{"id":3629,"date":"2015-11-27T13:36:05","date_gmt":"2015-11-27T21:36:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tailwheelersjournal.mechadigital.net\/?p=3629"},"modified":"2021-08-26T20:37:55","modified_gmt":"2021-08-26T20:37:55","slug":"safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tailwheelersjournal.com\/safety\/","title":{"rendered":"#143 Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

In case you hadn\u2019t noticed it, I feel that modern flight instruction fails miserably in developing much skill in those who are taught in the vast majority of flight schools.\u00a0 Why is this?\u00a0 There are several reasons.\"images\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

For one thing, in aviation we have this unique situation where teaching is the job which new pilots can slide right into in order to build time and eventually land that airline job after which they\u2019ve been lusting.\u00a0 That leaves those who are just entering our little flying world to learn from those who know the least.\u00a0 Gee, no wonder general aviation is in such a pickle!<\/h3>\n
\"scan0076JimMarisFlightClass1943DouglasGA<\/a>
A class of pilots at Douglas, Georgia during the second world war. Many years later I recieved valuable training at that same airport.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Modern flight schools are also consumed with safety.\u00a0 That\u2019s pretty understandable and, in many cases, commendable.\u00a0 A desire to be safe often causes the pursuit of the most conservative actions.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the practice of conservative operations often deprives the student of the opportunity to learn to fly skillfully.\u00a0 The long, straight-out departure is just one such example. The stabilized approach is another.\u00a0 What do those two maneuvers have in common?\u00a0 For one thing, THEY ARE NOT MANEUVERS!\u00a0 In fact, the powers that be have actually decided that \u201cmaneuvering flight\u201d is a type of flying in which there is the most risk.\u00a0 Duh.\u00a0 I think they\u2019ve figgered that as long as we don\u2019t do anything but fly straight, we\u2019ll remain safe.<\/h3>\n
\"download\"<\/a>
A modern military pilot and graduate of a superb training system.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Modern flight instruction has another \u201cAchilles Heel\u201d.\u00a0 Civilian flight training, as a rule, doesn\u2019t \u201cwash out\u201d any students.\u00a0 Compare that with the military, where a large percentage of those who pursue flight training are judged not good enough and are washed out to pursue another activity.\u00a0 I\u2019ve long been a fan of military training and that\u2019s one reason.\u00a0 I guess you might say it\u2019s \u201cDarwinian\u201d.<\/h3>\n

If we want to produce safe pilots, we\u2019d better train pilots who have a much higher skill level than is currently found in the majority of pilots.\u00a0 We can do that by upping the difficulty level of those operations and maneuvers (yes, \u201cmaneuvers\u201d) we teach.\u00a0 But in order to do that safely, we must provide those student pilots with teachers who have the ability to keep them safe as they practice those maneuvers.\u00a0 As Macbeth said, \u201cAye, there\u2019s the rub!\u201d<\/h3>\n
\"upt_iff-form1\"<\/a>
Military pilots receive formation training. Good luck finding that at Acme!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I can teach my students to execute a landing in a turn which will save their butts if they\u2019re called upon to put a powerless airplane into a tiny little spot with no altitude remaining for that nice, long approach they were taught at the Acme Flying School.\u00a0 But I can only do that because I\u2019ve taken the time to get reasonably competent at it myself.\u00a0 I\u2019ve been teaching that maneuver since I had about two thousand hours, much of that time spent practicing exacting maneuvers and aerobatics.\u00a0 It\u2019s not me, it\u2019s the experience.\u00a0 Create a way to provide that experience to more pilots and you\u2019ll find a way to provide better instructors to those who want to learn to fly.\u00a0 Easy for me to say, huh?\u00a0 I doubt if it will ever happen.<\/h3>\n

If you ever wonder about the evolution of the relationship between The Tailwheeler\u2019s Journal and Oregon Aero, consider that Oregon Aero has devoted untold time, effort and expense to the development of products which provide increased safety through the design of the interface between the pilot and the aircraft.\u00a0 Oregon Aero founder Mike Dennis has probably done more testing with sleds and other devices than any other individual since Col. John Stapp.\u00a0 He may not have ridden the sled and subjected himself to as many G\u2019s as Stapp, but his dedication to testing shows in the increase to safety which his products bring to aviation.<\/h3>\n

Safety will always be the paramount goal of all of us who teach flying (except for a few schools where profits are actually paramount).\u00a0 Some will pursue safety by teaching low-time students to fly in a manner \u00a0that will require less skill through less maneuvering, shallow banks and very conservative technique.\u00a0 Others of us will continue to increase safety by demanding a higher level of skill from those who fly with us.\u00a0 We will develop that skill by protecting those students while they practice operations and maneuvers which require a higher level of skill.\u00a0 Which method is better?\u00a0 Well, mine, of course!<\/h3>\n

Oh, and if you are looking for a primary flight training course where you\u2019ll solo in ten hours, you better go somewhere else.\u00a0 I seriously doubt if any of the few primary students I take will solo in less time than the FAA feels is the \u201cminimum\u201d to get a private pilot\u2019s certificate.\u00a0 That\u2019s forty hours.\u00a0 The FAA invented \u201cminimum standards\u201d.\u00a0 I\u2019m afraid we don\u2019t teach to that level at Tailwheel Town.\u00a0 And that\u2019s just the way it is\u2026<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Happy Swooping!<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Brian<\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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