Flight Training - October 2012 - 50

INSTRUCTOR REPORT»

ALTHOUGH the GUYBE intersection is depicted on instrument charts, student and private pilots won't be aware of its location. It's often better to reference geographic features when selfreporting position.

fixed and rotary wing. Of these, only the 220,008 private pilots were qualified to hold an instrument rating, and yet only about a quarter did so as of the end of 2010. In fact, because commercial pilots need not hold an instrument rating, it turns out only 51 percent of all pilots (of all types of aircraft) hold instrument privileges. So what does this all mean? Put simply, about half the pilots out there do not know what a chandelle or lazy eight is, because these are

maneuvers introduced at the airplane commercial level. Likewise, about half the pilots out there have no idea what an instrument hold or DME arc is, though most can imagine what such maneuvers might entail. Certainly, some private pilots might have advanced training or have an instructor aboard to help steer them clear. In general, one out of every two pilots flying in the practice area would have no idea what to expect if I suddenly announced, “Simi Valley practice area, a white Cessna 172 just over Ginna Lake at 3,000 feet, chandelles and lazy eights, Simi Valley.” As safety and clear communications to other pilots is the intent, a better call would be to announce I’m “…over Ginna Lake at 3,000 feet, maneuvering…” This is somewhat less precise, but it gives a clearer message to those who are unfamiliar with commercial maneuvers. Another alternative: Call the chandelles “steep climbs” or announce, “Maneuvering between 3,000 and 5,000 feet” to indicate the large block of altitude in which you are working. Again,

the point of the self-announcement is for safety, so instructors and other advanced pilots must use language that even the most basic student solo pilot can comprehend. Simulated IFR in VFR conditions provides another nuance that deserves special attention. First, instead of announcing “holding,” consider “circling.” However, the real confusion can come when referencing intersections, as many are not depicted on VFR charts. For example, I might have my instrument student perform an unpublished hold at GUYBE, just two miles south of the GINNA intersection (at Ginna Lake), but note GUYBE is not depicted on the sectional. Instead of announcing that I’m holding at GUYBE, it is better for nearby VFR pilots if I simply announce that I am “circling south of Ginna Lake.” Another challenge is that of adequately describing where you are flying. For instance, on the chart, Ginna Lake is not actually labeled, but as it is the only lake near the depicted GINNA intersection, we can reasonably expect

The five great rules of selling (ideas)
» By Rod Machado

THE PRODUCT OF FLYING
a student, you must get your student’s attention. Some instructors do this with nifty statements such as, “OK, this is important,” or by saying, “Now listen to me.” Other instructors say, “Now here’s an the difficulty or challenges he’ll experience if he doesn’t use the idea you’re offering. If you’re selling your students on the idea of obtaining a thorough weather briefing prior to flight, simply ask him how he’ll respond if he found himself stuck on top of a previously forecast layer of clouds. Now you’ve got his interest. Your student’s conviction to use the idea you’re peddling is based on helping him answer the marketer’s favorite question: What’s in it for me? Show your student all the features and benefits derived from the simple action of obtaining a good briefing prior to flight.

YEARS AGO A master salesman named Percy Whiting published The Five Great Rules of Selling. These rules involve obtaining someone’s attention, interest, conviction, and desire, then closing the

CLOSE THE SALE BY OBTAINING YOUR STUDENT'S COMMITMENT TO YOUR IDEA.
sale. As flight instructors, however, we don’t sell a product, do we? In a sense, we do. Flight instructors sell ideas, which makes Mr. Whiting’s rules particularly applicable to flight training. For instance, when introducing any idea or topic to interesting point,” or “You’re going to find this important.” Either way, the student must pay attention to you if you’re going to sell him or her on an idea. Now you must get your student’s interest. You’ll do this by showing him or her

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Flight Training - October 2012

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