Both industry and the FAA recently have emphasized the importance of effective flight training to improve the fatal accident record. Flight instructors, who serve on the front lines in this effort, are the crucial human element in the flight training delivery system and the glue holding the other elements together. But questions regarding their experience, training, continuing education and professionalism raise doubts about whether the service they provide is effective, consistent, relevant and customer-friendly. After all, if they were doing their job, 288
Are Flight Instructor Reforms Needed?
Both industry and the FAA recently have emphasized the importance of effective flight training to improve the fatal accident record. Flight instructors, who serve on the front lines in this effort, are the crucial human element in the flight training delivery system and the glue holding the other elements together. But questions regarding their experience, training, continuing education and professionalism raise doubts about whether the service they provide is effective, consistent, relevant and customer-friendly. After all, if they were doing their job, would the trend lines in general aviations safety record be as flat as they are?
Key Takeaways:
- The general aviation safety record is stagnant, partly due to a shift in flight instructor demographics towards less experienced individuals who primarily use the role to gain hours for airline careers, impacting instruction quality and motivation.
- Current flight instructor training and testing, both for initial certification and recurrent education, are criticized for being overly focused on rote learning and maneuvers rather than modern teaching methodologies like student-centered learning, risk management, or scenario-based instruction.
- To improve instructor effectiveness and professionalism, the article advocates for a new, voluntary professional accreditation for entry-level flight instructors and a comprehensive reform of FAA training standards to emphasize practical teaching skills and conceptual understanding.
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