Will Training Reform Help Reduce Fatals?

The mantra "train the way you fly and fly the way you train" has been popular recently, yet we continue training pilots merely to pass the knowledge and practical tests, rather than on how they will operate in the real world. These tests emphasize rote knowledge and performance of specific maneuvers, rather than instructive scenarios emphasizing higher order pilot skills. This results in a pilots all-too-frequent failure to properly manage the risks inherent in typical general aviation flight operations. In an effort to bring focus to these issues and chart a course for beginning the reform process, the Society of Aviation and Flight Educators (SAFE) conducted a Pilot Training Reform Symposium in Atlanta, Ga., on May 4-5, 2011.

Key Takeaways:

• Current pilot training is largely ineffective, prioritizing rote knowledge and test-passing maneuvers over real-world operational skills and risk management, which contributes to safety deficiencies in general aviation.
• Comprehensive reform is needed across doctrine, testing standards, curricula, and flight instructor training, shifting focus to integrated risk management, scenario-based learning, and higher-order pilot skills.
• To significantly enhance safety for both new and existing pilots, training—especially recurrent training like the flight review—must adopt student-centered, scenario-based approaches that emphasize practical risk identification and mitigation.

Key takeaways sponsored by Aviator Pro | Start Your Training ->

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