When Cessna finalized the decision to restart production of its single-engine piston line in the mid-1990s, some were baffled why the company would not be restarting production of the 152, one of the most popular trainers of all time. The answer, in part, was that many flight schools preferred four-seat airplanes like the Cessna 172 for training. These schools would put one or occasionally even two students in the back, allowing them to observe the training going on up front. It seems that students who ride along during other students’ training learn much faster than those who are in the left seat exclusively.
The ride-along, also referred to as Gemini or observational training, is a positive experience for nearly everyone involved. Students progress through training faster and, in turn, spend less money and time training. This lessens the frustration level that often leads to students giving up when they reach a plateau in learning. Instructional concepts are more easily swallowed if you see it more than once, without the pressure of multitasking the basics of flying while learning something new.
“I feel we learn best by making mistakes,” says Jenn Hoy, a flight instructor at Vermont Flight Academy. “But they can be mistakes others make that we observe, and it’s still just as effective a learning tool. In the long run, Gemini is a win-win scenario for everyone. The student gains a deeper understanding of the lesson, is more proficient when he or she gets in the left seat, and ends up saving time and money in the pursuit of the certificate or rating,” adds Hoy.
Aviation Adventures, a flight school in Manassas, Virginia, that earned a Flight Training Excellence Award last year, also recommends its ride-along program to students. Owner Bob Hepp says it works best in the early learning and cross-country phases of training. Beyond the obvious benefits, Hepp points out that students get exposed to the reduced performance and aft center of gravity that an airplane possesses with someone in the back.
Aviation Adventures instructor Doris Gatewood says, “Ride-alongs are especially beneficial for students getting ready for their first cross-country flights. They get to hear the ATC radio calls, have an idea of how to organize the cockpit, locate landmarks, and spot an unfamiliar airport. There is plenty going on that can overwhelm a student in the cross-country phase, and everything cannot possibly be absorbed while they are busy simply flying.”
“Let there be no doubt that ride-alongs are productive with respect to the learning process,” says Dana Holladay, a freelance instructor in Maryland. “Almost without exception, students state that they feel they absorbed more because they were not preoccupied with flying, watching for traffic, or trying to please the instructor.” But Holladay and others warn that ride-alongs are not for everyone. In the event that the observer simply can’t keep his or her mouth shut, it can be detrimental. This typically only occurs with married couples where one student, usually the husband, begins backseat flying.
The benefits of ride-along flights definitely don’t stop as you move up the ranks. In my experience as an airline pilot, I continue to use ride-alongs, especially when learning a new type of airplane. I’ve strapped in to my colleagues’ simulator rides, and rode jump seats on actual flights while another student was receiving his initial operating experience training. It was a great way to see what we were learning in the schoolhouse applied in the real world. I also taped my own simulator rides so I could review them at home and critique my performances. Check if a simulator you use has a recording option. And don’t throw away that VCR yet! Some old simulators still use VHS tapes.
If a flight school doesn’t have any organized observation training, there’s nothing wrong with asking an instructor and student if they mind you riding along on a lesson. The worst they can say is no.
