I’ve been doing some internet searching on some other websites and have found many that have a large number of instructional articles on them. As I get time, I think I will type up some of my own. However, I think I am going to take an educated approach to it. Based on flying with my students it is apparent that they have problems with certain things more than others. Based on what I have seen and speaking only of private pilot students for now, it seems that these are the areas that are the toughest to handle:
1. Pitch + Power = Performance. Its a simple concept, but seems hard to swallow by some. A certain pitch, that is the degree to which the nose of the airplane is above or below the horizon, combined with a certain power setting will give a certain performance.
2. Radio communication. It seems that many students can’t grasp smooth radio operations. I think the reason for this is that there is an “overthereness” to ATC. True, ATC expects a certain format to your radio communications, and they deliver your instructions in a certain format. But otherwise, they are just regular people. I always think it a good idea, when possible, to bring students to visit a control tower and a TRACON facility. Then they can see that there are real people there, not merely “HAL” from 2001 A Space Oddysey… “No, Dave, you are not cleared into the bravo”.
3. Students tend to get sloppy on flying squared traffic patterns. It seems that if taking off in a cross wind, students inevitably will start drifting off of the runway centerline downwind. They will then turn more than 90 degrees on crosswind, and track something other than paralell on the downwind, etc.
4. LANDINGS. These are difficult to teach, because so much of it is just feel. However, the most common problem I have seen is not too little or too much flare, it is proper rudder control, sideloading the landing gear. “Rudder to maintain centerline” is my favorite phrase to say during the flare. Practice, practice.
5. I find that students have a tough time transitioning the theory of a VOR radial (on paper) to an actual understanding and application of such in flight.
6. THINKING AHEAD OF THE AIRPLANE!!!! This includes visualizing the appropriate traffic pattern and entry. Knowing where the airplane is relative to the airport, etc. If you are ever sitting there with nothing to do, you’re probably forgetting something or should otherwise be doing something.
As far as the written test:
1. Altimeter errors. This is a very weak point with students. “High to low, look out below” and all of that stuff. It is easy enough to memorize a memory device, but trully understanding this altimeter situation is a different story.
There are other sore spots, but these stand out in my head as being some of the toughest points for students to master. Rather than writing articles on everything, I may just begin with the sore spots and see if I can’t add a new perspective to what others have said. its tough to compete with John and Martha and that is not my purpose. I’ll just write an article and if it helps some folks, great!