FIC theory
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FIC theory
Hi everyone,
Just wondered if anyone can give me some tips on putting together ground school lectures, I have been tasked on my course to come up with one and though I have lots of bits of paper covered in information, I can't seem to put it all together! any help or advice greatly appreciated.
I am thoroughly enjoying my FIC, my only stumbling block seems to be constructing a lesson - possibly because I don't have enough faith in my own background knowledge! does it get any easier?
Just wondered if anyone can give me some tips on putting together ground school lectures, I have been tasked on my course to come up with one and though I have lots of bits of paper covered in information, I can't seem to put it all together! any help or advice greatly appreciated.
I am thoroughly enjoying my FIC, my only stumbling block seems to be constructing a lesson - possibly because I don't have enough faith in my own background knowledge! does it get any easier?
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I always found that if I could describe a subject to my missus, before she fell asleep or told me to p*ss off then I was along the right lines.
For structure, just use an example of any subject from your instructor doing the FIC course as a starting point.
Most subjects can be broken down into:
1. What you are going to talk about.
2. The details
3. Summary and any questions.
The main thing is to practice, it get's easier and eventually you will develop your own style.
Unfortunately, once you get a job you won't generally get to do much briefing anyway.
Enjoy the course.
FIS.
For structure, just use an example of any subject from your instructor doing the FIC course as a starting point.
Most subjects can be broken down into:
1. What you are going to talk about.
2. The details
3. Summary and any questions.
The main thing is to practice, it get's easier and eventually you will develop your own style.
Unfortunately, once you get a job you won't generally get to do much briefing anyway.
Enjoy the course.
FIS.
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...Big Blue Book....
I struggled with finding the right level at which to pitch my ground briefings at first, often straying into ATPL theory until I got the hang of it. Campbells big blue book is good for the majority of subjects. Just make sure you've got an upto date version!
I find Thoms / The Air Pilots Manuals are good for giving the basics but now, as FiS says there is usually little time in a live environment - It is often the case that the student will ask 'how does this work...or...what does that do that for?' which then brings on the discussion.
However much the pressure though, always brief thoroughly the flight sections of the course. A minute on the ground saves two in the air!
I find Thoms / The Air Pilots Manuals are good for giving the basics but now, as FiS says there is usually little time in a live environment - It is often the case that the student will ask 'how does this work...or...what does that do that for?' which then brings on the discussion.
However much the pressure though, always brief thoroughly the flight sections of the course. A minute on the ground saves two in the air!
Last edited by Duchess_Driver; 29th Apr 2008 at 11:17.
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Be Brief
stumpyotoole
It isn't clear from your post whether your stuck with regard to a 'long brief' or the 'short brief'.
The long brief is when you take the student through the background to a lesson, explaining the theory and allowing discussion. This brief should not be given as part of a flight detail.
The short brief - no more than 15 minutes (hopefully less) - is given immediately prior to a flight detail but should be confined to informing the student as to what is to be done and what is to be achieved by the lesson end. Questions should be confined to the lesson as it is briefed. Your board brief could be as follows;
Lesson description (title); Turning at Rate 2 onto specific headings.
Aim; Change the heading of our aircraft onto a specific heading using a constant 30 degrees angle of bank; maintaining balance, altitude and with a minimum loss of speed.
Data; C152 - cruise 90kts - power. 2200rpm
Considerations; Location; N.W. Training Area; Max alt. 3000ft, min alt 1000ft. LOOKOUT -clock code. Met; visibility, cloudbase, Carb Icing, ATC - FIS/RIS. FREDA checks
The manoeuvre requires the co-ordinated use of all three controls.
Common faults; Poor lookout, failure to select a reference point, over-controling with ailerons, pitching too early. failure to use sufficient rudder (balance). poor control co-ordination
You could then use three columns to describe how it is to be done;
THE ENTRY - MAINTENANCE OF THE MANOEUVRE - THE RECOVERY
This is one of many formats. You may find things that I have not mentioned but don't be too detailed. Whatever format you or your school prefers it should be usable for ALL exercises. The format should prompt you in your planning.
It isn't clear from your post whether your stuck with regard to a 'long brief' or the 'short brief'.
The long brief is when you take the student through the background to a lesson, explaining the theory and allowing discussion. This brief should not be given as part of a flight detail.
The short brief - no more than 15 minutes (hopefully less) - is given immediately prior to a flight detail but should be confined to informing the student as to what is to be done and what is to be achieved by the lesson end. Questions should be confined to the lesson as it is briefed. Your board brief could be as follows;
Lesson description (title); Turning at Rate 2 onto specific headings.
Aim; Change the heading of our aircraft onto a specific heading using a constant 30 degrees angle of bank; maintaining balance, altitude and with a minimum loss of speed.
Data; C152 - cruise 90kts - power. 2200rpm
Considerations; Location; N.W. Training Area; Max alt. 3000ft, min alt 1000ft. LOOKOUT -clock code. Met; visibility, cloudbase, Carb Icing, ATC - FIS/RIS. FREDA checks
The manoeuvre requires the co-ordinated use of all three controls.
Common faults; Poor lookout, failure to select a reference point, over-controling with ailerons, pitching too early. failure to use sufficient rudder (balance). poor control co-ordination
You could then use three columns to describe how it is to be done;
THE ENTRY - MAINTENANCE OF THE MANOEUVRE - THE RECOVERY
This is one of many formats. You may find things that I have not mentioned but don't be too detailed. Whatever format you or your school prefers it should be usable for ALL exercises. The format should prompt you in your planning.
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Ontrack do a good line of overheads for the briefing of the exercises.
A couple of bits of flip paper across them and you start from the top and work your way down. Or use them as a reference as you do the board work.
It does get easier to the point that you almost slot a tape into your head while you instruct a exercise. So much so when you take your mate up on a trial flight they say that they didn't reconise you.
A couple of bits of flip paper across them and you start from the top and work your way down. Or use them as a reference as you do the board work.
It does get easier to the point that you almost slot a tape into your head while you instruct a exercise. So much so when you take your mate up on a trial flight they say that they didn't reconise you.
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I use Powerpoint on my laptop. I still write the lesson on a whiteboard, but have the pic of what it should end up like on powerpoint. Then I break the whole lesson down stage by stage, so I just start the slide show and the next page includes all the information I need to brief the student on. If you want an example of one just pm me.
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Should have gone to Pooley's Flying Instructor School. They teach you how to construct your lessons from the start so you can teach anything.
Here we go; remember a lesson is in 3 parts. The beginning, middle and the end. The beginning includes the title and what you are about to tell your students. The middle consists of the material itself. The middle can be broken down into sub-parts to form a logical sequence. The end is the conclusion which will tell your audience what you have just told them, this reinforces their learning.
Try and include 'open' questions. This means a question that does not get a single word answer such as "yes" or "no". In order to get an open question start it with a word that starts with a W, such as "what, why, when, where etc.. and this provides confirmation to you that your student has understood.
Finally, practice; in the mirror, to your dog, it doesn't matter. But, if it takes you 20 minutes to recite it to yourself it will take 40 minutes to do it in real time. In other words double the amount of time it takes for you to practice it.
Hope this of help and good luck.
Here we go; remember a lesson is in 3 parts. The beginning, middle and the end. The beginning includes the title and what you are about to tell your students. The middle consists of the material itself. The middle can be broken down into sub-parts to form a logical sequence. The end is the conclusion which will tell your audience what you have just told them, this reinforces their learning.
Try and include 'open' questions. This means a question that does not get a single word answer such as "yes" or "no". In order to get an open question start it with a word that starts with a W, such as "what, why, when, where etc.. and this provides confirmation to you that your student has understood.
Finally, practice; in the mirror, to your dog, it doesn't matter. But, if it takes you 20 minutes to recite it to yourself it will take 40 minutes to do it in real time. In other words double the amount of time it takes for you to practice it.
Hope this of help and good luck.
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Surely anybody doing a half decent job as an FIC Instructor should teach the student FI how to go about preparing and delivering a long briefing. I agree that the scope is often difficult ie we are not trying to teach to ATPL level.
Initially some rough sketches of diagrams/pictures that you might use help bring things into focus and may bring to your attention areas where your own knowledge needs refreshing.
Initially some rough sketches of diagrams/pictures that you might use help bring things into focus and may bring to your attention areas where your own knowledge needs refreshing.
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Preparing and delivering lectures
I have a complete PowerPoint briefing on this subject as well as a video of me presenting the lecture.
If you or others are interested send me an email to [email protected] and I see what I can do about getting a copy of the P/Point briefing in the first instance. The video may be more difficult to arrange but we can discuss it.
Regards, P
If you or others are interested send me an email to [email protected] and I see what I can do about getting a copy of the P/Point briefing in the first instance. The video may be more difficult to arrange but we can discuss it.
Regards, P
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Many thanks to all of you who have replied!
firstly, I should probably clarify that it is the long briefings/lectures I am having trouble putting together. The short briefings although daunting at first are actually becoming quite enjoyable-I have found that they really are testing my understanding of the flight exercises, in a good way!
I would also like to make clear that in no way am I claiming I haven't been taught HOW to do it in a simple efficient way, I posted because I wanted some advice from those of you who have been through this. The problem lies with me and my own underconfidence about my knowledge base and public speaking! I am more than happy with the level of tuition I get from my instructor, I am getting incredibly thorough groundschool (mainly because the weather has been so unpredictable and we tend to end up in the classroom more often than in the air!).
Once again, thanks for the advice! I will be putting it into practice very soon!
firstly, I should probably clarify that it is the long briefings/lectures I am having trouble putting together. The short briefings although daunting at first are actually becoming quite enjoyable-I have found that they really are testing my understanding of the flight exercises, in a good way!
I would also like to make clear that in no way am I claiming I haven't been taught HOW to do it in a simple efficient way, I posted because I wanted some advice from those of you who have been through this. The problem lies with me and my own underconfidence about my knowledge base and public speaking! I am more than happy with the level of tuition I get from my instructor, I am getting incredibly thorough groundschool (mainly because the weather has been so unpredictable and we tend to end up in the classroom more often than in the air!).
Once again, thanks for the advice! I will be putting it into practice very soon!
