Flight instruction is a noble profession that requires commitment and constant practice to ensure excellence.
The four pillars of instructional excellence are professionalism, customer service, quality assurance and self-improvement. The CFI, FAA, public AND the student all benefit when the CFI strives to improve their skills using these four pillars. Instructors can expect more enjoyment from their profession, more referrals from satisfied clients and better pay over time. The student can expect better and deeper learning, a greater desire to participate in the learning process and a greater chance of course completion. The FAA and the general public can both expect to see better safety and fewer violations as more instructors practice excellent instruction.
A professional is any person who earns their living from a skilled activity.
The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their specific role.
In addition, most professionals are subject to strict codes of conduct, enshrining rigorous ethical and moral obligations. Professionalism cannot be conferred. Best practices of professionalism include punctuality, honesty, integrity and image. A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the social norms and religious rules and responsibilities of, or proper practices for, an individual, party or organization. Related concepts include ethical, honor, moral codes and religious laws.
Consider your student a client vice a customer. They are not merely purchasing a service from you, they have contracted with a professional to utilize those services. Student, public and FAA are all your customer. Best practices in customer service include Best practices of customer service include developing a syllabus customized to individual students, evaluating performance to the standards set forth in ACS/PTS and accurately and consistently tracking and updating student progress.
The quality of your instruction will outlive the instructional relationship you have with each client. Standardized training ensures you teach all students the proper material in a similar way, each time. Instructors are sought out for their ability to facilitate learning, standardization is the key to this. ACS/PTS were introduced to publish these minimum acceptable standards. Instructors should teach all required skills to proficiency before introducing the ACS/PTS.
Professionals invite scrutiny and therefore must continuously strive for more knowledge and skill. Most professions require continuing education to maintain licensure. Flight instructors are required to renew their license every 24 months; although renewal requirements may be met with very little actual education. Some possible methods of renewal are a Flight Instructor Refresher Course (online or in person), obtaining a new instructor rating, meeting training volume standards or being in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots.
Self-improvement involves continuing education. The closest thing a flight instructor has to REQUIRED continuing education is the 24-month certificate renewal requirement. The various methods for renewal are found in FAR 61.197 and include completing a Flight Instructor Renewal Course, completing a practical for the currently held rating, active flight instruction (defined in the regulation), Company check pilot in 121 or 135 operation or being in a position involving regular evaluation of pilots. There is only one method available for renewal that REQUIRES continuing education (learning something new) which is to obtain a new instructor rating.
Best practices in self-improvement include flying the hard way or avoiding complacency. Mentor a CFI to keep your skills sharp. You will certainly learn many new teaching methods and gain a wider level of experience when your mentee share their experiences. Gain skill diversity by flying new aircraft, profiles, etc. Many flight instructors, or pilots for that matter, are not comfortable with the entire envelope of the aircraft. They put themselves in a dangerous situation when they let their student push them to exceed their comfort level.
Walk the pattern with your students while on the ground using a sufficiently large (10’x18”) diagram of a runway. Use multiple people in the pattern to simulate congestion. Make the radio calls.
The learning loop is a method to describe the process a student goes through to gain proficiency in a given maneuver. The preflight briefing should demonstrate proficiency in knowledge gained previously. The next step is the flight. The student should be practicing the maneuver. Students gain more experience while flying than they learn. Following the flight, the debrief is one of the most underutilized aspects critical to closing the loop. Finally, self-study to review lessons learned.
The learning contract ensures both the student and the instructor are safely learning and enjoying every flight. The “one thing” I ask after each lesson is for the student to list one thing I should never do again and one thing every instructor should emulate.