Negative report writing
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Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: Manchester, UK
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Generally I sit on the fence with the nature/nurture argument but in the context of professional aviators it can never be one or the other. There are many pilots who are by no means "naturals" who will enjoy a safe career by dint of application and professionalism.
The Colgan accident was referred to earlier. There were, I agree, serious training issues which contributed to this crash (although fatigue was undeniably a major factor). But I dispute that a culture of recording only negative training points would have changed that. Indeed if most reports contain only criticism, it surely makes it more rather than less likely that more serious failings will slip through?
The Colgan accident was referred to earlier. There were, I agree, serious training issues which contributed to this crash (although fatigue was undeniably a major factor). But I dispute that a culture of recording only negative training points would have changed that. Indeed if most reports contain only criticism, it surely makes it more rather than less likely that more serious failings will slip through?
Join Date: Aug 2012
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Student records should contain both positives and negatives. What would be the point of them otherwise? However, on one occasion I have to hold my hand up. We've all had them. Students of limited ability who rarely appear. We were doing circuits. It was like the student had never had any flying instruction before. Shockingly bad. I was exasperated. All I could enter on their student record was "Clueless. Marginally less so by end." Not very constructive but fair none the less. The comment has become part of my flying club's folklore. Sometimes you have to say it as it is.
Chatting with instructors at CAE, they were very wary of what they wrote in student records for those doing recurrent training for liability reasons, and in the knowledge that they would be the first thing the CAA come for in the event of an accident.
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I think you have to include the negatives in a report or what is the point in trying to give someone feedback. Tell them the good stuff as well but the bad stuff is what they then need to concentrate on. If they cant take criticism they probably shouldn't be flying.
Join Date: Jun 2007
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Most instructors over the years have given me mixed positive and negative comments which has been most useful (I have PPL plus bits). It helps to know where you're going wrong and where you are on the right path.
As a lecturer (and examiner) I always say how to improve. Rather than saying 'clueless' on a piece of work or presentation, I'd say 'needs a great deal of development in all areas, although you have slightly improved .... over the lesson'.
As a lecturer (and examiner) I always say how to improve. Rather than saying 'clueless' on a piece of work or presentation, I'd say 'needs a great deal of development in all areas, although you have slightly improved .... over the lesson'.
One has to ask the question, why are we writing reports at all! In the modern day its probably part of a backside covering exercise to prove we are not responsible for some unforseen consequence in the future, but traditionally, it was to justify pass or failure and more commonly failure. My experience in the Military was that very little evidence was required to pass a candidate, but to justify a failure, a considerable amount of "evidence" was required. consequently, instructors would start a portfolio on any dubious candidate from an early stage. If they made good, it was easy to dismiss, but to justify a failure it required considerably more documentation to convince the board.
As instructors we may wish to report items for other instructors to concentrate on; these are unlikely to be positive items. If the student is up to speed there is little to report, "Satisfactory" says it all.
As instructors we may wish to report items for other instructors to concentrate on; these are unlikely to be positive items. If the student is up to speed there is little to report, "Satisfactory" says it all.
I can only speak for myself - I created my own template for student feedback, which I fill out on my kneeboard during flight. I use it as the basis for the debrief, snap it on my phone for my own records, then hand it to the student for their records. So far, all my students, and both of the schools I instruct with, have liked this way of working..
The two flying courses I've done where I was provided with significant written feedback - ETPS and my CPL, that written feedback was vital for me in trying to reach the required standard (on the CPL, I actually did meet the required standard)! Similarly on both my degrees, I'd never have graduated without regular written feedback that I could refer to and improve my work from.
Tucking stuff away in a file somewhere does little good for anybody - it's surely all about sharing it with the student and providing both of you with an indicator of where you've been, and where you need to go next.
G
The two flying courses I've done where I was provided with significant written feedback - ETPS and my CPL, that written feedback was vital for me in trying to reach the required standard (on the CPL, I actually did meet the required standard)! Similarly on both my degrees, I'd never have graduated without regular written feedback that I could refer to and improve my work from.
Tucking stuff away in a file somewhere does little good for anybody - it's surely all about sharing it with the student and providing both of you with an indicator of where you've been, and where you need to go next.
G
