CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 14 Issue 2 - 32

CFI TOOLS
airport's runway(s). You'll want the longest to be eight or ten feet
long. Bonus points for including the taxiways.
GET SOME SIDEWALK CHALK AND HEAD OUT TO THE
APRON. ONCE THERE, DRAW A SCALE REPRESENTATION
OF YOUR HOME AIRPORT'S RUNWAY(S). YOU'LL WANT
THE LONGEST TO BE EIGHT OR TEN FEET LONG. BONUS
POINTS FOR INCLUDING THE TAXIWAYS.
hand patterns, go-arounds, touch and goes, and passing
overhead calls.
Next, it's time to simulate the dynamic environment of the
airport by putting both yourself and your learner(s) in motion,
walking the pattern and making the appropriate calls in " real
time. " If you are training at a towered field, the final phase is for
you to mimic tower calls and have your learner(s) respond both
with movement and voice.
Now walk your student(s) through the pattern like you were an
airshow performer practicing your routine on the ground before
flight. Introduce the traffic pattern entry and pattern leg names.
This helps your learner(s) understand the pattern environment-
the situational awareness model-in a more realistic way than
the standard whiteboard methodology, and without the stress
and distraction of being in the airplane. The beauty of this is that
when they do get in the airplane with you, they will already have
the pattern pre-visualized.
Next, have your student(s) walk a standard pattern making
the appropriate traffic pattern calls for a non-towered airport.
This does the double duty of building model understanding and
strengthening those difficult and scary-to-learn radio skills.
Then the fun begins.
PICTURING TRAFFIC
Make " radio calls, " and have your student(s) go stand where they
think the " pilot " who made the call would be. Don't neglect rightA
GOOD INVESTMENT
I know what some of you are thinking-you don't have time for
games. Here's the thing, though: You have to teach this in some
way, at some time. I suspect it will actually take longer for your
students to learn if you teach it in the traditional manner. On
the other hand, taking the time to set the stage for situational
awareness by helping your students create solid models in a fun
and safe, focused environment will save you time in the long run.
With improved student situational awareness from the get-go, it
could even possibly save your life one day.
Next Time: Discipline, not punishment
William Dubois is an FAA Safety Team rep and a rare " double "
Master Ground Instructor accredited by both NAFI and
MICEP. An AOPA member since 1983, he holds a commercial
pilot certificate and has a degree in aviation technology. He was
recognized as a Distinguished Flight Instructor in the 2021 AOPA
Flight Training Experience Awards.
Training Tip:
Traffic Awareness
Technology
In this 5-minute video, AOPA Air Safety
Institute Senior VP Richard McSpadden
demonstrates using ADS-B In to increase
situational awareness of traffic in the area.
To watch the video, click on the
multimedia icon in the image.
CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 14 Issue 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 14 Issue 2
