CHIEF'S CORNER FLYING IS FUN AND WE WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH OUR CUSTOMERS. THEY SHOULD ENJOY COMING OUT TO THE AIRPORT AND LEARNING TO FLY WITH US. with you, the underlying excitement may start to show through. Look for signs of it and work to capitalize on that excitement. Flying is fun and we want to share that with our customers. They should enjoy coming out to the airport and learning to fly with us. Understanding our new client's "fun expectation" will help us when they hit the inevitable learning plateau. It can also help us structure their training to maximize that fun and keep their excitement level up. A session of basic aerobatics with an aerobatic instructor and airplane could keep my colleague moving ahead toward her goal of getting her private pilot certificate when she becomes frustrated with mastering landings. Perhaps a client's fun expectation is being able to fly to the beach for the weekend or flying to visit family or going to some other destination. Work that into the training plan and give your student an opportunity to have some fun. One thing that I wish I had done when I was building my cross-country flight time for my instrument rating was to go to destinations instead of just airports. Of course I was focused on building that time, but I could have made it more memorable than just another three-legged cross-country flight to add precious hours in my logbook. A helpful nudge in that direction from my flight instructor might have kept that time building from seeming like a chore. Our students come to us expecting us to be able to answer their questions and guide their training. Let's keep it fun for them and for us. Have the in-depth conversation to identify their goals and expectations. Build some fun into the training plan and show them what general aviation is all about. John Collins is the AOPA Air Safety Institute's chief flight instructor and manager of aviation safety programs. Before joining ASI, John was AOPA's manager of aviation policy. He earned his flight instructor certificate in 1996 and enjoys seeing students light up when they put it all together and nail a maneuver.