Your insight may be the feedback you need
Here's how The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines feedback: "The return of a portion of the output of a process or system to the input, especially when used to maintain performance or to control a system or process." Pull back on the yoke (the input) to rotate on takeoff or to climb to a new altitude, and if the elevator or stabilator feels too heavy or unresponsive (the output), pull back a little more (control a system or process) and consider adjusting pitch trim to a setting that will relieve some of the pressure (more controlling). That's how physical feedback helps us to maintain deliberate and precise control of the aircraft.
Another kind of feedback is important to pilots, especially students. Here's the definition, taken from the same dictionary source: "The return of information about the result of a process or activity; an evaluative response...." Call it intellectual feedback. Instead of aircraft control, it has to do with communication, the exchange of information and opinions, especially between student and instructor.
The student and instructor were unwinding in the office after an especially grueling practice session of climbing and descending turns, level-flight steep turns, slow flight, and a stall series. The student had a rough time coordinating airspeed and aircraft attitude at the beginning, but by the end of the session he was feeling better about his performance. Even so, the instructor hadn't said much one way or the other, which confused the student. "Did I do OK, or am I just such a poor pilot that I should give up training altogether?" he asked himself.
The student was badly in need of an "evaluative response." He decided to pry it out of the instructor. "So, how am I doing?" he asked, somewhat tentatively.
"Fine," the instructor quickly answered, maybe a little too quickly, then cast his eyes back down to the post-lesson paperwork he had been working on a little too diligently.
The instructor's response to the student's request for feedback didn't contain much useful evaluation, and for a student who is of tender confidence, that is a problem.
For most people, learning to fly is one of the most significant challenges they will undertake in their lifetime. There's a lot to learn on the academic side to ace the FAA knowledge test and be able to operate in the National Airspace System, and there's a lot to learn to acquire the necessary practical skills to fly the airplane safely and well. The same is true when seeking advanced ratings and certificates--especially the instrument rating.
Working through that learning process typically involves a series of emotional climbs and level-offs--periods when the student makes good progress and therefore is motivated, and times when learning plateaus, progress seems to stop, and the student can become frustrated and discouraged. What students need throughout training, but most especially during those discouraging plateaus, is perspective. They need to know that every student experiences good times and bad while training, and surviving the bad is mostly a matter of staying the course.
A competent instructor should provide regular, insightful feedback, even if the student does not actively seek it. That's the ideal; reality falls somewhere short of that standard. For whatever reason--poor communication skills, a reluctance to discuss a student's weaknesses with that student, or even lack of interest in the role of the CFI--some instructors just do not do a good job of consistently providing honest, objective feedback about a student's progress.
If the desire for insightful, constructive feedback about your flying is not being met, there is something you can do about it. Assign the task to the person who knows the most about you. That would be you.
We look in the mirror every day to assess our appearance. We watch videos of ourselves playing tennis or swinging a golf club to get an out-of-body self-assessment. Why not do the same with your flying? Hold a mirror up to your memory and then hit the Rewind button in your mind's eye to gain a better perspective of your performance in the airplane.
The rules are simple. Be dispassionate, honest, and objective about your performance. If you think you're the best there is, forget about honest self-evaluation--it'll be a waste of time. Likewise, if you are always too hard on yourself, self-evaluating may be an exercise in defeatism. But if you think you can step outside your head and observe yourself objectively, you might find it useful to review your performance and develop a plan to improve.
A self-review can be divided into broad categories such as preparation, attitude, academics, skills, communication, and goals and objectives. Rate yourself on a variety of factors within each of those categories. For example, under attitude, ask yourself whether or not you typically arrive at the airport prior to a flight well rested, focused on the upcoming lesson, possessing a positive attitude, and confident that you can demonstrate proficiency.
If you rate yourself as falling short in one or more areas, ask yourself why. Do you lack focus? If so, is it because you are distracted by work, finances, a relationship, or some other reason? What can you do to resolve the distraction? It may mean delaying your instruction until the problem can be cleared up. Or, it may be treated more easily by rescheduling your lessons to a different time of the day and week more removed from the source of the distraction.
It's not difficult to self-assess our preparation, knowledge of the subject matter, and skill sets. The more difficult areas are communication and goals and objectives. Good communication between student and instructor is as much the student's role as the instructor's. Only you know what's bugging you, what questions you have, and what information you need to understand the procedure or concept. Be honest with yourself: Are you doing as good a job communicating with the instructor as you want the instructor to do with you?
Have you established goals and objectives for your flying interests? They help keep you focused and moving forward. Goals don't have to be lofty, lifetime goals. Establish short-term objectives--mastering crosswind landings, for example--that, taken together, will stair-step you to the loftier goals. Rate yourself regularly on your progress toward achieving your goals and objectives.
You don't have to fly for very long before you begin to get a grasp on the things you do well, and the things that give you difficulty. Use that insight as the feedback you're looking for to do better.
Mark Twombly is a writer and editor who has been flying since 1968. He is a commercial pilot with instrument and multiengine ratings and co-owner of a Piper Aztec.
Related Articles
