What do they teach flying instructors these days?
What do they teach flying instructors these days during a FIC - and more importantly what instruction do they pass on to their students?
This might seem a frivolous comment, but judging by the discussions taking place on this and the Private Flying forums some of the 'basics' seem to have been forgotten.
Some interesting comments regarding PFLs, use of carb heat and selection of flaps in a turn, for example.
Now I fully appreciate there are variations in teaching method, but surely the fundamentals of the exercise remain 'cast in stone' so as to speak no matter where the instruction is given or by whom?
My own instruction, and instructing, has followed a seamless transition from private pilot to line pilot flying jets.
Now there may be 'more than one way to skin a cat', but I cannot recall any training being in contradiction to the basic flying techniques taught at PPL level. These techniques and exercises after all find their roots in military flying training which has been developed, tried and tested over many years.
Maybe I'm being naive, but some of the comments made bear no resemblence to the methods I was taught. Who for example would ever consider flap asymmetry as a reason for not selecting flap in a turn in a light single? Hardly the most important issue I should have thought and one to be resigned to the bar as a topic for discussion when flying was over. I have NEVER been taught that might be a problem during early training. The problem of flap asymmetry is a problem full stop, never mind whether you're in a turn or not - and one most likely taught during advanced flying training, particularly in airliners where there is both indication and procedure for dealing with such events?
The student has enough, and more important things, to think about in early training without bringing into the equation one-in-several-million-to-one events.
Maybe it's not a true reflection of flying instruction today those comments made on PPRuNE, but the impression is that there is too much 'interpretation' and not enough 'adherence' by flying instructors to the syllabus laid down for the training of pilots for the PPL today?
Concern has also been voiced elsewhere that pilots coming through the training system 'do not know the basics'. Whereas no doubt the approved schools comply with standard training techniques, no wonder such comments are made if the comments on PPRuNe reflect the level of knowledge and standard of training generally in the UK.
None of the schools and clubs I have attended have ever been wanting in this respect, so where do these ideas come from?
KR
FOK