The First Lesson

7 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Micah on Aug 11, 2011

   This depends on the student and what I know about the student (what the student knows about flying), but usually right at 1 hour and largely my introduction is:
   Airplane vocabulary and flight control use
   Practicing basic flight control, showing what types of input are normal
   Visual attitudes of flight/what normal flight maneuvers look like when looking outside/show the student some visual references to remember
   Depending on how this goes I’ll then introduce some basic maneuvers to build or test skill or maybe we’ll go to another airport for a touch-and-go or maybe we’ll just fly around and look at the city (or all of this). Flying is enjoyable and the student usually wants to learn the skills soon enough but it’s usually too much to sink in all at once. I want my student’s first flight to be useful but also enjoyable. 

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2. 
   

   
   

   Brian on Aug 11, 2011

   My first lesson revolves around making my students feel comfortable so they can be ready to learn. The basis of this idea comes from Maslow second item – safety. I do a thorough preflight as always, but I don’t explain everything I’m doing. Instead I make the focal point of this preflight being the structural soundness of our aircraft. In other words, I shake the wings, push on the landing gear, knock on the side of the fuselage, etc. Beyond that I answer any questions while keeping in mind the student doesn’t need to learn it all the first day.
    
   I fly all aspects of the takeoff, climb, pattern, and landing. All checklists and radio calls are done by me. This leaves me doing about 5-7 minutes of the flying. The total flight is between 0.8 and 1.2 depending on how long the student wants to be in the air. The point of me minimizing the student workload in such a way is to maximize the core concepts I wish for them to learn this flight. These concepts are as follows:
    

   An airplane and the flight environment are safe.
   Basic turns and straight and level flight.
   Aircraft stability

   I will touch on the last point as I believe it is one we all to often let slip through the cracks and it makes a wonderful first lesson demonstration. Airplanes are stable. The pilot, no matter what he or she might think, is really not ‘in control’ per se. The airplane has it’s own control, an engineer would call this the aircrafts stability. The pilot is there merely to guide the airplane.

   This is demonstrated by trimming for cruise and, before I relinquish control to the student, demonstrating pitch and roll stability. The demonstration takes less time than it took you to read this paragraph: pitch back and let go. The airplane returns to level. Repeat for pitch down, bank left 10-15 degrees and bank right.

   One final caveat, I don’t introduce rudder and coordinated turns yet. That is the basis of lesson 4. At this stage the student (still used to driving in cars) will feel completely comfortable feeling lateral g from turning. After all, that is what they feel every time they turn a car. Since I want them to be as comfortable as possible at this stage, I put this off.

   To see every aspect of what I discuss you can visit this link: http://www.evolutionaryflighttraining.com/training/course/section.php?id=3&section=1

   Hope that helps.

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3. 
   

   
   

   Wes Beard on Aug 12, 2011

   I will typically take up a new student with no previous experience flying an aircraft and show them all the cool stuff they can do with their license… once they get it.
    
   Never in my wildest imagination will I think about teaching them maneuvers or slow flight or stalls and such.
    
   We will typically fly and we will go over their house or other areas of interest and land at a nearby airport.  I tend to make it a point that you can get to your destination quicker flying than you can driving.
    
   Depending on how things are going. I will explain to them how I control the airplane using outside references and mention that the instruments on the inside are only used as a backup to what we see on the outside.  The typical flight lasts just under one hour.  In the end, they have a good sense of what this privilege will afford them and tend to want to continue.

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4. 
   

   
   

   MaggotCFII on Aug 13, 2011

   This is the Lesson Plan I use for the first flight.  It is a work in progress.  When used it will be varied and adapted to the individual, depending on experiences, etc.  It is formatted 5×8 for the kneeboard, used, notes made and kept in my student’s file.
   I schedule at least a 4 hour block and generally bill 3 hours CFI plus airplane. Ground is vital and worth taking your time to do.  Flight portion is just about 1.3; .3 start/taxi, .9 air and .1 taxi.  Although not a “demo” it is still a sales opportunity!  It is also the opportunity to see if you and the student will “mesh” so to speak.
    

   “THE FIRST”  LESSON PLAN
    
   Student/#_______________­­____     Aircraft#__________      Date__________
    
   EQUIPMENT:  Airplane / Headsets
    
   OBJECTIVES:  Introduce instructor; have conversation with individual to determine background, interests and goals (certificate goals).  Explain the first flight purpose of providing individual with a pleasant experience and information.
    
   ELEMENTS:  Instructor presents professional image, explains requirements for the PPL(Med, Written, Checkride) and costs. Vary presentation-do not overwhelm student.
   Take break between Ground and Flight portions.
   GROUND PORTION:  Do at airplane
   Instructor explains how the airplane will fly,  how it is controlled and what will be done during flight.  Generally explain outside visual references.
   Instructor introduces airplane; explains preflight, preflight briefing, insures individual is comfortable by seat adjustment for max vision.  Assure headset comfort.  Introduce individual to the cockpit instruments and controls before engine start.  CFI does checklists.
    
   FLIGHT PORTION:  Safety and comfort the primary concern.  Emphasis on outside visual  references.
    
   ASSOCIATED MANEUVERS:  To be determined by CFI & Individual before flight and noted here:  S&L, Turns at 20° bank/90° Hdg change, Descents then Climbs a goal.
    
   SCHEDULE:
    
    Ground: 1.5    Flight:  1.3    Post-flight: .5
    
   INSTRUCTOR ACTIONS:
   Ask for feedback and encourage individual to ask questions.  Provide individual with a positive experience. 
    
   STUDENT ACTIONS:  To have a good time.
    
   EVALUATION:
    
    
   NEXT

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5. 
   

   
   

   Earl Kessler on Aug 13, 2011

   My first lesson is a close focus on the pre-flight inspection.  I actually take the POH out and do every step on the manufacturer’s suggested pre-flight, pausing to discuss every system and surface on the walk-around in depth.  If it is not too difficult, I even de-cowl the airplane to show basic components of the powerplant and associated systems. This usually takes at least 30 minutes depending upon the student and often goes an hour.  Next I do what most other instructors do, including take-off, climbs, shallow turns, control coordination, descents and landing.  Since we are near Lake Tahoe, I usually do a fly-over of the Lake so they have a pleasant memory and a view they have never seen no matter how long they have lived here.

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6. 
   

   
   

   James MacGregor CFI on Aug 13, 2011

    Basically we fly from airport A to B I buy them a quick lunch and talk about flying, fly back to A.
    I let the client “feel what I am doing” on takeoff and landing, let them try their hand at straight and level (once I get the plane trimmed out).
    
    I DON’T get too involved in technical or un-fun stuff (there will be plenty of time for that during training).
   I keep my 3×5 checklist between my legs for my run-up and don’t read it aloud. All my radio transmission I use my normal voice and speak slowly and try to minimize non civilian language.
   If you overwhelm this with too much technical stuff then you loose the adventure and fun factor, you also make the client think “I have to learn ALL this!” and  that  causes them to not  pursue aviation… and costs me money.
   THE FIRST FLIGHT NEED TO DEMONSTRATE 1)FUN!! & 2) OBTAINABILITY
    
    

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7. 
   

   
   

   James MacGregor CFI on Aug 13, 2011

   mis-read,
    
    For the first lesson I dont do the lunch thing, but still do the flight to another airport, still let them “feel what I am doing” and I have them read the checklist and do everything on it with me, I dont talk too much about the instruments and keep their head outside the aircraft ESPECIALLY at this early stage, aside from that it’s just what I wrote above

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