It’s extremely important for pilots to keep learning, regardless of what they fly and the kind of flying they do.
Pilot deviations, incidents, and accidents continue to occur, with alarming regularity. No one among us is immune, whether we fly for fun or professionally.
Professional pilots are required to go back for training regularly, at least once or twice a year. Can the rest of us afford to do any less?
Maybe you think this does not apply to you. Is your ego getting in the way of learning? If so, then you pose a threat to the rest of us and you can stop reading now. Otherwise, read on.
There are so many facets to flying, and the variety of aircraft that we fly, that there is ALWAYS something to learn — or learn again.
In the Know
How many pilots don’t understand “this or that” — whatever it might be, such as an aircraft system, airspace, the weather, a procedure, or the avionics in their airplane.
Let’s start with avionics, for example. Avionics are constantly being upgraded. So how well do you know the version of whatever avionics you have in the airplane you fly, whether it’s experimental or certified?
I bet you may only know how to use about 10% of the capability of whatever you have installed in your airplane. Most pilots only use a few of the functions of their avionics on any given flight, so they don’t typically bother to learn how to use all the other features. They only use what they need and they only learn about what they need.
I’ve encountered this many, many times when working with pilots. Everyone has their comfort zone. And we tend to stick with what we know.
Take the time to really get to know your avionics. Study the functions while you’re on the ground, not while taxiing, taking off, or flying. Take a course offered by the manufacturer or another provider to uncover the hidden capabilities of your avionics. You spent a lot of money on them, so get your money’s worth.
What about other factors, such as airspace, weather, or a certain procedure? All pilots should set up a regular training regimen. What’s included depends on that pilot:
- What kind of flying is normally done?
- Is it for business or pleasure?
- Do you fly VFR, IFR, or both?
- What kind of airplane is being flown? How simple or complex is it?
- What about where you fly? Is it an urban area or rural? Are you flying in Class G airspace or the more crowded Class B?
- What about the terrain and the elevation? Are you in the Low Country of South Carolina or flying near the mountains of Alaska?
- What is the weather like, depending on the location and time of year?
All of these will influence the kind of flying you normally do, what should go into your training regimen and what kind of flight review might be in order.
Your Training Regimen
There is a plethora of resources available for pilots who want to continue learning. Some are free, others charge a fee.
A great place to start is with the FAA’s WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program. All the courses are free, with many offered by the biggest names in the industry.
Other courses are offered by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and its Air Safety Institute, Gleim Aviation, King Schools, MzeroA, Fly8A, and many more. Many offer a Record of Training or FAA Wings Credit after you finish the course, which you can submit to your insurance as proof of training.
Are you familiar with Boldmethod.com? It’s a safety-oriented aviation website that sends out emails each week with fun, interactive quizzes on a variety of topics, for both VFR and IFR pilots. It’s an easy way to quickly check your knowledge on a given topic. They also offer a variety of courses for a fee.
If you are able, log some time in a flight simulator. Many pilots find this helpful in keeping their skills sharp, especially when they are unable to fly due to weather or not having access to an aircraft.
Your training regimen should also include flying a few times a year with a CFI. How often do you do that? It should be at least every six months to be a truly safe pilot — and as we age, we should consider doing this more often.
Every flight is a training flight
On every flight you take, you can practice to maintain your proficiency. You don’t need a CFI on board to fly more precisely. Just imagine that your CFI or even a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) is in the right seat or the rear seat if it’s tandem seating. It’s just the discipline of doing it right, so that it becomes a habit. And you become a better pilot in the process.
For example, do you initially climb out at Vx or Vy, as appropriate, or do you just climb out to pattern altitude?
What’s the profile in the Airplane Flight Manual/Pilot Operating Handbook (AFM/POH) for the airplane you fly?
If you are flying VFR, when you level off, do you try to be exactly on altitude, at say 3,500 feet, or are you either above or below by 100 feet to 200 feet — or more?
And how is your heading control? Are you on a given heading or does your heading wander by 10° or more?
These tolerances are all in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS).
Actively participating in a program of regular, ongoing training will also help you stay in the good graces of your insurance company — and may even help keep your rates from increasing too much, especially if you are older and approaching an age where your renewal might become questionable. I’ve seen this happen to colleagues.
Find out what the insurance requirements are, for you and for the airplane you are flying. Then try to be proactive and do more training than is required. This might help you to keep the insurance coverage that you need to keep flying.
And, depending on the aircraft you fly, especially if it’s a high-performance or complex aircraft, your insurance no doubt has specific training requirements that must be met annually.
All are good reasons to keep learning.
Fly safely!
John Mahany is an ATP/CFI and has type ratings in the Cessna CE 500, Learjet, DC-3, and North American B-25. He is also a seven-time Master CFI. In the early 1990s he spent 4-½ years flying in Alaska where he learned bush flying techniques and the basics of mountain flying. He’s in Long Beach, California, now. He flies a 1953 Cessna 180 and a Cessna 150 for fun.
