Aviation Instructor's Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9)
Chapter 7: Planning Instructional Activity
Introduction
Susan (learner) and Bill (flight instructor) are flying a lesson scenario which consists of a short cross-country leg to a local airport for
some practice landings followed by a return to the home airport located in Class C airspace. While practicing landings at the
nontowered airport, Susan notes that the ceiling is lowering, and the crosswind is beginning to increase. In his own mind, Bill is
convinced that they can practice landings for another 30 minutes to an hour and still return to home base. However, instead of
telling Susan this, while taxiing back after a full stop landing, he first asks her several questions.
⦁ Has the flight situation changed since they left the home field?
⦁ What does she think of the weather situation?
⦁ How can we gain more information?
-
Check with Flight Service by cell phone or on the radio?
- Stop at the local Fixed Based Operator (FBO) and call back to the home FBO to check on weather?
⦁ Are there other issues?
- Fuel?
- Schedule?
⦁ Aircraft equipment (instrument flight rules (IFR)/visual flight rules (VFR)) and pilot capability?
Susan decides that she would be more comfortable returning to the home airport and practicing landings there to stay out of the
weather. Although not his plan, it is a good plan based on accurate situational awareness and good risk management skills, so Bill
agrees. Susan is now beginning to gain confidence by practicing her judgment and decision-making skills. In the postflight critique,
Susan leads a discussion of this and other decisions she has made in order to learn more about understanding hazards and mitigating
risk.
In the past, the aviation instructor was a capable pilot or aviation technician with a general understanding of basic teaching methods
and techniques. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) places greater emphasis on the instructor’s role and skill as a
teacher and mentor. The instructor should understand how to create and use lesson objectives and lesson plans. The instructor should
know how to assess learning and motivate learners through proper feedback and by setting a good example. The learning that
takes place is a direct result of the instructor's active lesson preparation, delivery, observation, and assessment.
Historically, aviation instruction focused on the performance of specific procedures and/or maneuvers, and measured learning with
objective standards. Changing technology and innovations in learning provide today’s aviation instructors with the opportunity to use
new methods and teach to new standards. One of these methods, introduced in Chapter 5, The Teaching Process, is scenario-based
training (SBT). While SBT is an integral component of today’s aviation training, the instructor is crucial to its implementation. By
emphasizing SBT, the instructor functions in the learning environment as an advisor and guide for the learner.
This chapter reviews the planning required by the professional aviation instructor as it relates to four key topics —course of training,
blocks of learning, training syllabus, and lesson plans. It also explains how to integrate SBT, aeronautical decision-making (ADM),
and risk management into the aviation training lesson.
Course of Training
Whatever the method of teaching, the key to developing well-planned and organized aviation instruction includes using lesson plans
and a training syllabus that meet all regulatory certification requirements. Much of the basic planning necessary for the flight
instructor and maintenance instructor is provided by the knowledge and proficiency requirements published in Title 14 of the Code of
Federal Regulations (14 CFR) parts 61 and 65, approved school syllabi, and the various texts, manuals, and training courses
available.
As discussed in Chapter 5, The Teaching Process, a course of training is a series of studies leading to attainment of a specific goal
such as a certificate of completion, graduation, or an academic degree. An instructor plans instructional content around the course of
training by determining the objectives and standards, which in turn determine individual lesson plans, test items, and levels of
learning. For a complete discussion of these items, see Chapter 5.
Blocks of Learning
After the overall training objectives have been established, the next step is the identification of the blocks of learning which constitute
the necessary parts of the total objective. Just as in building a pyramid, some blocks are submerged in the structure and never appear
on the surface, but each is an integral and necessary part of the structure. Thus, the various blocks are not isolated subjects, but
essential parts of the whole. During the process of identifying the blocks of learning to be assembled for the proposed training
activity, the instructor should also examine each block to ensure it is an integral part of the structure. Extraneous blocks of instruction
are expensive frills, especially in-flight instruction, and detract from, rather than assist in, the completion of the final objective.
While determining the overall training objectives is a necessary first step in the planning process, early identification of the
foundation blocks of learning is also essential. Training for any such complicated and involved task as piloting or maintaining an
aircraft requires the development and assembly of many segments or blocks of learning in their proper relationships. In this way, a
learner can master the segments or blocks individually and can progressively combine these with other related segments until their
sum meets the overall training objectives.
The blocks of learning identified during the planning and management of a training activity should be fairly consistent in scope. They
should represent units of learning which can be measured and evaluated —not a sequence of periods of instruction. For example, the
flight training of a private pilot might be divided into the following major blocks: achievement of the knowledge and skills necessary
for solo, the knowledge and skills necessary for solo cross-country flight, and the knowledge and skills appropriate for obtaining a
private pilot certificate. [Figure 7-1]
Figure 7-1. The presolo stage or phase of private pilot training is comprised of several basic building blocks. These blocks of
learning, which should include coordinated ground and flight training, lead up to the first solo.
Use of the building block approach provides the learner with a boost in self-confidence. This normally occurs each time a block is
completed. Otherwise, an overall goal, such as earning a mechanic’s certificate, may seem unobtainable. If the larger blocks are
broken down into smaller blocks of instruction, each on its own is more manageable. Humans learn from the simple to the complex.
For example, a learner pilot should understand and master the technique of a normal landing prior to being introduced to short-field
and soft-field landings. A helicopter pilot should be proficient in running landings before the instructor introduces a no hydraulics
approach and landing.
By becoming familiar with the learner’s aviation background, an instructor can plan the sequence of instruction blocks. Does the
applicant have previous aeronautical experience or possess a pilot certificate in another category? This information will help the
instructor design appropriate training blocks. For example, if the learner is a helicopter pilot who is transitioning to an airplane, he or
she will understand speed control, but not necessarily know how to achieve it in an airplane. The instructor can plan blocks of
instruction that build on what the learner already knows.
Training Syllabus
Instructors nee d a prac tical guide to h elp th em make sur e th e trainin g is accomplish ed in a log ical sequence an d th at all o f the
requirements are completed and properly documented. A well organized, comprehensive syllabus can fulfill these needs.
Syllabus Format and Content
The format and organization of the syllabus may vary, but it always should be in the form of an abstract or digest of the course of
training. It should contain blocks of learning to be completed in the most efficient order. Since a syllabus is intended to be a summary
of a course of training, it should be fairly brief, yet comprehensive enough to cover essential information. This information is usually
presented in an outline format with lesson- by-lesson coverage. Some syllabi include tables to show recommended training time for
each lesson, as well as the overall minimum time requirements. [Figure 7-2]
While many instructors may develop their own training syllabi, there are many well-designed commercial products that may be used.
These are found in various training manuals, approved school syllabi, and other publications available from industry.
Syllabi developed for approved flight schools contain specific information that is outlined in 14 CFR parts 141 and 142. In contrast,
syllabi designed for training in other than approved schools may not provide certain details such as enrollment prerequisites, planned
completion times, and descriptions of checks and tests to measure learner accomplishments for each stage of training.
Since effective training relies on organized blocks of learning, all syllabi should stress well-defined objectives and standards for each
lesson. Appropriate objectives and standards should be established for the overall course, the separate ground and flight segments,
and for each stage of training. Other details may be added to a syllabus in order to explain how to use it and describe the pertinent
training and reference materials. Examples of the training and reference materials include textbooks, websites, video, compact discs,
exams, briefings, and instructional guides.
How to Use a Training Syllabus
Any practical training syllabus needs to be flexible and should be used primarily as a guide. Under 14 CFR part 61, the order of
training can and should be altered to suit the progress of the learner and the demands of special circumstances. For example, previous
experience or different rates of learning often require some alteration or repetition to fit individual learners. The syllabus should also
be flexible enough so it can be adapted to weather variations, aircraft availability, and scheduling changes without disrupting the
teaching process or completely suspending training.
When departing from the order prescribed by the syllabus, however, it is the responsibility of the instructor to consider how the
relationships of the blocks of learning are affected. For example, if the learner is having a difficult time with normal approaches and
landings, the instructor might decide to delay adding short-field landings, which were originally to be the next step in his block of
instruction. To prevent the learner from becoming frustrated with his or her poor landing technique, the instructor may choose to
review the block on slow flight, which offers the learner a chance to do well and regain confidence. This exercise also builds the skills
necessary for the learner to master approaches and normal landings.
Each approved training course provided by a certificated aviation school should be conducted in accordance with a training syllabus
specifically approved by the FAA. At certificated schools, the syllabus is a key part of the training course outline. The instructional
facilities, airport, aircraft, and instructor personnel support the course of training specified in the syllabus. Compliance with the
appropriate, approved syllabus is a condition for graduation from such courses. Therefore, effective use of a syllabus necessitates
that it be referred to throughout the entire course of training. Both the instructor and the learner should have a copy of the approved
syllabus. However, as previously mentioned, adherence to a syllabus should not be so stringent that it becomes inflexible or
unchangeable. It should be flexible enough to adapt to the special needs of individual learners.
Ground training lessons and classroom lectures concentrate on the cognitive domain of learning. A typical lesson might includ e
defining, labeling, or listing what the learner understands so far. Many of the knowledge areas are directly or indirectly c oncerned
with safety, ADM, and judgment. Since these subjects are associated with the affective domain of learning (emotion), instructors who
find a way to stress safety, ADM, and judgment, along with the traditional aviation subjects, can favorably influence a learn er’s
attitude, beliefs, and values.
Figure 7-2. This excerpt of a ground lesson shows a unit of ground instruction. In this example, neither the time nor the number of
ground training periods to be devoted to the lesson is specified. The lesson should include three parts —objective, content, and
completion standards.
Flight training lessons or aviation technical lab sessions also include knowledge areas, but they generally emphasize the psychomotor
domain of learning because the learner is “doing” something. The lesson plan shown in Figure 7- 3 shows the main elements of a
ground lesson for a flight learner. The affective domain of learning is also important in this type of training; a learner’s attitude
toward safety, ADM, and judgment, should be a major concern of the instructor.
Figure 7-3. A flight training lesson, like a ground training lesson, should include an objective, content, and completion standards.
More than one objective could, and often does, apply to a single flight lesson.
The flight training syllabus should include Risk Management instruction unique to each stage, phase, or training element to help the
learner identify the risks involved and employ strategies to mitigate them. Throughout the learner’s training scenarios the instructor
should include increasingly more subtle risks so that the learner becomes more skilled in identifying them and able to
develop effective mitigation strategies. The aviation technician syllabus should also emphasize what constitutes unsafe practices, such
as the ease of introducing foreign object damage (FOD) to an aircraft when the location of tools is not monitored.
A syllabus may include several other items that add to or clarify the objective, content, or standards. A lesson may specify the
recommended class time, reference or study materials, recommended sequence of training, and study assignment for the next lesson.
Both ground and flight lessons may have explanatory information notes added to specific lessons. [Figure 7-4]
Figure 7-4. Information in the form of notes may be added to individual ground or flight lessons in a syllabus when they are
necessary.
While a syllabus is designed to provide a road map showing how to accomplish the overall objective of a course of training, it may be
useful for other purposes. As already mentioned, it can be used as a checklist to ensure that required training has successfully been
completed. Thus, a syllabus can be an effective tool for recordkeeping. Enhanced syllabi, which also are designed for recordkeeping,
can be very beneficial to the independent instructor.
This recordkeeping function is usually facilitated by boxes or blank spaces adjacent to the knowledge areas, procedures, or
maneuvers in a lesson. Most syllabi introduce each procedure or maneuver in one lesson and review them in subsequent lessons.
Some syllabi also include provisions for grading learner performance and recording both ground and flight training time. Accurate
recordkeeping is necessary to keep both the learner and the instructor informed on the status of training. These records also serve as a
basis for endorsements and recommendations for knowledge and practical tests. Some training syllabi or records may include coded
numbers or letters for other instructors to record their evaluation of a learner’s progress and knowledge or skill level. [Figure 7-5]
Figure 7-5. Glider training log.
Another benefit of using a syllabus is that it helps in the development of lesson plans. A well-constructed syllabus already contains
much of the essential information that is required in a lesson plan, including objectives, content, and completion standards.
Lesson Plans
A lesson plan is an organized outline for a single instructional period. It is a necessary guide for the instructor because it tells what to
do, in what order to do it, and what procedure to use in teaching the material of a lesson. Lesson plans should be prepared for each
training period and be developed to show specific knowledge and/or skills to be taught.
A mental outline of a lesson is not a lesson plan. A lesson plan should be put into writing. Another instructor should be able to take
the lesson plan and know what to do in conducting the same period of instruction. Written out, the lesson plan can be analyzed for
adequacy and completeness.
Lesson plans make excellent recordkeeping forms that can become a permanent part of a pilot’s training record. They can be
formatted for the instructor to carry in the aircraft and include a checklist for indicating what portions of the lesson were completed,
date of completion, the flight instructor’s signature, and time flown. The lesson plan can also have a notation section for flight
instructor comments.