Instructor Report: The magic of lesson plans

Flight instructors follow a well-defined syllabus—basically an outline—for teaching students the techniques deemed necessary in Part 61 or Part 141 curricula. And each task is taught to the student with the aid of a lesson plan. With attention to lesson plans, students know the steps they must take to accomplish a maneuver; they understand the relationship between previously mastered material and the new task to be learned; and they identify what is needed to accomplish the next step in their journey toward certification.

Completing the process of becoming a certificated pilot is analogous to completing a cross-country flight: There is a departure point and a destination as well as points between departure and destination (the curriculum), a flight plan to be followed (the syllabus), and specific checkpoints that must be identified and crossed (the lessons) to complete the trip. Just as pilots benefit from positional awareness in cross-country flights, students benefit from having an awareness of where they are in the learning process.

Just as pilots benefit from positional awareness in cross-country flights, students benefit from having an awareness of where they are in the learning process.Instructors have no option other than teaching the material identified by the FAA curriculum. We are obliged to use a syllabus, which can be obtained from a commercial source or generated by the flight school or prepared by the individual CFI. Only FAA-approved schools must use approved course curricula, but even the independent CFI unaffiliated with any school is required to have a syllabus. The point is that there needs to be an organized outline for working through the FAA curriculum. Furthermore, we need a specific lesson plan for each task we teach, so that the student knows what to expect and the instructor is prepared to present the material effectively.

Make lesson plans student-centric

Students benefit from lesson plans that are relevant to their needs. At a minimum, each lesson plan should consist of four basic elements:

1. Objective of the lesson. Why the task is important. Knowing the objective of the lesson clarifies why the task must be learned.
2. Specific steps to achieve the objective. These steps are demonstrated by the CFI and practiced by the student. Note that the first step in this area is always a clearing turn or other means for determining the maneuver will not impinge on traffic.
3. Measures of success that define when the task has been achieved. These are the airman certification standards of the maneuver. Students benefit from knowing what determines a successful maneuver and when that building block of airmanship is well established.
4. Significant areas of emphasis. This area is tailored by the CFI to address the specific needs of the student, thereby reinforcing what the student is doing correctly and identifying what the student needs to accomplish for mastery of the maneuver.

While the first three elements are standard for each lesson, the fourth element—significant areas of emphasis—requires the CFI to generate a lesson plan that addresses the student’s unique needs. Perhaps the student requires more emphasis on rudder usage to remain coordinated during chandelles, or needs more attention on attitude to control airspeed and power to control altitude during slow flight. A student may do a good job tracking a ground reference but loses his or her awareness of the airspeed indicator. Each student has strengths; each student has weaknesses. A well-crafted lesson plan is designed to capitalize on strengths and correct weaknesses.

Students benefit from lesson plans that are relevant to their needs.By including special areas of emphasis—the “SAE” of lesson plans—instructors are able to encompass all areas of instruction, such as common errors and items the FAA feels are critical. There will be no surprises for students and no overlooked items for CFIs. The lesson will proceed smoothly. With apologies to the engineers who specify oil viscosity, think of special areas of emphasis as the “oil” that lubricates the lesson and facilitates a smooth transfer of knowledge.

Keep the lesson plan simple, with focus on the four elements of objective, steps, measures of success, and significant areas of emphasis prepared with each individual student’s needs. Using that framework, additions can be made easily. But always prepare a fresh lesson plan, since each student is a unique individual and will learn best when treated as such.

Well-crafted lesson plans have a magical facility to help both the student and the flight instructor use training time efficiently and effectively. Don’t leave the ramp without one.

John W. Olcott is an airline transport pilot, CFII, and remote pilot, as well as former president of the National Business Aviation Association.