I've actually been thinking about this lately, and feel that it is really important that the new instructor get a solid idea of how the student performs as well as strengths and weaknesses. If I were assigned a new student today, and he/she was working on a private pilot's license, there are a lot of things I would ask the previous instructor.
The first thing that I would do would be to take a very close look at the student's folder. I would make sure that the hours needed as well as the specific requirements for that stage were being met. If there was anything that seemed out of place, I would be able to ask the previous instructor questions before they became a problem.
The second thing I would do would be to sit down with the instructor, or at least have a good conversation with him/her to see how that student was doing. Specifically, I would ask about the level of preparation, dedication, and the financial status of the student. I would also ask if there were any hazardous attitudes, or any other unique concerns that I should keep in mind.
The third thing I would do would be to talk with the student. I would clarify what I expect him/her to do as far as preparation, and I would also look into the financial situation of the student. I know that when I was getting my private pilot's license, money was a critical part. If I hadn't had the support of my flight instructor, it would have been tough to go all the way through with my training.
In addition to doing these things, I would talk with the student every chance we got about ground topics. Instead of doing it in a more evaluational method, I would just converse with him/her. This would let me know what things I needed to focus on, as well as make conversation comfortable between us.
Hopefully these things would help me to transition the student smoothly, and he/she wouldn't feel like any time or effort was wasted.
No comments:
Post a Comment