As the cornerstone of aviation safety and pilot training, certified flight instructors (CFIs) must assume total responsibility for teaching a student all the necessary information and skills that are required to competently operate a plane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides training concepts and guidelines that will promote high-quality airmanship, pilot decision-making and accepted operating procedures.
As such, the CFI has the most direct influence over whether or not you succeed in your flight training and become a certified pilot. They are specially trained themselves to provide experience and expertise, as you work through your practical and knowledge tests.
Your success in flight school is completely dependent upon the type of education you receive from your CFI. Let’s explore a few reasons why your flight instructor is instrumental to your success as a student pilot.
Higher Chance of Success in a Comfortable Learning Environment
As you being training, the flight instructor will pass along the concepts and fundamentals of flying, many of which will take time to master. As you work through this learning curve, your CFI should always make an effort to stay patient, keep it fun and foster a comfortable learning environment. If, after a while, you get sick of how your CFI is instructing you, you will begin missing important components of your lesson plan. This, in turn, will hinder your chance at becoming a successful pilot.
Thorough and Up-to-Date Understanding of Learning Process
In order to be certified, a flight instructor has to meet broad flying experience requirements, pass rigid knowledge and practical tests, and demonstrate the ability to apply recommended teaching techniques. Additionally, a flight instructor’s certificate must be renewed biennially, and is re-issued on the basis of how many pilots they’ve successfully trained. This helps weed out flight instructors who just aren’t good enough, while keeping CFIs up-to-date on the latest teaching techniques, flying maneuvers and aeronautical information.
Communicates the Nuances of Flying
Throughout your training, you’ll experience lessons that seem elementary, and others that seem impossible. However, with an instructor who is good at explaining things to you, no matter how complicated, you can overcome anything. When it comes to the nuances of flying, there are a ton of specialized terms to describe everything from certain maneuvers to particular equipment, instruments or calculations. Your flight instructor should be able to keep these terms simple for you, making technical language easy to understand. Great communication between you and your CFI is key to your success!
They Have a Breadth of Experience
In the U.S., every flight instructor is required to be a certified commercial pilot or airline transport pilot (ATP). This means that they have obtained at least 250 flight hours, including 100 hours of pilot-in-command time and 50 hours of cross-country flying, as well as instrument and complex aircraft ratings. So, whether it’s showing you how to come-in for a smooth landing or recover from a mid-air stall, they know how to provide proper instruction because they have experienced it themselves. Passing these personal experiences along to you is the duty of your pilot instructor as a mentor, providing you with insider insights from behind the control wheel.
They Help You Reach Your Goals
It’s the instructor’s job to create a learning environment that is conducive to accomplishing your goals as a pilot. As you kick off the flight training process, your CFI should sit down and help you consider why you want to earn a pilot certificate. Your reason will affect every decision you make along the way, from what school you attend to what types of planes you’ll fly to how often you’ll fly and beyond. Start this process early will make it much more likely that you’ll be successful in your flight training, as you have something to actively work toward. For example, If you want a pilot certificate for personal, or business use, you’ll probably be flying a few times a month in smaller single-engine piston planes. However, if you want to gain your ATP license, you should probably be flying every day and eventually study multi-engine planes and commercial airliners.
They Bring Out Your Best
While there are general lesson plans and FAA-regulated guidelines in instructing students, a great flight instructor will do their best to promote a good attitude in you. Being a pilot is a highly rewarding hobby and/or career path, and managing risks and valuing responsibilities is an important part of being successful in the world of aviation. That said, trust your flight instructors and allow them to help you become the effective, efficient and safe pilot that you want to be.
Are you searching for expert flight instruction?
Get in touch with Inflight Pilot Training today! We are a leading pilot training company serving clients in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and beyond. With a reputable training program and deep roster of highly skilled flight instructors, it’s our goal to help those who’ve dreamed of flying become a pilot. We can help you pursue your passion for taking flight – get in touch with our team of CFIs to find out more.
For additional information on Inflight Pilot Training, contact us today or call (952) 698-3000.