Research on "Grey Haired" instructors

[Coop]

This article:

 

Practices of High-Time Instructors in Part 61 Environments

 

 

 

John E. Bertrand

 

 

Published in this magazine:

 

International Journal of Applied Aviation Studies, 5, Number 1

 

Is really worth reading. Here's the abstract. (You can find the full article over on aus.aviation under the heading "Instructing----Thoughts?"):

 

Abstract.

 

 

 

As Technically Advance Aircraft (TAA) become more prevelant, pilot

 

tasks in turn become more automated. Examples ar the Cirrus and

 

Diamond aircraft that feature glass cockpits. As pilot tasks become

 

more automated, more attention has been given to aironautical decision

 

making (ADM), since good judgement appears to be even more strongly

 

related to use of advanced systems. Much attention is now being paid

 

to "scenario training" which is said to be more realistic and to

 

foster better ADM. However there is a great deal of discussion of

 

what a "scenario" should contain and what are the convictions about

 

training it should reflect.

 

 

 

This survey investigated some background information connected with

 

the development of scenario training models, which more strongly

 

address ADM, particularly the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

 

Industry Training Standards (FITS). That is, are there individuals

 

whose methods more strongly address ADM now giving flight instruction?

 

If so, what are their attitudes and methods connected with this task?

 

 

 

This study surveyed extremely experienced flight instructors (from

 

3000 to 16,000 hours of dual given) to identify any information,

 

training methods, or practices, which are over and above the FA A

 

requirements or perhaps even in violation of FA A requirements.

 

Extensive interviews elicited the attitudes which motivated their

 

training methods and which illuminated their day-to-day interactions

 

with flight students. The findings indicated that high levels of

 

experience in flight training (many in excess of 10,000 hours of dual

 

given) usually result in a strong move away from maneuver-based

 

training as mandated by the FA A and a strong move toward scenario-

 

based training. In fact, it may be said that the subjects of this

 

study are among the original scenario-based instructors. This is

 

reflected in the performance and safety records of their former

 

students and provides new information to assist the current national

 

discussion of what forms flight training should take in the future.

 

Coop