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Feature Article: Military Instruction

Instruction that uses the stair-step approach is predicated on the absence of surprises. A military preflight can take hours. In my own program I seldom take less than 30 minutes and early on the discussion and planning may take over an hour. I go through what we will do in detail, not just the flying but the checklists to be used, the radio procedure for both departure and return. The student who knows what is coming and what to expect is under far less stress than the one who gets strapped into the seat while heading into the unknown.

Each preflight should include some small advancement in systems operation. Perhaps just a moments review or remark as to what the student should look for and be aware of can be sufficient. Over time such contributions will develop judgment and awareness of possible malfunctions. Knowing what problems can ground an aircraft is essential knowledge. One of the least covered areas of advanced instruction is exploring the outer limits of aircraft performance and configuration. An hour spent in precision flight as to heading, altitude and airspeed can restore confidence. Steep turns won't hurt either if precise heading and altitude recoveries are included.

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