Originally Posted by
Whopity
Campbell's manual is probably based upon RAF CFS notes from the mid 50s. A more up to date version from the 90s is available
The Campbell Manuals were based on FAA practice, written when Ron was CFI of Rogers Aviation at Cranfield who were Cessna main dealers. Ron was quite influenced by FAA practice, especially Kershener, and it was his suggestion that Slow Flying replace Spinning in the PPL syllabus.
One of the best uses of the Campbell Manual is as a doorstop! As Jeremy Prat, of AFE, said to me once, “Ron never used 3 words when 10 would do!” The AFE manuals were a welcome relief because handing a manual the size of Ron’s to a new student wasn’t exactly encouraging. In fact as a FIC candidate there is your first teaching lesson, simplify and teach in blocks. In the early stages of the syllabus Ex 1 to 14 you are still very much a salesperson as well as a teacher. It’s very easy to over complicate learning to fly, especially in the early stages.
The two main books in use on U.K. FI courses are Campbells and the Cole’s Patter Manual, both were written around 40 years ago and are dated but still useful with reservation. Both manuals concentrate on the technical skills of flying, today there is, or should be, much more emphasis on non technical skills (NOTECHS), TEM, CRM, SA and ADM.
The most important manual to be familiar with is the manual you will ultimately sell your student. The most popular U.K. manual is the AFE manual so that’s the manual I recommend on FI courses. There is sufficient and adequate information in there for you to learn to deliver a long or phase briefing. You will rarely be asked to deliver a long briefing anyway when qualified but pre flight briefings need to be honed to perfection.
I completly agree with Alan Newton that the term Airmanship is no longer relevant. In fact I watched Alan at a seminar ask 28 flying instructors what they thought the definition of airmanship was and not one FI knew! You will not see airmanship written on any of the On Track briefings nor on the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators briefings. The GAPAN briefings are some of the finest and unlike other material they are up to date with both a RAF Central Flying School and civilian school input. The problem with 40 year old material is that it no longer represents ‘best practice’ and it’s best practice that your student is paying for!