Comments on: Should you practice approaches with a student pilot? http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm Flight Training Questions Answered Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:54:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mohammed Elmhami http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1724 Mohammed Elmhami Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:50:23 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1724 I recently got my PPL, and I thought that I would comment on this just to give everyone the perspective of a student. I strongly agree with John Eakin when he mentioned that you should know your student. I believe that extra instrument instruction is great as long as the student learns something from it. It will give the student a bigger picture, and hopefully it will make the student respect what can happen in IMC. I did the basic "under the hood" training, but it would have been nice if I had got to experience actual IMC. I know that I won't dare go into IMC, but that's me. Some students might feel overconfident and others might be too timid. In my opinion it is up to the instructor to determine if the experience is going to be good for the student or not. I recently got my PPL, and I thought that I would comment on this just to give everyone the perspective of a student. I strongly agree with John Eakin when he mentioned that you should know your student. I believe that extra instrument instruction is great as long as the student learns something from it. It will give the student a bigger picture, and hopefully it will make the student respect what can happen in IMC.
I did the basic “under the hood” training, but it would have been nice if I had got to experience actual IMC. I know that I won’t dare go into IMC, but that’s me. Some students might feel overconfident and others might be too timid. In my opinion it is up to the instructor to determine if the experience is going to be good for the student or not.

]]> By: Max Trescott http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1442 Max Trescott Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:00:27 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1442 I worry that by requiring Student pilots to have 3 hours of training under the hood to get a Private certificate that they may be left with the false impression that if they were to blunder into the clouds, they are now equipped to handle it. I tell them "Never enter a cloud under penalty of death" after explaining the 90% fatality rate of VFR-into-IMC accidents. Recently, for the first time I did demonstrated an autopilot coupled ILS approach to a student pilot learning to fly in a G1000 C172. He's very tech savvy and I'm sure will go on to get an instrument rating soon after he finishes his Private. My purpose was not to encourage him to get trapped in the clouds, but to expose him to the benefits of an instrument rating. Candidly though, if a Private pilot understood his autopilot, it I don't think it be that hard for a knowledgeable controller/pilot to talk a pilot, stuck on top of the clouds, through an autopilot coupled ILS. I worry that by requiring Student pilots to have 3 hours of training under the hood to get a Private certificate that they may be left with the false impression that if they were to blunder into the clouds, they are now equipped to handle it. I tell them “Never enter a cloud under penalty of death” after explaining the 90% fatality rate of VFR-into-IMC accidents.
Recently, for the first time I did demonstrated an autopilot coupled ILS approach to a student pilot learning to fly in a G1000 C172. He’s very tech savvy and I’m sure will go on to get an instrument rating soon after he finishes his Private. My purpose was not to encourage him to get trapped in the clouds, but to expose him to the benefits of an instrument rating. Candidly though, if a Private pilot understood his autopilot, it I don’t think it be that hard for a knowledgeable controller/pilot to talk a pilot, stuck on top of the clouds, through an autopilot coupled ILS.

]]> By: John Eakin http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1371 John Eakin Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:55:19 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1371 I have to second Ken's comments as I always insured that students got to see the inside of a cloud and learned to respect weather. But beyond the minimum required hours and some minimal level of proficiency on the gauges, I believe it depends on the student. Some students struggle to meet the PTS standards, some are a little timid and need a lot of TLC. OTOH, some students need more of a challenge - if for no other reason than to demonstrate how much they don't know. At certain times of the year - when I knew that the weather was improving AND I had minimums for an ASR or LOC (or whatever equipment was installed), it was standard practice to get a clearance to on top. Go to the practice area for airwork, then shoot an approach to home. The alternative may have been that the student would otherwise be weathered out of flying for weeks at a time. (Nice cool air in the practice area, too.) So my vote goes for knowing your student. What is appropriate for his level of experience? Will he benefit from the experience? Can it be done safely (and cost effectively for the student)? Keeping flight training fun, exciting, and interesting is a constant battle and a little time in actual is a lot more fun than the dreaded hood - and who isn't impressed by breaking out on top in bright sunshine. I have to second Ken’s comments as I always insured that students got to see the inside of a cloud and learned to respect weather. But beyond the minimum required hours and some minimal level of proficiency on the gauges, I believe it depends on the student.

Some students struggle to meet the PTS standards, some are a little timid and need a lot of TLC. OTOH, some students need more of a challenge – if for no other reason than to demonstrate how much they don’t know.

At certain times of the year – when I knew that the weather was improving AND I had minimums for an ASR or LOC (or whatever equipment was installed), it was standard practice to get a clearance to on top. Go to the practice area for airwork, then shoot an approach to home. The alternative may have been that the student would otherwise be weathered out of flying for weeks at a time. (Nice cool air in the practice area, too.)

So my vote goes for knowing your student. What is appropriate for his level of experience? Will he benefit from the experience? Can it be done safely (and cost effectively for the student)?

Keeping flight training fun, exciting, and interesting is a constant battle and a little time in actual is a lot more fun than the dreaded hood – and who isn’t impressed by breaking out on top in bright sunshine.

]]> By: Paul http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1366 Paul Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:25:12 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1366 Great points Ken. Thanks. You would think that with all the VFR-into-IMC accidents, that your suggestions would make it into the FARs. I agree with you that preparation is the key in not becoming another statistic. Great points Ken. Thanks.

You would think that with all the VFR-into-IMC accidents, that your suggestions would make it into the FARs. I agree with you that preparation is the key in not becoming another statistic.

]]> By: Ken Lane http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1365 Ken Lane Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:15:23 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1365 I'll put students through much more than the requisite three hours for a few reasons. One, three hours simply is not enough. When I received my training twenty-five-plus years ago, hood time was not required. Second, I'll put a primary student into IMC. I want them to experience it for two reasons. Actually, three. First, I want them to know flying into IMC is serious business. Until trained AND prepared, they need to work hard to avoid it. Two, they'll see the importance of obtaining an instrument rating. Third, they'll see just having an instrument rating is not enough. It takes proficiency and dedicated work to stay there. If in the event they do fly into IMC, I want them to be able to be as calm and prepared as when losing power. Simply follow the procedure for correcting the situation. Instrument flight should not be taken lightly, especially by primary students. But, I want them to experience it and in a safe manner. Not by inadvertant flight into IMC. I’ll put students through much more than the requisite three hours for a few reasons. One, three hours simply is not enough. When I received my training twenty-five-plus years ago, hood time was not required.

Second, I’ll put a primary student into IMC. I want them to experience it for two reasons. Actually, three. First, I want them to know flying into IMC is serious business. Until trained AND prepared, they need to work hard to avoid it. Two, they’ll see the importance of obtaining an instrument rating. Third, they’ll see just having an instrument rating is not enough. It takes proficiency and dedicated work to stay there.

If in the event they do fly into IMC, I want them to be able to be as calm and prepared as when losing power. Simply follow the procedure for correcting the situation.

Instrument flight should not be taken lightly, especially by primary students. But, I want them to experience it and in a safe manner. Not by inadvertant flight into IMC.

]]> By: JoshDMartin http://www.askacfi.com/1472/should-you-practice-approaches-with-a-student-pilot.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1354 JoshDMartin Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:28:32 +0000 http://www.askacfi.com/?p=1472#comment-1354 Good question and good answer. I wouldn't ever teach a primary student that either for the reasons you gave. Good question and good answer. I wouldn’t ever teach a primary student that either for the reasons you gave.

]]>