Flight Lesson Preparation Tips
If your dream is to become a pilot, whether for commercial jets or simply to fly smaller aircraft, aviation training, along with plenty of flight time, is a necessary component of the training. In-the-air training comes at a premium, though, so it's vital that you have a plan in place so you can get the most out of each session. The following tips can help ensure that this happens.
Tip #1: Get a syllabus or lesson outline
It's up to you to be ready for your lessons. One way to do this is to have your specific course syllabus or outline on hand. Look it over before you go in for a flight lesson so you know what you are working on in class on the ground and are prepared to practice these lessons in the air.
Tip #2: Review everything in advance
Your main task in the days leading up to the lesson is to review past lessons and to also review the lessons you will be working on in the air. The simplest way to know what to review in advance, beyond looking at the syllabus, is to ask for assigned reading and study material after each flight lesson if it isn't provided already. Preparation is key for passing pilot's training.
Tip #3: Learn to organize
You don't want to be frantically looking for a preflight checklist and wasting valuable lesson time. Spend some time coming up with an organizational method for your kneeboard so you can quickly flip to needed items. Make sure you get in the habit of organizing the cabin as soon as you get in the plane, too, by placing your pens, needed training materials, and other tools in an accessible location in the cockpit instead of leaving them in a bag in the back of the plane – or worse, leaving them on the ground.
Tip #4: Be consistent
Try and schedule your lessons at regular intervals so that you are building on your knowledge. If you let long stretches of time elapse between flight lessons, you may find yourself wasting valuable air time reviewing what you forgot instead of working on new skills. Planning lessons weekly prevents this and keeps you on track to complete your training.
Also, make sure you get a full night's rest and have a good breakfast the day of training. Setting yourself up for success will make training more enjoyable and you will get much more from each lesson. Talk to a local flight school or visit websites like http://www.parkland.edu/aviation for more information.
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