An instructor and a student preflight a Cessna 152 before a lesson. [Credit: Richard Steiger]
Key Takeaways:
Student pilots commonly misuse controls by attempting to steer aircraft like cars (using the yoke instead of rudder pedals), both on the ground and in the air, requiring focused training on proper rudder coordination.
Relying on flight video game experience can lead to dangerous habits, such as incorrect control inputs during critical flight phases, rather than developing appropriate real-world aircraft handling.
An over-reliance on GPS and automation early in training hinders the development of fundamental navigation skills like pilotage and dead reckoning, which are essential for comprehensive pilot competency.
Other significant pitfalls include memorizing for check rides instead of genuinely understanding aviation principles, and giving up when encountering natural learning plateaus, both of which impede true pilot development.
Here are the five biggest mistakes student pilots make and how to fix them:
First Mistake
Trying to steer the airplane like you would a car: With the exception of the Ercoupe, there isn’t an airplane that this works on. Trying to steer with the yoke on the ground is like trying to flush a toilet by flipping a light switch. Isn’t going to work.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![An instructor and a student preflight a Cessna 152 before a lesson. [Credit: Richard Steiger]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/httpswww.flyingmag.comsitesflyingmag.comfilesimages201804pilot_attitude_in_training_image_1-11.jpeg)
