FIEL D G U I D E TO F L I G HT T R A I N I N G

Flight Instructors
 FIELD GUIDE TO FLIGHT TRAINING

Flight Instructors

2
05 IN TRODUCTIO N

06 A BOUT THIS GU ID E

09 FOUN DATIONS FOR F L IG HT I N ST R UC T I O N

10 SECTION 1 | B U I L D A R EL AT I ON SHI P W I TH YO U R STU D E N T

12 CHECKLIST Strengthening the Instructor-Student Relationship

15 WORKSHEET Student Motivations

Why fly?
What’s your learning style?
What questions do you have?

20 SECTION 2 | CR EAT E M I L ESTON ES

22 CHECKLIST Identifying Milestones

24 WORKSHEET Student Progress Tracker

26 SECTION 3 | FOC U S ON T HE ST U D EN T E X P E R I E N C E

28 CHECKLIST Creating a Positive Experience

34 SECTION 4 | CON T R I BU T E TO T HE COM MU N I TY

36 WORKSHEET Community Involvement

38 GIVE BACK & TA KE F L I G HT

4
Navigate.
Educate.
Elevate.

05
 INTRODUCTION

Over the years, aviation has gone identify your training style, and introduce
through many evolutions: from the new approaches that will contribute to
first barnstormers, to the emergence of student satisfaction and retention. Like
general aviation aircraft, to today’s flight using a checklist to shut out distractions
training experience. History has taught and refocus on putting the gear down on
us that economic shifts, social factors, approach, continually referring to this
and technological improvements play an guide can help you maintain focus on flight
important role in the ways that people training personalization elements which
engage with aviation. keep students interested and inspired. As
a result, you’ll improve student outcomes,
This raises the question: how can we develop your instructing skills, and spend
continue to evolve the flight training more time doing what you love: flying.
experience so that it remains relevant
to a 21st century audience?

As an instructor, you may have already

identified some of these changes and
adapted teaching methods to deal with
them. This guide was designed to help
you reflect on training methods that work,

06
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
FO R YOU, BY YOU

The information and suggestions in this guide came from your

peers. Over the course of a year, AOPA talked to flight instructors,
schools, and students around the country about what matters most
when it comes to flight training. Next, we distilled these findings
into a series of actionable ideas, worksheets, tips, and suggestions.

By bringing together this flight training research, your expertise,

and the evolving needs of our student pilot population, we can
create the best possible flight training experience for each student.

ADD YOUR EX P ERTISE

Keep in mind that this guide is not working gradually towards appropriate
intended to tell you what to do. Rather, it is shifts in your teaching style, you can create
intended to help you find new ways to an even more effective and inspiring flight
support your students and keep them training experience.
engaged throughout their flight training
experience. The suggestions here will help
you identify what’s working in your flight
instruction, evolve your teaching methods,
focus on areas for improvement, and share
your skills with fellow instructors.
By making small, immediate changes and

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OT H ER GUIDES IN TH I S SER I ES

Field Guide to Flight Training

Flight Schools

Field Guide to Flight Training

Flight Students

08
09
FOUNDATIONS FOR
FLIGHT INSTRUCTION
Through our research, we found four areas where instructors
have the most impact on the flight training experience. By
focusing on these areas, an instructor can greatly improve the
student experience.

Explore the information and worksheets in the sections

below, contribute your experiences, and begin to define your
own flight training philosophy.

BUIL D A RELATIONSHI P F OC U S ON T H E
W IT H YOUR STUDEN T ST U D EN T EX P E R I E N C E

Offer guidance, feedback, and support Provide an efficient, organized,

to your student throughout their flight and personalized flight training
training experience. experience that puts the student’s
time and money to good use.

CR EAT E MILESTONES CON T R I BU T E TO TH E

COM M U N I T Y

Develop intermediate milestones that Invite your students to become a part

track student progress and reinforce of the aviation community, build peer
their interest in aviation. connections, and share their interest in
flying with friends and family.

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BUILD A RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR STUDENT
PER S O NALIZIN G THE F L I G HT T R A I N I N G EX P ER IE N C E

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 SECTION 1

Think back to when you first

began your flight training—to
the questions, uncertainties and
excitement you felt as you moved
from an aviation observer to an active
participant. Also, take a moment to
consider all of the people who helped
you along the way.
The instructor-student relationship is a cornerstone of the flight training
experience, and it plays an important role in helping students gain the
confidence needed to progress towards pilot certification. It might
seem simple, but each successful flight training experience begins with
a relationship: the one between student and instructor.

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CH E C KLIST

STRENGTH EN I N G
T H E INSTR UC TO R- ST U DE N T
RELATION SHI P
Use this checklist to assess your current methods of student support and identify new
areas that you’re interested in exploring. Photocopy the worksheets for use with all of your
flight students.

O RG AN I Z AT I ON

RE VIEW & REVISE

Review course materials and goals with your student before and after each lesson.

LO O K A HEA D
Finish each session by preparing your student for the next flight training lesson.

HAVE A P LA N
 se a syllabus that clearly outlines the steps and milestones on your student’s flight
U
training journey, and refer back to it as your student progresses through training.

M AKE TIME
 et a time between lessons when you’re available to answer student questions and
S
discuss flight training. The AOPA Flight Training Advantage (AFTA) app is an
effective way for you and your student to track his or her progress.

STAY O N SCHEDULE
 ake a commitment to helping your student progress through flight training in a
M
timely manner.

LAY T H E GROUN DWO R K

 mail or call your students before each lesson with a description of the skills
E
and techniques you’ll be working on the following day. This puts students in
the right mindset before their lesson, and can help prevent no-shows.

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 Photocopy this sheet

PER SON A L I Z AT I O N

INDIVIDUA LIZE YOUR A P P R OAC H

 reate a personalized lesson plan based on your student’s learning style and
C
individual hurdles.

CR EAT E MILESTONES
 eet with your student to listen to and discuss particular challenges and milestones
M
they’d like to focus on. By working towards these intermediate goals, your student will
have a stronger sense of progress—as well as purpose.

T EAC H IN STAGES
I f your student gets stuck on a particular skill, think about alternate teaching
approaches that might help them through plateaus and rough spots.

CONNE C T I O N

L ET T H EM RIDE
 hen appropriate, invite students to ride along during other flight lessons to expand
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their knowledge, reinforce what they’ve learned, and connect with other students.

MAKE A N IN TRODUCTI ON
I ntroduce current students to those further along in flight training. Having a flight
training “buddy” creates solidarity and encourages progress.

S H ARE THE SUCCESS

 hare past student success stories as you help your current student visualize their own
S
flight training success.

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ADDIT ION A L IDEAS

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 Photocopy this sheet

WO RKS HEET

STUD ENT M OT I VAT I O N S

GE T TO THE HEA RT OF T HE M AT T ER

Use this worksheet to uncover your student’s core motivations and concerns. Equipped with
this information, you can guide your students towards flight training methods and resources
that fit their learning style. You can also begin to tailor your training methods to their needs
and aspirations.

Begin by asking your student a series of fundamental questions.

WH Y F LY?

INST R U CTOR OVERVI EW

What is your student’s core motivation for beginning their flight training journey?
Whether flight training is a personal challenge, a social endeavor, or a lifelong dream,
it’s important to uncover what inspired your student to become a pilot. Refer back to
that motivation throughout their training.

ST U DENT WORKSHEE T

Name.......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

When did you decide that you wanted to learn to fly?....................................................................

What inspired you to take this step?...................................................................................................

What excites you about flying?............................................................................................................

Is there a particular image, memory

or moment that brings you back to this core motivation?..............................................................

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W HAT I S YO UR ST U DE NT ’ S L E AR N I NG ST Y LE ?

I NST RU CTOR OVERVI EW

Begin by exploring the ways that your student chooses to learn in his or her daily life.
Then use this information to think about unique ways you can tailor the
training experience to fit your student’s needs.

Maybe you suggest online ground school for one student, and in-class training for
another. Perhaps you point students towards books or resources that resonate with their
personality, or start structuring your lessons around particular modes of
reinforcement.

This conversation is the beginning of a collaborative effort that can continue to evolve
throughout each student’s training experience.

ST U DENT WORKSHEE T

Do you learn better in groups, or by studying alone? ..................... .................................................

How often do you usually need to hear information before it sticks?. .........................................

What’s the last skill you learned?........................................................ .................................................

How did you acquire this skill?.............................................................................................................

Why did you choose that method?...................................................... .................................................

What would you have changed about the experience?.................. .................................................

W HAT Q UE ST I ON S DO YO U H AV E ?

I NST RU CTOR OVERVI EW

Emotional support is an important part of the instructor-student relationship. For

students who prepare to tackle the technical aspects of flight training, fear and
frustration can often play a role in their flight training experience and expectations.
Encourage your student to be open about the areas of flight training that concern
them, and then provide additional support around these areas of their training.
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 Photocopy this sheet

ST U DE NT WORKSHEE T

Are there any parts of the flight training

experience that you think are going to be challenging?................. ................................................
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. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................................................................................................

Can I offer you any information or details about

aspects of flight training that you’re uncertain about?...................................................................
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. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

Below is a list of resources and other instructors you can utilize if I am not available, or if
you need additional assistance with your flight training.

R ES O U RCE CON TAC T I N FO R MATI O N

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“We who fly
do so for the
love of flying.
We are alive
in the air with
this miracle
that lies in
our hands
and beneath
our feet.”
–CECIL DAY- LEWIS , P O ET

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CREATE MILESTONES
F R O M S M A L L ACCO M P L I S H M E N TS TO B I G P I C T U R E S U CC E S S

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 SECTION 2

Flight training can feel like a long

process, so it helps to provide students
with frequent feedback as they progress
towards the goal of pilot certification.
In addition to the standard flight training
milestones, sit down with your student
to create a series of individualized
accomplishments based on their
particular challenges or passions.

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CH E C KLIST

I DENTIFY I N G M I L E STO N E S
FR O M SMALL ACCOM P L I SHM EN TS TO BI G P I C T U R E S U CC E SS

STEP 1: C REAT E

INST RU CTOR CHECK L I ST

First, consider the big picture training milestones that most flight schools and
instructors recognize.

First flight FAA knowledge test

Student pilot certificate Solo cross-country flight
First solo flight Practical test

ST U DE N T CHECK LIST

Then sit down with your student and discuss what they are most excited about
in their flight training. Begin by asking students to mark the moments that feel
important to them, and then fill in additional milestones that are relevant to the
student’s goals and challenges.

First landing First flight with a friend or family

First “hands off” flight member riding along.

First night flight First “fly out” lunch at another airport.

First time making an independent Overcoming a specific fear.

decision to perform a “go around” .............................. .................................................
10th hour of flight time logged
.............................. .................................................

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 Photocopy this sheet

STEP 2 : C E L E BRAT E

Choose methods of celebration that feel natural and appropriate for you and your
student. Peruse the list below—and write in your own traditions. Then begin
implementing small moments of celebration throughout your training.

Take a photo of your student each time he or she completes an important

milestone. Post these photos on the bulletin board at your flight school or social
media platforms.

Share student achievements, milestones, or memorable flights on Facebook, Twitter or

another social media platform. The AOPA Flight Training Advantage platform awards
“badges” at certain milestones. It’s a great motivator!

Print a list of your student’s milestones, and ask them to post it somewhere visible in
their house. This sheet will offer daily encouragement—and help the student visualize
their progress.

Keep your eye out for moments when your student faces an unforeseen
challenge. By providing impromptu recognition for overcoming these
challenges, you can keep your student motivated and inspired.

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STUD EN T P RO G RE SS T R AC K E R

Use this progress guide to keep track of each student’s contact information, flight training
progress, and schedule. Be sure to track and congratulate students on their accomplishments,
and check in if their flight training frequency lapses. Looking for an easier way to track and
share student progress? Check out the AOPA Flight Training Advantage (AFTA) platform.

ST U D EN T NA M E LE SSON # /DATE

1 2 3 4 5 6

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STU D EN T NA M E ADDRESS ( STREET )

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E MA I L CI TY
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PH O N E ZIP
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L ESS O N # /DATE LESSON # /DATE

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N OT ES NOTES
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L ESS O N # /DATE LESSON # /DATE

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N OT ES NOTES
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L ESS O N # /DATE LESSON # /DATE

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N OT ES NOTES
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FOCUS ON THE
STUDENT EXPERIENCE
F L I G H T T R A I N I N G W I T H A C U STO M E R S E RV I C E A P P R OAC H

26
 SECTION 3

At its core, flight training is a customer

service experience. Every student wants
to feel that his or her time and money
are well spent.
As an instructor, you can improve your student’s experience by providing a
clearly organized, personalized, and practical training experience. When it
comes to organization, transparency is key. Make sure that your students clearly
understand where they are in the process, shed light on what they can expect next,
and explain how each lesson fits into the larger scheme of their training.

Remember, the overall cost of flight training isn’t the number one reason
students drop out. Value for the money spent, however, is!

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CH E C KLIST

C REATING A
P OS ITIVE E X P E RI EN CE
Use this sheet as a guide to ensure that your students have a professional, efficient training
experience. Check off the areas that you’d like to focus on, and write in your own methods for
improving the student experience.

STEP 1: M A KE I T EASY TO E N GAGE

P L AN AHEAD
Meet with your student at the beginning of their flight training. Ask what training
times work best for them. Compare your schedules to find a consistent time that works
for each of you.

GE T IT ON THE BOOKS
Schedule lessons in advance, whenever possible. Suggestion: Don’t let the student leave
without having the next lesson scheduled! Be flexible.

BE F L E X IBLE
Offer a variety of times for flight instruction to accommodate different schedules.

BE ACCOUN TABLE
Make sure that you are on time for each of your lessons. Keep your student’s phone
number and email address on hand and contact them well in advance if you need to
cancel a lesson.

A DDIT IONAL IDEAS

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STEP 2: C RE AT E A W E L L- O R GA N I ZE D T R AINING PRO G RAM

FO L LOW A SY LLABUS
Whether you use your own guides or a syllabus provided by your flight school,
create a long-term plan for your flight training. The AOPA Flight Training Advantage
(AFTA) platform is an excellent way to accomplish this.

BRU S H UP
Before each lesson, review your notes from the student’s last lesson. Plan out what
you’d like to cover so that lessons are as organized and efficient as possible. The AOPA
Flight Training Advantage (AFTA) mentioned above makes this easy!

ADD VARIETY
Vary your flight routes and destinations to bring some freshness to your student’s
flight training experience.

SEND A REMIN DER

Contact your student the evening before a flight lesson with an overview of the next
day’s lesson plan via email, text, or phone. This will help put your student in the right
mindset, and prevent no-shows.

LAY T H E GROUNDWO R K
Finish each lesson by reviewing the skills your student learned. Then spend a few
moments explaining what you’ll focus on during the next lesson—and provide
resources or websites that reinforce this training.

OBS ERVE A N D A DJUST

Every three or four flights, sit down with your student to discuss what is or
isn’t working in their flight training, and to get a sense of where they are feeling
challenged or overwhelmed. Then adjust your training methods based on what
you hear.

DAT E . .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. OBSERVATI ON...... ................................................

DAT E . .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. OBSERVATI ON...... ................................................

DAT E . .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. OBSERVATI ON...... ................................................

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STEP 3 : FOC US O N C U STO ME R S E RV IC E

T IDY U P
Make sure the flight training environment (classroom, plane, simulator) is clean and
well-maintained.

KEEP U P A P P EA RA N C ES
No matter what anyone says, appearances do matter. As an instructor, your students
look up to you, so be sure to present yourself in a way that inspires confidence and
professionalism—whether this means you wear a button down-shirt or your well-worn
aviator jacket.

SAF ET Y FIRST
Share your approach to aviation safety, and encourage your students to voice
any concerns.

P L ACE IT IN CON TEXT

Emphasize the skills and benefits of flight training—from confidence-building, to naviga-
tion, to mathematical skills. These skills will play a role in the student’s life beyond the
cockpit.

STAY COMP ETITIVE

Research local flight training costs in your area, and set your rates accordingly.

SET E XPECTATION S
Give your student a clear sense of your hourly rate, as well as your methods for
calculating “billable hours.” Many students don’t realize that they might be paying
for flight instruction when they’re not actually flying the plane, so it’s best to be clear
about costs up front.

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STEP 4: P ROV I D E A T H O R O U GH , P R AC T I C A L E DU CAT IO N

P REPARE FOR THE CH EC K R I D E

Give students the opportunity to meet with a designated examiner at some point
during their training. This will alleviate stress during the actual checkride.

FO C U S ON SK ILLS
Training a safe pilot requires developing skills beyond the Airman Certification
Standards (ACS). Remember, those are minimums! So, make that extra effort to
assure that your student is equipped with the concrete skills they need to earn
their certification.

TR AIN ON THE GROU N D

Avoid covering material in flight that could be covered more economically on the ground.

US E S IMULATORS
Think about areas where you can integrate simulator use into your training, and
encourage students to reinforce and develop skills in between flight lessons.

In the space below, make a list of helpful student resources, tools, and flight planners. Share
this list with your student, and encourage them to reinforce their training on their own time.

WEB S IT ES

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ONL INE LEA RN ING RESOUR C ES & G UI D ES

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FL IG H T P LA N N ERS

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A DDIT IONAL IDEAS

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32
FOCUS ON THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

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CONTRIBUTE TO
THE COMMUNITY
CO NF IDEN CE, CONNE C T I ON S, A N D ST UD EN T SU P P O RT

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 SECTION 4

For experienced and well-connected

pilots, the aviation community provides a
powerful support network. But for many
flight students, this community can be
intimidating to enter. As a flight instructor,
you have the unique role of introducing
your flight students to the people who
will help define their aviation experience
beyond the cockpit.
Community involvement is a great way to support your students, while also setting
them up with alternate modes of connection and support. Students who feel included
in the community are more likely to complete their certification, offer instructor
referrals to other students, and log more hours in the air.

And, you’ll benefit in other ways, too. Community involvement is an effective way to
achieve your goals more quickly!

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WO RKS HEET

COMM UNI T Y I N VOLV E ME NT

STEP 1: M A K E YOUR S E L F AVAIL AB L E

Make yourself available to your students outside of your flight lessons. Use the checklist below
to identify ways that you can make time for your student, and explore your own methods of
engagement.

Hold “office hours” each week, either before or after your training rides, or work with
your flight school to establish set times for a “tutor lab,” so that all of the CFIs can share
the workload.

Days that work for me/times that work for me.......................... ................................................

Share your email address or phone number with your student, in case they have
questions or concerns between lessons.

STEP 2 : BE A CO N N E C TO R

Enable connections between students and other members of the aviation community.
The stronger the student’s connection to the world of aviation, the more likely they are
to stay engaged with training. Use the list below to uncover new ways of providing a
community connection.

Create peer-to-peer connections by forming a “buddy system” with your

flight students.

Introduce students to other pilots at the local airport. This will give students additional
perspectives on how they can engage with flying and the aviation community.

Team up with another instructor and organize “fly out” events, or participate in a
local group activity if it already exists.

Form relationships with flying clubs at local high schools and colleges. This will allow
you to connect with young people who are interested in aviation, even though they may
have never flown in a small aircraft.
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 Talk to your local flight schools about volunteer opportunities, and share this
information with interested students. (For example, Civil Air Patrol, youth outreach
programs, and charitable flying organizations.)

L IST VOLUNTEER OP PORT UN I T I ES I N YOUR A R E A

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

STEP 3 : STAY I N VO LV E D & E N GAGE D

Participate in flight school activities, open house nights, airport events, and seminars that
will continue your learning as a pilot. Consider inviting your students along to these events.
In the space below, make a list of dates and events that you plan to attend in the local
aviation community such as, AOPA Air Safety Institute Seminars and FAA Safety Team
(FAASTeam) Seminars.

DAT E. .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. EVENT.................... ................................................

DAT E. .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. EVENT.................... ................................................

DAT E. .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .............................. EVENT.................... ................................................

ADDIT IONAL IDEAS

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

. . .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................................................. ................................................

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GIVE BACK &
TAKE FLIGHT
As a pilot, you know the thrill and reward
of getting up in the air. And as an instructor,
you have the chance to share this passion on
a daily basis. Every member of the aviation
community—from new pilots to old hands—
started with a yearning to get up in the sky.
This guide is intended to enable you to help
more students connect with this feeling,
and we hope you’ll continue to revisit these
tools throughout each student’s flight
training experience.

Regardless of your long-term aviation goals,

we encourage you to keep your passion in
mind, pass it on, and contribute to the
future growth of general aviation.

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39
S TAY C O N N E C T E D
Encourage your students to sign up for AOPA Flight Training Advantage
(AFTA), where they can track flight training progress, log hours, work towards
milestones, and connect with the larger aviation community.

AOPA works every day to make flying more fun, affordable, and safe.
Visit our website at [Link]. It’s an excellent source of information for all
pilots, regardless of experience level. For continuing education, the Air Safety
Institute offers dozens of online courses, quizzes, safety videos and more

Our Flight Training magazine contains helpful articles that do a great job of
demystifying some of the things your students may encounter during their
training.

And, finally, if you have any aviation-related question, our Pilot Information
Center (PIC) is standing by to help. Just call [Link] (872.2672) or
available online

REGARDING YOUR STUDENT’S MEDICAL EXAM

Some health issues can be sensitive to discuss, but it is important to help
our student understand the process. Medications for some conditions
are acceptable to the FAA while others can cause deferrals or denials.
Your students should understand this BEFORE visiting an AME (Airman
Medical Examiner). AOPA members may call 800-USA-AOPA (872-2672) for
additional information.

PUBLISHED BY

Copyright 2022 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association . All rights reserved
Partial funding for this project was made possible by generous contributions to the AOPA Foundation.