Darren Smith, Flight Instructor
  Home | Login | Schedule | Pilot Store | 7-Day IFR | IFR Adventure | Trip Reports | Blog | Fun | Reviews | Weather | Articles | Links | Helicopter | Download | Bio

Site Map

Subscribe

Private Pilot
  Learn to Fly

Instrument Pilot
  7 day IFR Rating
  IFR Adventure

Commercial Pilot

Multi-Engine Pilot

Human Factors/CRM

Recurrent Training

Ground Schools

Articles

Privacy Policy
About Me

Keyword:
  

Support this Website

Basic Skills in the Automation Age

by Darren Smith, CFII/MEI
Getting the Most from Your Flight Training, January, 2007
CFIDarren Newsletter, May 22, 2012

Navigation:  Bio | Schedule | About this website | Pilot Store | Pay for Services | News | Answerman | BeliefsPledge | Policy | Articles | Links | OnlineBFR/IPCGuestbook | Success Stories

I recently flew with a pilot who was trying to finish his instrument rating.  His instructor had gotten another job in another city.  The student was left hanging with incomplete training.  "Can you finish me up?"  He had all of his requirements met and felt that he was skilled enough to do the minimum training required to get a signoff (3 hours within the preceding 90 days).

I did a diagnostic flight and found his basic hand flying skills adequate.  He owned a brand new Cirrus so he would have to demonstrate full use of the automation as well as all its failure modes for his checkride.  This included hand-flown approaches without the computer showing him the way.  I found the student's skills with all the automation adequate for a checkride.  It was clear he could probably squeak by in a Cirrus but put him in a basic Cessna with a 6 pack of steam gauge instruments and he would surely fail. 

Here's the bad news: there was no way he was ready for a checkride.  The PTS surely dictates that the applicant using a technically advanced aircraft will need to demonstrate all the fancy features but not at the expense of basic skills.  Its a trend I'm finding with students who come to me with Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA).  Your instrument rating PTS will still require you to:
  • Be able to manually tune in a navaid and identify it by morse code.
  • Perform instrument cockpit checks on airspeed, attitude, heading, altimeter, turn coordinator, slip/skid ball, VSI, and compass.
  • Perform any approach with and without the use of an autopilot if installed.
  • Perform any approach with and without the use of graphical GPS display.
  • Perform ILS, LOC, and VOR approaches without automation of any kind.
  • Perform a GPS approach and identify RNP modes, RAIM availability, and properly identify correct minima.
Whatever your method of training... whether it be DVD-based or a class taken at the local airport, you'll need to meet the standards of the PTS.  You'll never be able to use the excuse that your instructor didn't teach that to you because you're fully aware of the PTS for your rating.  As the informed consumer, you drive the process of your training. And as such, you are responsible for obtaining the proper resources to help you meet those standards. 

Your Thoughts...

Name: (Anonymous posts deleted)

E-mail: (if you want a reply)

How did you hear
of this website?
Message:  (What should I write?)
Business Card
WebSearch
News Group
Safety Seminar
Advertisement
Word of Mouth
Other(specify)
(Required) Enter number from image to send:

    

Check this out...
  Home | Login | Schedule | Pilot Store | 7-Day IFR | IFR Adventure | Trip Reports | Blog | Fun | Reviews | Weather | Articles | Links | Helicopter | Download | Bio
All content is Copyright 2002-2010 by Darren Smith. All rights reserved. Subject to change without notice. This website is not a substitute for competent flight instruction. There are no representations or warranties of any kind made pertaining to this service/information and any warranty, express or implied, is excluded and disclaimed including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. Under no circumstances or theories of liability, including without limitation the negligence of any party, contract, warranty or strict liability in tort, shall the website creator/author or any of its affiliated or related organizations be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages as a result of the use of, or the inability to use, any information provided through this service even if advised of the possibility of such damages. For more information about this website, including the privacy policy, see about this website.