Flight Training - July 2012 - 49

INSTRUCTOR REPORT

A good instructor is always learning
INSTRUCTOR REPORT offers insights for students and tips for CFIs.

IS FLYING HARD?
Think before you answer
» By Jason Catanzariti

THE HANGAR DOOR opens, and in walks the prospective flight student. He takes a look around, smiles at the airplane photos on the wall, and then asks brightly who to speak with about taking lessons…and so begins many an aviation career. But some end there too, based

FLYING HAS ACQUIRED A MYSTIQUE—AN ILLUSION OF DIFFICULTY BECAUSE IT'S NOT TYPICALLY A PART OF EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE.
on the conversation that follows. I was once the student in that situation, and I asked a question I would later hear many times as an instructor: HOW HARD IS FLYING? It’s a highly subjective question, but our livelihood as flight instructors depends on how we answer. CFIs with an ounce of business sense will be as encourag-

ing as possible, but also straightforward about the challenges ahead. I personally lean more toward encouragement because I believe that flying, in absolute terms, just isn’t that hard. In the old days, people soloed after just a few hours of instruction. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger soloed in 1967 after 7.6 hours of training. One of my students showed me his father’s logbook, showing he had soloed after just 5.2 hours in 1946. Even with today’s more stringent regulations, most students will solo between 12 and 20 hours. Taking off, flying around the pattern, and getting it back down just isn’t that difficult. Doing it smoothly and efficiently takes practice and experience, and passing a checkride requires some hoop jumping, but it’s not brain surgery. I firmly believe that anyone of basic intelligence can learn to fly an airplane

JAN FEINDT

JULY 2012 FLIGHT TRAINING

/ 49



Flight Training - July 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Flight Training - July 2012

Flight Training - July 2012
President’s Perspective
Right Seat
Letters
Best of Both Worlds
How It Works
Knowledge Test News
After the Checkride
News
Since You Asked
News
Final Exam
Products
ASI News
AOPA Action
Flying Carpet
ENJOY THE VIEW
V IS FOR VELOCITY
TECHNIQUE
Weather
Checkride
Flight Lesson
Year One
Career Advisor
Tech Talk
Is Flying Hard?
Delaying Solo
Are You Positive?
Advertiser Index
Debrief
Flight Training - July 2012 - Flight Training - July 2012
Flight Training - July 2012 - Cover2
Flight Training - July 2012 - 1
Flight Training - July 2012 - 2
Flight Training - July 2012 - 3
Flight Training - July 2012 - President’s Perspective
Flight Training - July 2012 - 5
Flight Training - July 2012 - Right Seat
Flight Training - July 2012 - Letters
Flight Training - July 2012 - 8
Flight Training - July 2012 - 9
Flight Training - July 2012 - Best of Both Worlds
Flight Training - July 2012 - 11
Flight Training - July 2012 - How It Works
Flight Training - July 2012 - Knowledge Test News
Flight Training - July 2012 - After the Checkride
Flight Training - July 2012 - News
Flight Training - July 2012 - Since You Asked
Flight Training - July 2012 - 17
Flight Training - July 2012 - News
Flight Training - July 2012 - 19
Flight Training - July 2012 - Final Exam
Flight Training - July 2012 - Products
Flight Training - July 2012 - ASI News
Flight Training - July 2012 - AOPA Action
Flight Training - July 2012 - 24
Flight Training - July 2012 - 25
Flight Training - July 2012 - Flying Carpet
Flight Training - July 2012 - 27
Flight Training - July 2012 - ENJOY THE VIEW
Flight Training - July 2012 - 29
Flight Training - July 2012 - 30
Flight Training - July 2012 - 31
Flight Training - July 2012 - 32
Flight Training - July 2012 - 33
Flight Training - July 2012 - V IS FOR VELOCITY
Flight Training - July 2012 - 35
Flight Training - July 2012 - 36
Flight Training - July 2012 - 37
Flight Training - July 2012 - TECHNIQUE
Flight Training - July 2012 - 39
Flight Training - July 2012 - Weather
Flight Training - July 2012 - 41
Flight Training - July 2012 - 42
Flight Training - July 2012 - Checkride
Flight Training - July 2012 - Flight Lesson
Flight Training - July 2012 - Year One
Flight Training - July 2012 - Career Advisor
Flight Training - July 2012 - 47
Flight Training - July 2012 - Tech Talk
Flight Training - July 2012 - Is Flying Hard?
Flight Training - July 2012 - Delaying Solo
Flight Training - July 2012 - Are You Positive?
Flight Training - July 2012 - Advertiser Index
Flight Training - July 2012 - 53
Flight Training - July 2012 - 54
Flight Training - July 2012 - 55
Flight Training - July 2012 - Debrief
Flight Training - July 2012 - Cover3
Flight Training - July 2012 - Cover4
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