Training the Trainers Remains Critical

Learn how to teach flying by learning how to learn.

Monday, January 06, 2025 at 08:58 AM ET

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It can be very frustrating when the instructor’s teaching style doesn’t mesh with the learner’s learning style. [Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Aspiring flight instructors (CFIs) must understand diverse learning styles and develop their teaching approach through practice, guided by resources like the FAA's *Aviation Instructor’s Handbook* which covers the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI).
Effective flight training requires a structured syllabus and detailed lesson plans to ensure comprehensive, goal-oriented learning, moving beyond informal "folklore" teaching methods.
Lesson plans, ideally self-created and used for ground briefings, should clearly define objectives, elements, equipment, instructor/learner actions, completion standards, common errors, and reputable references.
Instructor development is enhanced through practical experience, such as observing or student-teaching ground school, and continuous adaptation of lesson plans and in-cockpit notes to track learner progress.

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By the time you get to high school, most people have a pretty good idea of how they learn best. Maybe it is watching a video or a hands-on demonstration. For others, it is reading a detailed description of a process. Some learners do best “gronking” (Seattle-tech speak for figuring something out without instructions) their way through a process without help, while others prefer step-by-step verbal instructions and immediate feedback.

It can be very frustrating when the instructor’s teaching style doesn’t mesh with the learner’s learning style. And here’s the kicker. When you are beginning your instructor career, you won’t know your teaching style until you practice teaching under the guidance of a more experienced CFI.

Meg Godlewski

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.