AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2020 - 46

PILOT BRIEFING
INDUSTRY NEWS

|

Taking it old school
'Classrooms' offered as new aviation learning environment
BY DAN NAMOWITZ

That's not to say it's aviation unplugged.
Smart boards, large displays, and Wi-Fi are
used. Students get electronic tablets-theirs
to keep-preloaded with all course materials
and flight planners. Lessons are instructorled but can include online presentations.
The first class of students, which included
nine new private pilot aspirants and three
pilots working on instrument ratings,
wrapped up in November 2019. The initial
class included two women and two highKIRBY ORTEGA and his wife, Teresa, have started an innovative training course.
school students, and enthusiasm ran high,
Teresa Ortega said.
"Everybody jumped in with
HOW'S THIS FOR INNOVATION : Instead
both feet," she said, noting that the first group of private pilot stuof studying all alone for FAA knowledge dents were so new to aviation that she found herself "going out to buy
tests by reading a book, watching a video, nine logbooks."
or answering test questions on an app,
The company is a flightless operation, said Teresa Ortega, a commercial pilot and
there's a place where people gather to the company's managing partner. She said future classes should draw on a well-popstudy aviation together and ask questions ulated aviation community including employees of Textron Aviation, flying clubs,
of a living, breathing instructor.
and the many other aviation organizations located in the "Air Capital" region, as the
Sound intriguing? Then click your Wichita area is known for its long history of aircraft manufacturing. The students
heels together three times, because when will tap outside resources for their flight training, also drawing on the Wichita area's
you open your eyes, you'll be in Kansas.
many options.
Kirby and Teresa Ortega may be
Kirby Ortega, a 24,000-hour pilot and a flight instructing hall-of-famer, believes
swimming against the technological you can still make a strong case for what might fairly be characterized as an oldtide by providing the ground school por- school ground training program, because the human element can help keep a
tions of pilot training courses in learning student pilot who has become discouraged with self-study from giving up.
spaces that some of us will recognize as
The Ortegas are not the first industry competitors to critique abbreviated or
"classrooms." But they are wily industry self-study alternatives by asserting that those choices "only teach a student how
veterans, not starry-eyed risk-takers. They to pass a test," but don't touch "the fundamentals of flying."
believe the service they offer to aviation
By contrast, they say, Ortega students are not cut loose to take the FAA
students meets a real need.
knowledge exam when classes are complete. If students need to tidy up their knowlOrtega Aviation Services, located at edge-test prep based on practice test scores-nailing 80 percent deems you ready
Wichita's Dwight D. Eisenhower National for the real thing-the Ortega organization will still be there for them.
Airport, is offering its students a "live
Following the upbeat initial classes, Ortega Aviation Services has posted the
learning experience" for the ground next class schedules online.
school learning required for any pilot
"Kirby and I have a huge passion for aviation," she said. "His is teaching. Mine
certificate or rating that requires a knowl- is fostering aviation in the younger generation."
edge test endorsement.
ortegaaviation.com
46 | AOPA PILOT February 2020
http://www.ortegaaviation.com
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2020

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