AOPA Project Pilot Mentoring

StogieC

StogieC

New Member
I've signed up a friend from work for AOPA's Project Pilot. I've taken him for one into-to-flying flight and he LOVES it!

I handed him the yoke while I drove the rudder and throttle in my 152 and he had a good touch on just doing some shallow turns and straight and level flight. Kept +- 50 ft with just a few pointers.
:nana2:

I'd like to take him for at least one more flight before he gets down to business with a CFI. What would you CFI types just love to see a new student already have some experience in?
 
t82 said:
Reading the books
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:

I think the experience for these prospective students is valuable, but i caution against teaching them too much - it can make the CFI's work harder if skills are taught wrong; kinda like a student with 1000 hours of flight sim learning to fly off of the instruments.

i'd rather see a new student have read a LOT
 
I would not presume to provide any form of instruction. Just a taste of the basics. I want to keep the flight enjoyable to keep his interest up.

Maybe a flight for a $100 hamburger and let him take the controls for 5 or 10 min of cruise?
 
Pretty much the fact that you're taking him flying, period, will be helpful.

Being in a plane while it's in the air can be an overwhelming experience. Everything is moving, it's noisy, there are a million instruments in front of you that indicate who knows what, etc. It's sensory overload for a person who's never done it before.

I like your suggestion of a $100 hamburger. No matter if he takes the controls or not, he can soak it all in. He can get adjusted to the "sensory overload" while he's flying with you so that when he starts taking lessons he can focus more of his energy in to learning, rather than sitting there in awe that he's actually in the air.

I think the first hour or two of instruction for many people is wasted in a way. Whatever the instructor tells them is in one ear and out the other because their brain is so overwhelmed with the new experience.

By the way--thanks for being a mentor! I think it's a great program that has big benefits on many different levels. I wish more pilots would get involved with it.
 
Yeah and maybe loosing that Flight Simulator thing.
I think that a 1 hour flight with plenty of hands-on flying with simple exercises with a chicken wings break at a nice local airport is a winner. It gives your passenger some time to digest some of the stuff he's seen, some time for you to emphasize on safety and procedures and when you're ready to go back up, your friend is a lot more aware of things, having somewhat a clearer picture of what's going on.
Oh and before you depart, a quick ground introduction on how airplanes fly and so on, and a thorough walk-around with a detailed explanation of what does what. And also a quick reminder : when you walk that door to the airplane, you're no longer Matt-the-beer-bud but Matt the CFI. It is important to keep things in check... And your passenger will appreciate that no matter how small the airplane is, your professionnalism is right up there.
 
moxiepilot said:
:yeahthat:

I think the experience for these prospective students is valuable, but i caution against teaching them too much - it can make the CFI's work harder if skills are taught wrong; kinda like a student with 1000 hours of flight sim learning to fly off of the instruments.

i'd rather see a new student have read a LOT
Click to expand...

Primacy one of the principals of learning. I think I am getting a little hang of this FOI.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top