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 effectiveness of flight instructors, crucial for aviation safety, is questioned due to a demographic shift where most now serve as a temporary stepping stone to airline careers, resulting in minimal experience and potentially low motivation.
• Current flight instructor training and FAA testing primarily emphasize rote knowledge and maneuvers, failing to adequately cover modern teaching methodologies like student-centered learning or scenario-based risk management.
• To improve instructor quality and general aviation safety, the article proposes a voluntary basic professional accreditation for entry-level instructors and advocates for industry-wide reform to enhance initial and recurrent training standards with a focus on practical teaching skills.

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