Flight Training - August 2012 - 54

INSTRUCTOR REPORT»

ers from ab initio students to ATP upgrades in multiengine aircraft—a daunting task considering that the classroom is moving at something like 100 to 200 knots. Trouble is, there is no simple solution except to say that instructing requires “good judgment” and a sixth sense that sounds an alert when we start to lose touch with our surroundings. Hmm, tricky. Here’s the flight instructor’s conundrum: If he or she seeks to

to make our mobile classrooms safer. After all, it helps to know in advance where distraction problems are likely to arise and how to avoid them. Taxiing—Know the taxi route, crossing runways, and runway or parking assignments. This is not a good time to have your attention diverted by irrelevant chatter. In fact, it is a great time to instruct students in the importance of paying attention.

to divert pilots’ attention into the cockpit. The federal aviation regulations say we still must pay attention to what’s going on outside. Repeated takeoffs and landings—We tend to get in a groove after several trips around the pattern, feeling comfortable and confident. But along with overconfidence come complacency and forgetfulness. Here’s another great opportunity to acquaint students

IF YOUR FLIGHT SCHOOL DOES NOT ALREADY HAVE A POLICY THAT SPECIFICALLY REFERENCES DISTRACTIONS AND SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, SPREAD THE WORD.
maximize situational awareness, then most instruction would stop. On the other hand, if instruction is to take place, student-teacher dialog has to coexist. So somewhere in between the instructor must decide when and where to allow class to begin. Experienced pilots know where most of the risks lie, so let’s start at these hot spots when deciding how Traffic pattern—Get ATIS and plan pattern entry well in advance. You will want to become aware of traffic in the area and the flow around the airport, towered or nontowered. This is a routine that students need to learn early in their training. Couple this with instruction in proper checklist usage. Instrument approaches—See and avoid. Instrument work tends with checklist discipline, making it part of the landing pattern routine. Besides, it’s a good habit we hope will stay with them after training is complete. Any upset of routine—Unusual circumstances amplify the chances of a mistake. Whether it’s engineout training or simply a new maneuver, avoid situations where training intensity obscures your

Looking for qualified flight instructors
» By Rod Machado

GOOD TIMES FOR CFIS
UNTIL A FEW years ago I was regularly receiving letters from unemployed CFIs looking for work. Are those days over? Several months ago my friends Gary and Annie at Orange County Flight Center located at John Wayne AirportOrange County in Southern California asked if I knew of any CFIs interested in employment. I offered to put the word out, starting with my Facebook page, my website, and with a sortie of emails to CFIs I know. The result? Only two CFIs inquired about the job. Now Gary and Annie are, once again, looking for qualified

flight instructors. Why? Because younger instructors are being scooped up by local charter operations and regional airlines. That’s good news for everyone except those trying to run flight schools (and their students). The same thing happened last year, when I was contacted by an FBO in Anderson, South Carolina, asking if I knew of any flight instructors interested in employment. I wrote a short piece in this magazine on that offer and was amazed to hear that no one applied for that job, even though the pay was quite reasonable.

It’s clear to me that any qualified instructor wanting a teaching position is likely to find one. Yes, you might have to relocate, but if building flight time or pursuing a career in flight training is your ambition, it sure seems as though there are some good opportunities out there for you. The good news doesn't end there. Supply and demand have always dictated pricing. Consequently, qualified flight instructors might be in a very good position to seek higher pay when negotiating employment. If you want to teach others how to fly for a living, it seems that market forces have aligned to help you. I’m not saying that you’ll make a bundle in the flight training business, but you will be flying, and sometimes that’s worth millions.

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Flight Training - August 2012

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