PRE-FLIGHT BRIEFING

Pre-flight Briefing Definition

1. Discussion on a one-to-one basis just prior to the conduct of an air exercise to

ensure that the student understands exactly what will take place. This is essentially a
practical briefing on the Air Instruction in Part II of this guide, avoiding theory but
including the important aspects:
a. What are we going to do;
b. How are we going to do it; and,
c. Safety Considerations.

2. This is separate from the ground presentations. It should precede all flights,
whether or not there is a new exercise to be covered. It is also particularly important
when sending a student solo. Points that should be covered include:
a. Meteorological and aerodrome conditions, and NOTAM;
b. The aeroplane to be used, its fuel state and other relevant information;
c. Where the exercises will be conducted;
d. Take-off time, duration of flight and time when the aeroplane will land back
at base;
e. The sequence of exercises to be covered during the flight; and,
f. A review of relevant airmanship points and decision-making situations
expected during the flight.

IN-FLIGHT INSTRUCTION

3. The in-flight exercise is the culmination of all ground training and preparation. To
achieve maximum effectiveness, it must be flown immediately after the pre-flight
briefing, and to avoid confusion it should be flown as briefed. The following is a guide to
the conduct of a training flight. Variations may be necessary to suit individual student
requirements.

Control of Aircraft

4. There should never be any doubt as to who has control of the aircraft. The
procedure for giving and taking control is:
a. When you as pilot-in-command wish to give control to your student, say clearly
b"You have control". Teach your student to take control only when ready and then to
say "I have control". You do not relinquish control until you hear this phrase.
b. When you want to take control, say "I have control" and then take control,
ensuring that your student says "You have control" when relinquishing control.
c. As pilot-in-command, you have the final authority. Your request to give or take
control should not be questioned but acted on as quickly as possible by your students.
d. When the student has control, you must not "ride" the controls. Your student
may feel that you are taking control and this could lead to a dangerous situation.
Additionally, you may rob your student of the feeling of accomplishing the manoeuvre
independently. This procedure must be adhered to at all times.

In-Flight Teaching

5. For most new exercises you should first review the main points of the manoeuvre
and then give a perfect demonstration. The review must be short. Include such items
as airspeeds, power settings, altitudes, etc. Usually you can obtain this information
from your student. Your demonstration should be a complete manoeuvre and should
set the standard you want your student to ultimately achieve.

6. In the case of a complex manoeuvre, after the perfect demonstration,

demonstrate a small

7. Portion of the manoeuvre giving a brief explanation either before, during or after
the demonstration. Have your student attempt this small portion. Watch closely for any
major error. If you observe a major error, take control immediately and explain to your
student what was done incorrectly, then demonstrate as soon as possible what to do to
correct the error. Allow practice of that small portion before proceeding to the next
portion. Continue the process of demonstration, explanation and practice with close
supervision of each step or portion, until your student has completed the entire
manoeuvre. Then, allow continued practice, slowly withdrawing your guidance and
assistance.

8. As your student gains proficiency, you may look for minor errors and correct
them in the same manner. Remember though, learning to fly well takes time and you
should concentrate on the major points first. Many of the minor errors will be corrected
as your student corrects the major faults. Also, remember to praise for good
performance.

9. If practical, conclude the air exercise with a perfect demonstration of the

manoeuvre to be learned on the next lesson. This will help your student fully understand
the home study about the next exercise and also provide a positive mental picture about
what will be taking place during the next flight. Of course, you would not give a
demonstration of new material if the next lesson was to be a review or a repeat of a
lesson.

Analysis of Student Performance

10. When discussing a student's performance, always take control so that your
student may devote full attention to the instruction. In some cases you may ask the
student to analyze the errors in a particular sequence, usually this will happen during
latter stages of training. Do not be overly critical of minor faults during early stages.
Correct major faults first and then, as improvement is noted, correct the minor errors. If
a student indicates problems on a solo flight, it may be possible to analyze the problems
from the student's description of actions and the aircraft's response. The correct
technique can then be reviewed and practiced on the next flight. Sometimes, however,
students may not be able to identify or describe a problem clearly enough for a good
ground analysis to be made. You should then fly the exercise on the next dual flight
where you can analyze the performance and correct any faults.

Planning of Flight Instruction

11. To make efficient use of the time available, you should plan the flight to avoid
delays between exercises. Fuel limitations, area restrictions and weather conditions
should all be considered. Your flight should be planned so that one exercise is logically
and directly followed by another with a minimum time spent losing or gaining altitude or
in transit from one area to another.

12. Time spent going to and from the practice area can be utilized to full advantage.
Suggested items among other things, that might be included are:
a. Airspeed changes;
b. Ground speed checks;
c. Low level navigation;
d. VOR, ADF or GPS introduction;
e. Discussions of traffic pattern joining procedures should wind change;
f. Emergency procedures;
g. D.F. steers;
h. Map reading;
j. Estimated times of arrival;
k. Application of rule of thumb procedures;
m. Diversions (navigation).

POST-FLIGHT BRIEFING (DEBRIEFING)

Post-flight Briefing (Debriefing) Definition

13. Review with the student each exercise undertaken during the flight. In the case
of a dual flight, the debriefing should include strengths and weaknesses and
suggestions to improve performance. An outline of the next training session should be
given along with study assignments.

14. This should follow all flights, dual and solo. Points should include:
a. The student's own assessment of the flight and performance.
b. Your assessment of the student's performance. This should include both
the strong and weak points, and advice on how to correct any errors.
c. Answering any questions the student may have.
d. Assigning study subjects where appropriate.
Flight Safety

15. Flight safety is an important aspect of flight training. Both aircrew and
groundcrew must be aware of the need for correct safety practices. You are in a
position to reduce incorrect, unsafe and illegal practices. To be successful, a flight
safety program requires thecorrect attitude, proper supervision, rigid enforcement, and
proper training. Your student learns by example — you must set this example.

16. An experienced instructor is an effective supporter of the principles of good

airmanship and flight discipline. As you gain experience, learn to recognize unsafe
practices and do something to correct the situation. Practice flight safety by:
17. being alert to unsafe practices and taking the appropriate action;
18. following-up when you see an unsafe practice by informing the people involved
that they have been seen; and
19. Promoting the principles of effective flight safety to students and other aircrew
and ground crew.

20. Flight safety consciousness by all personnel must become the fashion. Unsafe
procedures must be watched for, identified, and their elimination effected by firm and
consistent action. Throughout your instruction, stress the importance of being fuel
conscious, the need for proper lookout and the danger of loose articles in the aircraft.

EXERCISE — Ensure students are engaged in meaningful activity.

21. Meaningful mental or physical activity is essential if learning is to occur. During

flight training this is achieved through correct practice or repetition. Students learn by
applying what they have been told or what has been demonstrated. As learning
continues or is strengthened by additional practice, your training syllabus should make
provision for this practice time. You must ensure that the practice is directed toward a
specific goal. Oral questions, hypothetical problems, dual review, or solo practice are
all methods of providing mental or physical activity.

22. If students are able to answer questions involving the words "how" and "why", it
usually means that they have a good understanding of the subject. As a flight instructor
these two words are probably the most important in your vocabulary. Study Table I and
note both.

23. the instructor and student activity for each level of learning. Should you attempt
to employ the application level of learning without having covered the understanding
level, students will encounter much more difficulty than if they had mastered previous
levels.
24. Suggestions:
a. Unless testing to see what students have learned, avoid questions that
are prefixed by the word "what". Give students the facts, figures and necessary
knowledge, then ask "how" and "why" questions to develop understanding of the
new knowledge.
b. Once you have told students a fact, avoid repeating yourself. Instead,
have them relate the facts back to you. This strengthens learning and confirms
their knowledge of the required material.
c. Give students challenging problems that fit the level of learning and
provide only enough assistance to keep them on track. When students are able
to solve the problems alone, they have demonstrated adequate knowledge and
ability.
d. Test students' knowledge and abilities frequently. This reinforces learning
and builds confidence. However, before testing you must be reasonably certain
that students can answer the questions or perform the skills, otherwise they may
become frustrated. Testing will also identify areas in which students have
weaknesses; thus, allowing you to re-teach to the required standard.

RECORDS
PROVIDES
VII EVALUATION AND ALL
ITEMS TO
DRAWS
BE TESTED
CONCLUSIONS
PROVIDES COMBINES
VI SYNTHESIS EXERCISE INFORMATION ALL
SITUATIONS INTO
CONCEPTS
PROVIDES BREAKS ITEMS
V ANALYSIS EXERCISE INTO SMALLER ALL
SITUATIONS COMPONENTS
DEMONSTRATES IMITATES
IV APPLICATION AND AND ALL
EXPLAINS PRACTISES
DEVELOPS ANSWERS
III COMPREHENSION LESSON BY AND WHY? & HOW?
(UNDERSTANDING) QUESTIONING ASKS
QUESTIONS
II KNOWLEDGE PRESENTS
LISTENS WHAT?
(INFORMATION) LECTURES
GIVES WHERE? &
FAMILIARIZATION LISTENS
I BRIEFINGS WHEN?
LEVELS OF INSTRUCTOR STUDENT KINDS OF LEARNING ACTIVITY QUESTIONS
 THE DEMONSTRATION-PERFORMANCE METHOD OF TEACHING

1. GENERAL

a. A student-instructor once asked, "If I had time to learn only one method of
lesson presentation, which one should I learn?" The answer is the
demonstration-performance method. Why? Well, the primary concern of an
instructor is training. Training, in large part, is devoted to the development of
physical and mental skills, procedures, and techniques. For example, flying
aircraft, interpreting blueprints, driving vehicles, welding, building, shooting,
repairing, solving problems, using a slide rule, filling out forms — all of these, and
many, many more, can be best taught by using the demonstration-performance
method.

b. The method is not new. It may be one of the oldest known methods of
instruction. One can imagine the caveman demonstrating to a son the procedure
for making the club, and then have the child make one.

c. The demonstration-performance method can be broken down into five

basic procedures. These procedures are:

(1) Explanation;
(2) Demonstration;
(3) Student performance;
(4) Instructor supervision; and
(5) Evaluation.

2. EXPLANATION AND DEMONSTRATION

a. The explanation and demonstration may be done at the same time, or the
demonstration given first followed by an explanation, or vice versa. The skill you
are required to teach might determine the best approach.

b. Consider the following: You are teaching a student how to do a forced

landing. Here are your options:

(1) Demonstrate a forced landing and simultaneously give an

explanation of what you are doing and why you are doing it; or,
(2) Complete the demonstration with no explanation and then give a
detailed explanation of what you have done; or,
(3) Give an explanation of what you intend to do and then do it.
 c. You will find that different instructors will approach the teaching of this skill
differently. The following represents a suggested approach that appears to work
best for most instructors.

(1) On the flight prior to the exercise on forced landings, give a perfect
demonstration of a forced landing. It may be better not to talk during this
demonstration, since you want it to be as perfect as possible to set the
standard for the future performance. There is another advantage of giving a
perfect demonstration prior to the forced landing exercise. Your students
will be able to form a clearer mental picture when studying the flight manual
because they have seen the actual manoeuvre.

(2) The next step would be for you to give a full detailed explanation of
a forced landing. During this explanation you would use all the instructional
techniques described previously. You must give reasons for what is
expected, draw comparisons with things already known and give examples
to clarify points. This explanation should be given on the ground using
visual aids to assist student learning.

(3) When in the air, give a demonstration, but also include important
parts of the explanation. Usually asking students questions about what you
are doing or should do, will give them an opportunity to prove they know the
procedure, although they have not yet flown it.

(4) After completing the forced landing approach, while climbing for
altitude, clear up any misunderstandings the students may have and ask
questions.

(5) The demonstration and explanation portion of the demonstration-

performance method is now complete and you should proceed to the next
part, which is the student performance and instructor supervision.

3. STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND INSTRUCTOR SUPERVISION

a. Student performance and instructor supervision are always carried out

concurrently during the initial stages of training. A student should not be allowed
to make a major error at this time. Your supervision must be close enough to
detect the start of an error and you must correct the student at that point.

b. The student should be allowed to perform the task in small segments with
you providing close supervision of each segment.
c. Referring to our example of the forced landing consider the following
suggestion of how to divide the task into segments: (i) On student's
first attempt:
 d. You the instructor;

(1) Select the field, making sure that it is within easy gliding range;
(2) Perform all in-flight checks including engine clearing and look-out.

(a) The student flies the aircraft and concentrates on making the
field.
(b) If the student makes a major error, you take control and
place aircraft in the correct position, then give the student control
and continue the approach. (Try to ensure that the student makes
the field on the first attempt even if you have to help all the way
through.)

(3) On subsequent attempts, depending on the degree of success of

the previous attempt, add more items for the student to carry out.

(4) Continue the process until you feel the student can fly the complete
manoeuvre alone. You have now completed the student performance and
instructor supervision portion of this method and you should now proceed
to the evaluation.

4. EVALUATION

a. The evaluation portion of the demonstration-performance method is where

students get an opportunity to prove that they can do the manoeuvre without
assistance.

b. For the simulated forced landing you should tell students that you will be
simulating an engine failure and that they are to carry out the entire procedure
including all checks and look-out.

c. While the student is performing this manoeuvre you must refrain from
making any comments. Offer no assistance whatsoever, not even grunts or
head nods. You must, however, observe the entire manoeuvre very carefully,
so that you can analyze any errors that the student may make and de-brief
accordingly.

NOTE: You would interrupt the student's performance, of course, if safety became a
factor (clearing engine is one factor, look-out another, there may be many more).
d. Success or failure during the evaluation stage of the lesson will determine
whether you carry on with the next exercise or repeat the lesson.
5. RULES FOR USING THE DEMONSTRATION-PERFORMANCE METHOD

a. Give a perfect demonstration or if not practical, show finished product.

Example: When teaching map preparation, show a map with a cross-country trip all
marked out-students will see the standard expected in preparing their own maps.

b. Give a step-by-step explanation of the required task-use reasons,

examples and comparisons to make the explanation clear.

c. Have students imitate a step of the skill while you provide close
supervision. For example, have students practice the entry to a steep turn until
correctly done before going on to the next step.

d. Continue until the student has imitated each step.

e. Provide student practice, with assistance as necessary.

f. Ensure that the amount of time allotted for student practice equals or
exceeds the amount of time for the demonstration, explanation, and student
performance under very close supervision. Students should take as much time
to practice as you take to teach.

g. Overall rule — while you are demonstrating and explaining, your student
listens and observes; while your student is performing, you listen and observe.
NEVER ask the student to perform while you are explaining.

h. Complete the exercise with an evaluation (final check-up) in which

students have the opportunity to prove what they can do.

j. NEVER just explain and demonstrate a skill or procedure for students.

ALWAYS have students perform the skill to ensure that the skill or procedure is
done properly. STICK

k. WITH THEM UNTIL THE SKILL IS DONE CORRECTLY. For example, a

student is about to proceed on a solo cross-country trip and asks you how to fill
in the aircraft journey log. Explaining how to do it, even with a demonstration, is
no guarantee of student success. Have students tell you how to do it or better
still, have them make a practice log entry before departure.
Meeting the Differences

6. You must be cognizant of the differences in aptitude, personality, and emotions

among your students, and understand the necessity to treat students as individuals.
When you have analyzed the situation and determined the differences, seek assistance
from more experienced instructors or supervisors when it is necessary. You will
attempt to equalize the different levels of understanding, ideally raising the level of
some without retarding the progress of others. Coping with differences among students
is perhaps the greatest challenge of instructing, and finding the correct approach for
each student is essential.

7. Some traits and faults of students are fairly common and can be recognized
easily. These are discussed in the following paragraphs, together with suggested
corrective actions. (Refer to Table 2)

a. NERVOUS OR UNDERCONFIDENT. Nervousness or under confidence

in a student is a trait which may or may not disappear. Instruction may be too
rapid and material may not be absorbed. Repeating the fundamentals and
ensuring mastery will often alleviate this condition. You must ensure that this
type of student receives deserved praise whenever