They don't teach this in flight school..

USMCmech

USMCmech

Well-Known Member
What are some things that a future professional pilot needs to learn that aren't part of most school's curriculum? I'm talking about things that have little to do with flying airplanes, but all the peripheral items that come with the job.

For starters,

How to read a 24 hour clock AKA military time. Weather reports are all in 24 hour time, and several countries use it as well.

How to open a variety of hangar doors. You would be amazed how many times I've had to figure out how to open a random hangar door I've never seen before when doing some contract flights.

Some basic Spanish. You will be doing a fair amount of flying into Mexico, Central and South America, and you need to be able to find "el bano".

How to fuel an airplane. Quite a few larger flight schools have full time fuel truck drivers and students never have to perform this task, until the day comes when they have to use the self serve pump at 2300.
 
What is the time at your destination?

Towing an aircraft.

How to operate the stuff in the cabin.

How to say no, without saying no. (Plan B)


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How to be an ambassador for aviation, especially to kids. You don't need to be neck deep in EAA or CAP outreach programs, but I still have my first set of plastic wings from Delta somewhere. I've given away so many stinking squadron patches because 70% of the time we land at a civilian field there's a kid with his dad there before I even get inside the FBO building. I bring extras now.
 
+1 for self serve fuel. Bring students to grass strips. Teach them to be smooth on the controls as a private pilot. I always stress this. Professional pilots should be smooth pilots. Don't jerk the wheel around. I tell all my students to question me. Don't take everything I say as gospel. Look up regulations and challenge me.
 
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If they're fairly young/inexperienced, perhaps the nuances of the travel industry with respect to hotels and rental cars?

Tipping etiquette?

Ways to pack efficiently?

Expense tracking?

Customer service skills?
 
Derg said:
How to establish that you're the "PIC" without actually saying "I'm the PIC".
Click to expand...


Like this?

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I was looking for the guy with 8 stripes per, but this works
 
Basic algebra and ideally what sine and cosine are - this would help clear up a wide variety of misconceptions and misunderstandings I've seen about climb gradients, winds vectors, flight planning, and more.

Towing, parking, backing in, and operating a wide variety of ramp equipment and machinery.

How to say "no" without being a dick.

How to think critically about what you're doing - many pilots I've met are incredibly technically proficient but they don't think about why they are doing a particular thing. We should have some sort of formal training in critical thinking. Everything we do is highly procedural - this is good because it reduces errors, but we don't have a checklist for every conceivable event - we need training to learn to critically think for when we're presented with events and situations that lie outside the realm of normalcy.
 
To be open minded about operations other than their own. If you haven't witnessed, experienced or participated in something or simply just don't understand it - don't immediately call it wrong/ unsafe/ dangerous....

Countless times I have heard this position when discussing IFR, aerobatics, seaplanes, mx practices. All from people that are not instrument rated or have never flown any aerobatics, not seaplane rated or even a mechanic.
 
Help them understand that aviation is a small world. Assume every time you are at an airport, especially an FBO, you are being sized up for a job.
This does not mean you need to wear a three piece suit, but ditch the "Don't Tread on Me" or Che/Mao t-shirts. Shower. Look presentable. Be polite to EVERYONE. If you hit on the girl/guy behind the counter do it in a respectful manner. You never know who is in the FBO looking for a pilot.
Help them to go beyond rote memorization with WX. Many accident chains can be traced back to an initial poor WX decision.
Teach them how to think of alternates. Throw them curve balls. When I taught at non-towers airports I would take pre solo students to class C airports just so they could learn to handle the stress and non-standard situations controllers would throw at them.
For Gods sake, please teach them to have a light touch. It only gets harder to break the death grip as they progress.
 
Blackhawk said:
Help them understand that aviation is a small world. Assume every time you are at an airport, especially an FBO, you are being sized up for a job.
This does not mean you need to wear a three piece suit, but ditch the "Don't Tread on Me" or Che/Mao t-shirts. Shower. Look presentable. Be polite to EVERYONE. If you hit on the girl/guy behind the counter do it in a respectful manner. You never know who is in the FBO looking for a pilot.
Help them to go beyond rote memorization with WX. Many accident chains can be traced back to an initial poor WX decision.
Teach them how to think of alternates. Throw them curve balls. When I taught at non-towers airports I would take pre solo students to class C airports just so they could learn to handle the stress and non-standard situations controllers would throw at them.
For Gods sake, please teach them to have a light touch. It only gets harder to break the death grip as they progress.
Click to expand...

As mentioned in the Spirit pilot & selfie stick post, you are always being watched. Don't do anything stupid disrespectful or unprofessional. Like say sleeping on the couch in a packed lobby while in uniform. There is a guy out there that did that, and can't shake that reputation. @DPApilot is not that pilot but he knows who I'm talking about.
 
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