Lecture Advice Please

[peeteechase]

Dear All,
I am about to give a talk to a small group of non-flying adults about aviation in general. I am a current airline pilot and have a few ideas about what to say but I wonder if anyone has any general advice/websites I could use?
Many thanks, PTC

[Genghis the Engineer]

I do a lot of this sort of lecturing, so hopefully can give you a few pointers:-

- Use as few media as you can get away with. So, slides + OHP + video + powerpoint is too much. Personally I limit myself to either OHP + video, or powerpoint + video.
- Any visual aids, keep them simple and chunky. Single clear pictures with one line of title, 3-6 lines of bullet points max.
- Don't assume they'll know anything. Words like aileron, sweep, fuselage, undercarriage will still confuse many laymen. When explaining terminology, use pictures.
- A talk of that nature, I'd tend to split into three parts. Firstly the Janet and John explanation (perhaps the basics of how an aeroplane works), secondly any detailed bits (such as for example what your job entails), and finally something exciting - an exciting video, demonstration, etc.
- Research has shown that air traffickers can only hold concentration for a little over 40 minutes, which therefore is the limit of their shift length. Assume the same of your audience. I'd personally aim to talk for about 45 minutes, then perhaps 10-15 minutes of video or demonstration (which always wakes them up, and means they leave talking about the exciting bit)
- After that, allow them to ask you questions. It's a good idea to have somebody who knows the audience pick the questioners, then they can worry about the timing as well.
- Some kind of handout is useful, there are various ways to do this, but if nothing else, 2 sides of A4 listing the local flying-related clubs and their contact details and phone numbers / web addresses for PFA/BMAA/BGA goes down very well.

G

[peeteechase]

Thanks a lot Genghis, and to Chas who contacted me direct
ATB, PTC