An “engagement letter” is a simple statement of professional responsibilities, duties and expectations. Most often lawyers insist on these agreements as a first step before beginning any professional relationship. And that is because most lawyers have extensive experience with human suffering and “misunderstandings.” Start with the facts and expected outcome but also imagine what might … Continue reading “Start Honest; “Engagement Letter!””
If it is a great time to become a pilot, it’s an even better time to become an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner. The application process is easy and clear, if you have the required ratings and experience, please follow the procedures and apply. We need more good pilot examiners. The guidance is in the current … Continue reading “Pathway to DPE!”
It may be politically incorrect to state this so publically, but we all know that in our daily aviation world there are some people that endanger all of our lives with their unwise actions. Sometimes “stupid” is a one-off move (guilty as charged) that can be fixed. In other cases, “stupid” seems to be an … Continue reading “Ideas to “Cure Stupid!?””
The Dunning-Kruger Effect is often misunderstood to apply exclusively to low intelligence; “too dumb to know you are dumb.” But Dunning-Kruger applies across the spectrum of human intelligence and actually describes a lack of self-awareness or metacognition that blinds individuals at every level to their real abilities. Very simply, we are unaware of our incompetence … Continue reading “Teaching “Accomplished Professionals””
Mike Patey very bravely took full responsibility for his public crash of Draco this week: “…this is on me, I made a bad decision.” We need to respect and honor that (rare) honesty. But Mike also clearly laid down the challenge for every pilot to practice better risk management and learn from his personal tragedy … Continue reading “Imagine the Worst, Plan for the Best!”
If you are an educator in any field, you know the “excuse-makers”. How often do we hear “it was the wind”, “I didn’t get enough sleep”, or “the plane is acting funny” (et cetera ad nauseam)? But you probably also noticed the people who “own” their errors and admit to struggling, actually learn faster. Excuses … Continue reading “For Your Best Learning: “Own” Your Errors!”
It takes a Pro to make a Pro… The tenets of professionalism apply to flight instructors regardless of whom we teach or the aircraft type. Instructor professionalism is the foundation for excellence and success. We read about it, and we talk about it. But what exactly is it, and how do we embody that crucial … Continue reading “Educator Professionalism Creates Excellence in Aviation”
It is difficult to define “professionalism” simply and comprehensively. This essential pilot attribute certainly requires personal integrity and commitment; to doing your best job, in the best way, every time (and even when no one is watching). But it’s not limited to a complex airframe or environment as is commonly asserted. You can be a … Continue reading “Building a “Mindset of Professionalism””
Our last blog post was a contribution from Rod Machado profiling “Bad Flight Instructors.” Though the majority of CFIs are hard-working, mostly underpaid, and diligent, there are some amazing abuses in our industry. The article before that examined our 80% drop out rate in aviation education. Both of these posts inspired a firestorm of comment … Continue reading ““CFI Pro™” The Critical Element in Pilot Training!”
