Sincerely,
Matt
Greetings Matt:
Here's one of my best ideas for getting more students. Start an ongoing private pilot/flight review ground school that meets once a week, three hours a night, and repeats itself every 12 weeks (or so). Charge attendees just enough per session to cover the cost of the room and edible amenities. Do not offer the training for free. Charge something, even if it's only $5 per session.
Your objective is not necessarily to make money on the ground school. Instead, your objective is to acquire new students by introducing them to your stellar teaching skills. Think of your time investment as advertising, which is precisely what it is. Place single-page brochures at the airport; at local watering holes; on cars in the airport parking lot; and on bulletin boards at airports, community centers, libraries, high schools, and colleges. Notify the local paper via a press release that a ground school is available for all those who want to learn something about flying, even if they're not currently interested in flight training (some may become interested later). Always have business cards in your pocket. Buy them in bulk and distribute them liberally wherever you go - the grocery, theater, and in social settings. Hand one to everyone you meet and include one in all your mail.
Not only will teaching ground school help you become a better CFI, it also will allow you to meet more people interested in flight training or flight reviews. You could partner with another CFI, teaching the class every other week, and share the leads. Of course, this advice will only work if you're willing to do the work necessary to pull it off.
Concern For Son's Safety
Dear Rod:
My son takes flying lessons at a local FBO and soloed a few days after his sixteenth birthday. He has done probably 10 landings on his own. He has not taken his knowledge test and has not read through the pilot's operating handbook for his Cessna 150. (I have a hard time getting him to "find the time" to study for the test.) Anyway, his instructor wants to send him out on his own on cross-countries and to the practice area. If he doesn't know this kind of important information, I just don't believe that he is ready to go out on his own. He might be OK if nothing goes wrong, but if he has an engine failure, etc., he will not know what to do. When I raise these issues, the CFI replies, "Oh, he'll be fine, he knows what he's doing up there." What is your opinion? I have just one son, and while I want him to experience everything, I want him to do it safely.
Thanks,
Concerned Dad
Greetings Dad:
I can certainly understand your concern about your son. As a flight instructor for many years, I experienced the concern of many parents for their children during flight training, too. Regarding your son's position, there's nothing necessarily unusual about his education vs. flying privileges up to this point. I've soloed many students without their having taken the knowledge test. I would even let the student proceed to the practice area without having passed the knowledge test. I've always had a firm policy, however, of not letting a student proceed to dual cross-country training (much less solo XC flying) unless the student had passed the knowledge test. There are just too many areas of ground knowledge that need to be mastered before solo XC is attempted. And taking the written is also a measure of a person's commitment to staying the course and doing the work needed to become a private pilot.
Regarding your son's knowledge of the POH, I assume that the flight instructor has provided him with the necessary essentials of airplane operation to this point. Once again, I don't necessarily find anything to be concerned about now. On the other hand, it's obvious that your son isn't giving much thought (let alone time or effort) to preparing for the knowledge test. Despite the CFI's suggestion that your son's education is fine thus far, it's obvious that your son will need to prepare for that knowledge test soon.
Here's what I suggest you do. Since he's your son and you're most likely paying for all this training, you have every right to attach stipulations as well as to expect some commitment from him. One such stipulation might be that there will be no cross-country training, much less solo XC flying, unless the knowledge test is taken and passed. This is a perfectly fair and reasonable prerequisite. While I try to avoid second-guessing any CFI, I believe that passing the knowledge test before flying solo XC is an absolute must. After years of teaching advanced CFI courses, I find that many experienced CFIs think the same way.
Disappearing Runways
Dear Rod:
I'm a pilot who just got his private pilot certificate. I can fly the Cessna 172 pretty well, but when it comes time to land at a new airport, I can never find the runway. I have read many books on piloting and can't find any good advice on the topic. What should I do?
Nick
Greetings Nick:
You aren't the only pilot who has trouble finding the airport, let alone the runway. It's remarkably easy to not see something as big as a runway. Keep in mind that a runway is mostly the absence of something. That's why it's helpful to look for gaps in the landscape (especially if the gap has little bitty airplanes on it). Nevertheless, it's still difficult to see the runway when atmospheric conditions reduce surface contrast or when the runway and the surrounding terrain have little contrast to begin with.
You can increase your chances of finding the airport by making a very small peephole with your hand, thumb, and index finger. When you are approaching the airport, squint one eye while looking through the peephole with the other. Slowly scan the area ahead of you. You'll be surprised how often you'll be able to find the airport this way. This technique allows your vision to focus on small areas of real estate while it prevents you from being overwhelmed by an immensity of detail. Remember, you must still scan for traffic. And don't look at the FAA designated pilot examiner through the peephole, either. He or she may not understand what you're doing.
If you still don't have the airport in sight at a distance of at least four to five miles, then request permission to overfly the field and observe it (assuming you're approaching a towered field) at a minimum of at least 500 feet above pattern altitude (or whatever you and the controller believe is a safe altitude). If it's a nontowered airport, then overfly the field while broadcasting your intentions on the CTAF (I prefer to overfly nontowered fields at 1,000 feet above pattern altitude).
Once you've spied the correct runway, maneuver as directed (or as is safe) to enter the pattern. You should have no problem finding the runway when directly over it. If you do, then I suggest installing a prescription windshield in your 172.
Sloppy Steep Turns
Dear Rod:
I am working on my flight instructor certificate and am interested in your take on a technique I learned for doing steep turns. If, during a steep turn, I begin to lose altitude, I shallow out the bank. This allows the nose to rise, resulting in the airplane's returning to level flight. If I gain altitude in the steep turn I increase the bank a little so the nose drops. This helps me return to level flight again. My CFI doesn't like the technique. What say you?
Thanks in advance
, Bob
Greetings Bob:
I'm in your CFI's court on this one. I've seen pilots use this technique before, and it usually leads to a poorly performed steep turn. What you have here is an identity crisis. You're using the ailerons to control pitch attitude when the elevator does the job better. The elevator helps you hold a specific attitude for a chosen bank and power setting during the turn.
If your altitude begins to change, make a corresponding elevator movement to compensate. Simultaneously, manipulate your ailerons and rudder to hold the desired bank constant. This is precisely the coordination skill that the steep turn is intending to measure. If your students use the technique you suggest, they might have a difficult time passing the private pilot check-ride - given that the PTS requires that they remain within plus or minus 5 degrees of a 45-degree bank.
Yes, I know that some folks say they only allow the bank to change within plus or minus 5 degrees when using this technique. In reality, they often allow the bank to change much more than this. If they get carried away using this technique on a checkride, the end result might be a slip - a pink slip.
Rod Machado is a flight instructor, author, educator, and speaker. A pilot for 32 years and a CFI for 28, he has flown more than 8,000 hours and owns a Beech A36 Bonanza. Visit his Web site ( www.rodmachado.com ).
Related Articles
