Training Tips

For anyone seeking a certificate or rating I have this bit of advice that will save you a ton of time and money:
  1. Plan it out. Talk with an instructor (and FBO if renting) about training program including hours needed, costs, and expectations. Gleim has a training syllabus. Draw up a training contract to eliminate distractions and misinterpretations between student, CFI, and FBO. Topics should include availability of instructor and aircraft and how each will be handled. Are you paying a premium for avionics you don’t / can’t use? Your rented training aircraft goes in for maintenance every 100hrs. How is that scheduled and communicated? Is there a second aircraft available or are you at the mercy of the shop? If they won’t commit to a contract, walk on and find someone who will. I didn’t think about this before and it bit me hard.
  2. Save up. Have enough saved to allow you to take time off or work less and get the training done. Success favors speed. Eliminate gaps and retraining which adds cost. Knock out your dual instruction time quickly and use solo time to fine tune your skills while saving the instructor fee.
  3. Be prepared. Get your medical certificate done early. You need it to fly solo. If you intend to fly for hire, get a second class medical. It will revert to a 3rd class if not renewed but you will have established your health up front, thereby reducing future obstacles. Create your IACRA account iacra.faa.gov and have everything exactly matching the ID you will use. Rental insurance is a good thing to have. Have the next lesson done and understood to the point of being able to explain it to a classmate before going to the airport. Home study for the knowledge test and have it done early in your training. This allows more incorporation of subjects you’ve already learned and applying them in flight instead of learn a concept then go fly it the same day. Not an effective strategy.
  4. Seek precision, not perfection. Beating yourself up for altitude loss within standards will put a negative tone into your efforts. Have fun, make it a game or challenge that is enjoyable! Do your future passengers need to hear you being disgusted with any maneuver that ‘wasn’t good enough’? Nope. Aviation occurs in the atmosphere which is constantly changing. I equate the atmosphere to a very thin ocean with currents and weather lurking about. The goal of dual training is to perform to the published Airman Certification Standards. Know them and train to maintain 75% or better for each maneuver. Control inputs for each maneuver will be nearly the same every time and require precision to consistently enter each one. The corrections for different conditions will be the variable. The best days to practice are bumpy and windy. It makes the smoother days easier.