Ask My Sky Mom. Aviation wit and wisdom.

Hey Mom,                                                ***Watch this article on YouTube!***
I’ve been using a popular flight simulator on my computer for years. I’m finally financially ready to commit to real flying lessons. My very first time out, though, it seemed like my flight instructor was telling me exactly the opposite of what works well in the simulator. He actually covered ALL of my instruments and wouldn’t let me look at them. What I want to know is, is this guy legit? Should I be looking for another flight instructor, or is this a legitimate teaching technique, particularly in the first lessons? I’m really good when I have those instruments, I’ve had A LOT of practice with them and I don’t want my investment in preparation for training to be wasted!
Thanks,
Fly Me To the Moon

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Hi there, Fly Me,
The good news is that it sounds like you have a good flight instructor there! Just because his teaching techniques are correct doesn’t mean that his teaching style meshes well with your learning style, but that is a separate discussion that we’ll pick up another time. The bad news is that you have some relearning to do. Many people who spend a lot of time with a flight simulator before they’ve been exposed to in flight flight training will become addicted to those instruments. Your private pilot training will teach you to operate under VFR, or visual flight rules. Which, yes, means looking out the window. Nearly all the time. Your instruments are a very secondary way for you to get information. You’ll learn to use visual cues like distance between the cowling and horizon and relative position of the wingtips to gauge your attitude. You’ll learn to use aural cues like engine sound and slip stream noise to help estimate airspeed.
You’ll always be more accurate with your focus on the larger world outside rather than the small one depicted on your instruments. You’ll see small changes in pitch and bank more quickly there. It’s important to correct for those changes before you see them reflected on the airspeed indicator or altimeter. The airplane has a certain amount of inertia and momentum and with a change in pitch or bank, there will be a short lag time before this translates to an altitude or airspeed deviation. For more information on proper attitude flying, take a look at this chapter of the Airplane Flying Handbook. http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/media/faa-h-8083-3a-2of7.pdf
One more word of advice: don’t be shy about asking your CFI any questions you have about your flight or ground training (yes, you SHOULD be receiving ground training, too, for your flight training to be as effective as it can be), the syllabus you’re following, and the reasons for the decisions made in regards to your training. Takes two to tango and understanding where you’re headed and why will make the trip not only more efficient but hopefully a lot more fun.

Give your CFI a pat on the back, it sounds like he’s doing a good job, and tell him I said to keep up the fine work!
Mom

~ by myskymom on March 20, 2009.