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Back when I lived in IA, I was able to meet breifly with Captain Al Haynes after a speaking engagement. He had recently reached mandatory retirement, and was going full bore on a lecture tour. I still believe he is on the speaking circuit, and hearing him in person is a great experience. I did [...]

Continue reading about United 232 concepts applied to flight instruction part 1

Ok, before I loose half the audience, we in aviation were way ahead of traditional education many years ago, as we fully embraced social constructivism. This was especially interesting, as traditional education had yet to consider social constructivism in a large way until the 90's, choosing instead to focus on behavioral pedagody.
Unfortunately, flight instruction evolved [...]

Continue reading about Does Social Constructivism have a place in flight training?