Pilot Mkristo Bruce, a former NFL player, points out the importance of being coachable in both aviation and sports. [Courtesy: Mkristo Bruce]
Key Takeaways:
Aviation training closely parallels sports, requiring a "coachable" mindset, physical skill, and the ability to learn from mistakes rather than dwelling on them.
Former NFL player Mkristo Bruce advocates for pilots to adopt an athlete's mentality of "flush it and get on to the next play" after errors like bad landings or missed radio calls.
Effective flight training benefits from multiple instructors who provide both support and "tough love," pushing pilots to get comfortable with uncomfortable situations.
Aviation emphasizes true competence with no "participation trophies," viewing failure as a crucial part of the learning process for genuine growth and resilience.
Coachable is defined as “being easily taught and trained to do something better.” If you ever had the chance to learn a sport or play a team sport, or maybe even coached someone yourself, you know that it takes physical skill and knowledge to play a sport.
These things are also required in aviation.
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
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.
