CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 2, Issue 2 - 2

CFi to CFi
growing up in The 70’s I had the privilege of watching the original Star Wars on the big screen. For most boys my age, it gave us something new to act out in the playground or backyard. My favorite role was Darth Vader, because I got to hide behind a mask—a facade of villainous power and mystique (or at least that’s what I tried to portray). Six years later

Darth Vader’s mask was removed, and to the surprise of many moviegoers he wasn’t some alien creature or monstrous machine. He was a scarred but kindly old man who, against all odds, had managed to redeem himself—a good guy after all.

Recently I traveled to Las Vegas for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s Communicating for Safety conference and Archie League awards banquet (www.natcacfs.org). Hundreds of controllers from around the nation gathered to honor colleagues who calmly and skillfully helped save the lives of pilots in distress. Fortunately, the pilots in question hadn’t hesitated to call ATC when they needed help. But all too often, pilots don’t contact ATC before a crisis begins. Why? Perhaps one reason is that, in the imaginations of student pilots, controllers sometimes morph into dark, unforgiving characters who can’t be reckoned with—at least not without consequences. Call it the Darth Vader effect (and no, I’m not suggesting that controllers have nefarious pasts like Darth). But behind the mask of radar scopes, computer screens, and dimly lit buttons are real people who want to hear from pilots more often—whether it’s a pirep, weather deviation, fuel situation, or simply a

request for clarification. It’s best to pipe up before things have gotten out of hand, of course, but even then declaring an emergency will rarely get you in trouble; quite the contrary, in fact. Demystifying ATC is an ongoing process during flight training. ASI’s Say It Right online course (www.airsafetyin stitute.org/sir) provides plenty of helpful tips about proper radio communications. Also check out the FAA Safety Team website (www.faasafety.gov) to see if there’s an Operation Raincheck at the nearest ATC facility—a great opportunity for students (and CFIs) to learn about ATC systems and limitations, controller responsibilities and, perhaps more importantly, a chance to get to know controllers on a more personal level. After a few minutes it gets a lot harder to imagine the mask.

Paul Deres Director of Education, Air Safety Institute

Speak before drawing. Talking first is important so students may begin to process information while the teacher draws or writes. Since we can speak much faster than we write or draw, there will be a silent gap unless the teacher provides information ahead of time. Hunter claims talking first helps students remain focused and also prevents them from using the silent gap to guess at confusing or uncertain outcomes. She allows there are

videotape your practice to alert you of distracting Habits like jingling your car keys or swinging tHe pointer like a pirate’s sword.
times when the uncertainty may be useful but explains encoding information into short and long term memory is improved by speaking first then writing or drawing to let the information sink in. Focus on key words and concepts.

Limit the information presented on the board to key words, concepts, and simple diagrams. I have watched board presentations with beautiful, multicolored illustrations and unfortunately, the key learning objectives became lost in the sea of information. Keep it simple in the case of deciding what to draw. Use position to clarify relationships. Hunter offers another important guideline by reminding us that deliberate placement shows how things are related. Memory is also served by the visual mapping and mental associations we form when we see groups of words or symbols on the board. Thus, board position can provide a powerful link to relationships we form in our minds. One of the reasons board sessions remain so effective is that teaching to different learning style preferences (mo-

dalities) can be combined. For instance, strong visual or auditory learners can simultaneously see and hear information as the teacher develops the lesson. If the teacher includes motions and gestures, the kinesthetic learners will also be better served. Not only does that allow students to process information with both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, but it also allows the teacher the opportunity to present ideas and concepts in a way that shows important relationships and connections. Arrows, circles, underlines, colors, or other methods provide sight pictures which can speed the creation of insights. Again, Hunter cautions the presenter to be selective about what to place on the board since where you place the information is sometimes as important as what you place. Clear the board before introducing new concepts. Eager instructors often put too much information on the board. Rather than clarifying the lesson, the excessive content can be distract-

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http://www.natcacfs.org http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/sir http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org/sir http://www.faasafety.gov http://www.airsafetyinstitute.org

CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 2, Issue 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 2, Issue 2