The September/October 2023 issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine includes an interesting article that offers training tips from several CFIs who have won the National General Aviation Flight Instructor of the Year Award, including Gary Reeves, Amy Hoover, and Bob Raskey.
They answer some questions, such as:
- What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were a student pilot?
- What is your best advice to someone who is considering becoming a student pilot?
Some of the advice that resonated with me included this from Gary Reeves:
Take your time to find the best instructor for you. Interview at least three, at different schools if possible, and check for five key things:
- Do they provide you a written curriculum with assigned study topics and details of what will be covered in each lesson?
- Do they teach ground before each lesson to make sure you are prepared and review each lesson after a flight?
- Are they and the planes available when you are? Is there another instructor that can fill in if needed?
- Are they active in the FAA WINGS program?
- Does their personality match yours?
And this from Bob Raskey: “An important part of your success is to surround yourself with like-minded individuals who will motivate and mentor you as you learn to fly.”
Check out the full article here for more tips.
