Trial Instructional Flight - Fun or Boring
Depends on school policy and the imagination of the instructor. Eager first timer is given a 45 minute briefing combining effects of controls and straight and level. Lots of vectors on whiteboard with lift and drag arrows and overheads of aerofoils with lines of airflow. Angles of attack and thrust vectors. New Bloggs (old or young)looks baffled sitting behind desk while instructor waffles on and waves model aircraft.
Instructor looks at watch and says 'Christ" its late, let's go." Spends 15 minutes showing full pre-flight inspection. Starts engine, taxies like clappers - airborne then takes 10 minutes to reach training area. Works radio himself. In training area and starts approved patter on S&L. Spends 15 minutes with "Note nose attitude 4 fingers - keep wings level -watch it, you are descending - see the altimeter un-winding "etc. Instructor looks at huge Rolex says "Christ - better get back - taking over -follow me through" (thinks-The CFI will go up me for going over 30 minutes.
Hurried taxying. Mixture cut-off- VDO stops. "Hope you enjoyed the TIF Mr Bloggs - when would you like to book in for your first lesson?".
OR maybe this approach?
Eager first timer meets eager Grade 3. G3 draws picture of local runways on whiteboard - explains basic NSEW directions - gives brief example of words used to ask for take off and landing clearance. Shows Bloggs aviation type map of Sydney, Melbourne, Alice Springs or whatever and explains planned flight path. Spends five minutes max waving model aircraft around explaining in simple terms how aeroplanes fly. No Berny Oolies theories or lift vectors. Outside on tarmac G3 points to clouds on high and says that's a cumulus or whatever. Shows Bloggs north and south directions. Points at ATC tower and says that's where the controller lives -lets Bloggs look in fuel tanks. Brief explanation while sitting in cockpit of basic controls. Bloggs wiggles wheel and pushes rudder pedals. Airborne - Blogg poles it while G3 surreptiously nudges controls in direction he wants to fly - preferably scenic around city rather than all way to training area. G3 has camera and takes photo of Bloggs poling. G3 points out interesting landmarks and congrats Bloggs on nice touch on controls. 15 minutes airborne, time to return. Gives Bloggs piece of paper to read out which says "XXX - inbound-received Charlie - request clearance". Bloggs transmits content of paper. G3 gets clearance and does rest of RT except for "Clear to Land" which Bloggs says. At parking, G3 talks Bloggs through complete shut down checks. Walking back to office, G3 gives Bloggs his business card and says "Anytime you want to learn to fly call me."
Morale: Each to his own. But make the TIF interesting. As instructors, what TIF technique do you use?