Flight School: Radio Reassurance

Pia Bergqvist

Monday, November 28, 2011 at 07:02 PM ET

Verified

** Instructors who follow these tips can help
give their students an edge when it comes
to radio communications.**

Key Takeaways:

Instructors should provide student pilots with written communication examples, encourage listening to live air traffic, and utilize simulation or low-pressure pilot-to-pilot frequencies for practice.
Anxiety can be reduced by demystifying air traffic controllers through tower visits and emphasizing that they are helpful individuals focused on safety.
Instructors should foster student confidence by offering positive reinforcement, providing backup during radio calls, and teaching students to anticipate communication needs.

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What can an instructor do to help ease the anxiety of a student pilot who is having trouble with talking on the radio?

Tim Busch has been involved in aviation education for more than 20 years. He is a Master CFI and the president of Iowa Flight Training. A self-proclaimed aviation evangelist, Busch is also the president of the nonprofit Iowa Aviation Promotion Group (flyiowa.org) and an FAA FAASTeam representative. He says: