by Jim Trusty
This is just a quick list I came up with and by no means all inclusive of what it really takes to succeed or be totally effective as a Flight Instructor. As you read this article and think of more hints, drop me a line and let me know. My address and phone number are at the end of this article for your comments. Thanks!
DON'T DEMONSTRATE . . . There is no need to let the student know that you can't fly. They are scared enough already. YOU ARE A TEACHER, TEACH!
GROUND SCHOOL . . . If the truth were known, ground school is a lot more important than flight training and harder to teach. TRY THIS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS!
NEVER QUIT . . . You are not a classroom teacher with the option to pass or fail. When you took this student, you agreed to teach them how to fly. DO IT!
LOOK AND DRESS at least as good as your student. Tell them ahead of time what they will be comfortable wearing. Both should BATHE BEFORE FLIGHT.
ASSIGN HOMEWORK . . . Expect it on time and grade it. The written and oral examinations require this type of PREPARATION!
EXPECT FAR MORE than they can accomplish and accept no less. All too soon this student will be a pilot in our system. MAKE THEM A GOOD PILOT!
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE in yourself and your students. Make them not only feel special but proud of what they have learned to do. Your future depends on REFERRALS!
ATTENDANCE at airshows, safety meetings, fly-ins should be mandatory--anywhere aviation is being spoken. Vocabulary is the key to learning TO DO!
MAKE THEM JOIN . . . BFA, AOPA, NAFI, EAA, XYZ, or whatever organizations will further their pursuits and make them better PILOTS!
MONEY . . . Never turn a student down because they have none. Help them get a scholarship or join a group that can help them, find a sponsor, get a grant, and give them a donation of your time and expertise if they will GET A JOB!
CHARGE FULL PRICE to everyone who can afford to pay. Your income will all even out before the year is over, and you'll find that you will still be able to qualify for FOOD STAMPS!
FOLLOW UP on your students. Try to get them to go further in aviation by getting an instrument ticket, commercial, or ??? Are they flying? Are they CURRENT?
TAKE CLASSES in marketing and salesmanship. This is just another BUSINESS! Run it like one.
ADMIT IT when you can't help a student. Category, class, type, make and model beyond your training? Help them find the best person to solve their problem. Students REMEMBER!
NEVER, NEVER pass up a chance to promote aviation, what you do in it, safety or yourself. Too many forms of advertising class us as old news. BLOW YOUR OWN HORN!
WORK CLOSELY with the FAA through the Aviation Safety Counselor Program. It is to your benefit to help bridge the gap between general aviation and THE FAA.
ADD TO your certificates and ratings. Eventually you will discover how addictive this thing called aviation really is, and it will just make you love it all the more. Extra training is also a great way to stay SHARP and CURRENT!
STAYING CURRENT . . . One stupid move at this level of your career can ground you for life or break you as an INSTRUCTOR!
IMAGE . . . You as a Certificated Flight Instructor are looked up to as a role model. You are expected to portray someone that others respect and look to for guidance. DO YOU?
ROCKEFELLER said it best with, "Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket." He meant to specialize in what you do best and keep up with the most current information. Don't fly it or teach it if you are not current IN IT!
I look forward to hearing from you with comments about this article or others that I have written. My address is 103 Highland Drive, Old Hickory, TN 37138-1617, or you can call me at 615-758-8434.
RememberAccidents are caused and therefore preventable!
Jim Trusty is the 1997 National Flight Instructor of the Year, the number l FAA Aviation Safety Counselor in Nashville, Tennessee, and is a member of the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). He welcomes your comments.