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When
Flight Instructors Get In The Way!
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When Thomas Edison was asked how he could fail at inventing the light
bulb 2,000 times and not give up his reply was, "I have not failed 2,000
times; I now know 2,000 ways in which it will not work."
What better way to learn, than to try to figure things out and learn
that they don't work...and that is Okay! Learning what doesn't work moves
you closer to the correct way if your learning environment is both an
emotional and physically safe one.
"Sure," you say, "let the student spin into the ground from 200' on
Base Leg! That will teach him!" No, that is not an emotional or safe
learning environment. Here is an example of the flight instructor getting in
the way of the process of the student learning:
"Does the control yoke feel heavy in the glide?"
"Yes," replies your student.
"Use your elevator trim to get rid of some of that heavy feeling."
"Which way do I move it?"
"Is the yoke heavy to pull back or push forward?"
"Pull back."
"Then you will have to trim the elevator up."
"Which way is up?"
"Move the trim control back...Watch your airspeed!...Why are you
pointing the
nose at the ground?...I HAVE THE AIRPLANE!
What did the student learn? Failure is the answer.
Now, let's look at the same scenario played slightly different:
"Does the control yoke feel heavy in the glide?"
"Yes,"
"Use the elevator trim."
"Which way do I move it?"
"Try it and see how it makes the yoke feel."
The student has now learned that failure doesn't exist. There is only
a learning process...there is no such thing as failure! Other instruction
stumbling blocks might be using 1,000 RPM to taxi regardless of wind
conditions or taxi surfaces. Using the 45 degree angle from Downwind to Base
Legs without consideration of other conditions like distance from the
airport and winds.
Perhaps the best instruction may be to first demonstrate the desired
results to the student, let the student try it by just, "giving it what it
needs" and asking questions like, "How does your distance from the runway
look?" "How does your airspeed feel and sound?" "Is your taxi speed a 'fast
walk'?" Ask questions so that the student can find his or her own answers.
Of course they won't know the correct answers at first; if they did they
would be in your seat as the flight instructor!
Like Thomas Edison, they will know what doesn't work and find their way
through the simplicity and confidence of the learning process by an
instructor that is there to provide an emotional and safe learning
environment...not one that makes them feel inadequate and confused.
Rob Mixon is an Adjunct Professor at Miami-Dade College where he teaches
"Psychology of Personal Effectiveness." He may be contacted on his websites,
www.betterpilot.com and
www.dreamweaverlifestrategies.com
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