Age is a State of Mind
As we were putting together a puzzle, my 4-year-old granddaughter said, "Let me help you, Grandpa. It's kind of tricky." This eye-opening comment from a preschooler has plenty of meaning for a pilot learning to manage a glass cockpit airplane. For younger, less experienced pilots, learning to use such technology may not be intimidating. Neither is playing video games, searching the Web or text messaging. But things are often different for older, more experienced pilots. Appreciating what new technology has to offer doesn't make it easy.
We older pilots remember the first reliable DME, a wonderful RNAV — and then we had it all with Loran. I remember not trusting the earliest digital radio displays because they randomly failed. I am pleased that it is a different story today.
A young instructor about to familiarize me with a glass cockpit airplane simply assumed that I knew it all, given my nearly 16,000 hours as a pilot and flight instructor. After starting the engine, I asked this young man what we were going to do next. He simply pointed to the flight plan he had programmed in the Garmin GPS. I promptly shut down the engine as both this instructor and I needed a lesson. I was not prepared for the flight, and the instructor took too much for granted about my knowledge and skills. Mixture to idle cutoff put both of us on the same page.
Due to necessity and desire, I was ultimately able to master a glass cockpit airplane. Now, I enjoy passing the benefits of technology on to others. In fact, I recently worked with an older pilot who had a passion for flying and a thirst for mental stimulation. Putting him into the glass cockpit of a high performance airplane seemed the perfect challenge. But he faced numerous obstacles, including lack of currency (most of 20 years), age (now in his early 70s) and questionable confidence. Hearing a polite computer-generated voice warn of traffic prompted a smile and we were well on our way.
My experience with this particular student taught me many lessons. Here are some tips I hope you can apply in your own flight instruction with older students.
• Be prepared. A lesson reviewing the POH, aircraft systems and normal operations used to be about all we did before a first flight. Today, lack of glass cockpit preparation could make the first flight the last. Consider starting with simulator use of a Garmin GPS. Then help your student become familiar with the basics of the glass screens and commands. A session or two in the cockpit with auxiliary power simply touching buttons would be time well spent. The engine systems page is user friendly and can be mastered with repetition. Even mixture control management can be grasped within the first few flights. The altitude and airspeed moving tapes may take more time to appreciate.
• Keep it short. Limit lessons to a reasonable time, such as 1-1/2 hours. Review past lessons during each flight, and then add a bit more each time. Eventually your student will have the confidence needed to stay ahead of the airplane.
• Create opportunities for success. Let your student do the flying and push the buttons. Set measurable goals for each lesson, and prompt your student as needed to meet them. Offer plenty of compliments along the way. When you need to make a correction, keep it casual. Saying how nicely this airplane made a steep turn means more than, "Watch your bank."
• Require precision. Provide specific directions for each maneuver, and set your expectations high. Give your student time to correct an error without help — but strive for perfection. Your students will expect this of themselves, and you should accept nothing less. Practice will make a difference.
• Use autopilot. Consider introducing the autopilot early. Use it as a training tool to provide needed relaxation during explanation of a maneuver or completion of an instrument procedure.
• Mimic reality. Make flights that resemble how your student will actually fly. Throwing in an occasional missed approach procedure or simulated difficult weather condition will help your student appreciate thorough flight planning — but don't overload your student with unusual situations.
• Make emergencies meaningful. Ask questions such as, "What would we do right now if an alternator failed?" Follow the question with a thorough discussion. Later, simulate the same emergency without warning.
• Eliminate panic. It helped to post a brief reminder list on the panel. For example:
• Slow down. A fast airplane is great, but not when preparing for an instrument approach.
• Complete most instrument approaches to a full-stop landing. There's little need to do a missed approach every time. Completing most approaches to a full-stop landing is fun and helps build confidence. It also improves takeoffs and landings, as well as communication and observation skills.
• Plan cross country flights carefully. Make sure your cross country flights are long enough to allow time to prepare for the next approach. Multiple approaches to the same runway can help boost confidence.
• Know when to start over. Remind your student that when it gets too complicated, there's nothing wrong with starting over. For example, if ATC is simply too busy to handle instrument approaches on a high traffic VFR day, choose another airport or practice takeoffs and landings.
• Be patient. With patience and repetition, your student's confidence will soar. If your student criticizes himself or herself for not learning more easily, make sure your expectations are appropriate. It might take more patience and more practice than either of you expect, but the results will be worth the effort.
• Encourage self-evaluation. Ask your student what he or she feels about their performance. An example would be, “What did you think of your landing?” If it needs improvement, follow up with a question like, “What would make it more comfortable next time?” Replace your coaching with the student talking themselves through the procedure. We all know the best way to learn to fly is to have to teach someone else and your student can learn the same way.
Back to my 73-year-old student. Comfort with flight control, power settings and engine management was ultimately complemented with GPS navigation, waypoint and weather information. Student and instructor commitment resulted in an IPC endorsement.
Just like good landings, productive flight lessons require patience. This is especially true when the student is an older pilot. Years ago, frustration with a challenging student led me to wonder, "Is it possible that some people simply can't learn to fly?" My mentor responded, "It just takes some longer than others." With plenty of patience, you can teach new technology to students of any age.
Another older pilot I once instructed taught me similar lessons. At nearly 80 years old, he was an experienced pilot – but intimidated by technology. Thanks to patience and perseverance from both of us, his thoughts changed from, “I wonder if I can do this” to “I can do this” to “I like it!” The right attitude and passion to learn made this older pilot look ahead, not back.
Instructing older pilots can be rewarding. I encourage you to embrace the challenge.
Originally published Mentor
Revised October, 2009