Aviation is changing rapidly, and aviation instructors need to continue to develop their knowledge and skills in order to teach successfully in this environment. The aviation instructor is well respected by other technicians and pilots because instructors have trained extensively to be certificated. Flight instructors undergo comprehensive evaluations and a practical test to obtain a flight instructor certificate. 14 CFR part 147 requires all instructors teaching maintenance subjects to hold an FAA certificate as an aircraft maintenance technician.
Successful, professional aviation instructors do not become complacent or satisfied with their own qualifications and abilities and are constantly alert for ways to improve their qualifications, effectiveness, and the services they provide to learners. Considered by their learners to be a source of up-to-date information, instructors have the opportunity and responsibility to introduce new procedures and techniques both to their learners and to other aviation professionals with whom they come in contact.
Continuing Education
A professional aviation instructor continually updates his or her knowledge and skills. This goal is attained in a variety of ways, such as reading an article in a technical publication or taking a course at a technical school. There are many different sources of information the aviation instructor can use in order to remain current in aviation knowledge and teaching.
Government
One of the first educational sources for the instructor is the FAA and other governmental agencies. The FAA either sponsors or collaborates in sponsoring aviation programs, seminars, and workshops for the public. For example, the FAA conducts safety seminars around the country in conjunction with the aviation industry. These seminars, although directed at pilots, can be a useful source of knowledge for aviation instructors.
The FAA is a rich source of information that can be used to enhance an instructor’s knowledge. Regulations, advisory circulars, airworthiness directives, orders, and notices are some of the documents that can be downloaded from the FAA website at www.faa.gov.
Participation in the Pilot Proficiency Awards Program is a good way for a flight instructor to improve proficiency and to serve as an example to learners. Another way is to work toward the Gold Seal Flight Instructor Certificate. Accomplishing the requirements of the certificate is evidence the instructor has performed at a very high level as a flight instructor. See AC 61-65, Certification: Pilots and Flight and Ground Instructors, for a list of requirements for earning this certificate.
Similarly, the Aviation Maintenance Awards Program affords the aviation maintenance instructor the opportunity for increased education through attendance at FAA or industry maintenance training seminars. Details for the awarding of bronze through diamond pins can be found in AC 65-25, Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Program.
The FAA approves the providers who conduct Flight Instructor Refresher Courses (FIRCs) in accordance with AC 61-83, Nationally Scheduled FAA-Approved Industry-Conducted Flight Instructor Refresher Course. These courses are available for flight instructors to complete the training requirements for renewal of flight instructor certificates.
The FAA cosponsors Inspection Authorization (IA) seminars. These seminars are open to all maintenance technicians and are a good source of additional training and education for maintenance instructors.
Educational/Training Institutions
Professional aviation instructors can further increase their knowledge and skill in aviation specialties by attending classes at local community colleges, technical schools, or universities. These schools may offer complete degree programs in aviation subjects as well as single-subject courses of benefit to instructors.
Commercial Organizations
Commercial organizations are another important source of education/training for the aviation instructor. Some may be publishers or online suppliers of training materials while others may provide complete ground and flight training programs for professional pilots and instructors. These companies often provide a wide variety of study programs including videos, computer-based training, and printed publications. Many offer training that can be attended either at the home base of the company, at classes or seminars around the country, or through internet sites.
There are numerous organizations around the country that offer courses of training for aviation instructors. These are generally courses that are available to all pilots and technicians but are especially useful for instructors to improve their abilities. Examples of such courses include workshops for maintenance technicians to enhance their skills in subjects such as composites, sheet metal fabrication, and fabric covering. For pilots, there are courses in mountain flying, spin training, upset prevention and recovery, and tail wheel qualification to name a few. Flight instructors also may increase their aviation knowledge and experience by adding additional category and class ratings to their certificates.
Industry Organizations
Other significant sources of ongoing education for aviation instructors are aviation organizations. These organizations not only provide educational articles in their publications, but also present training programs or cosponsor such programs.
Many industry organizations have local affiliated chapters that make it easy to meet other pilots, technicians, and instructors. These meetings frequently include presentations by industry experts, as well as formal training sessions. Some aviation industry organizations conduct their own training sessions on areas such as the flight instructor refresher course and Inspection Authorization (IA) seminars. Properly organized safety symposiums and training clinics are valuable sources of refresher training. They are also an excellent opportunity to exchange information with other instructors.
Sources of Material
An aviation instructor should maintain access to current flight publications or maintenance publications. For the flight instructor, this includes current copies of regulations pertinent to pilot qualification and certification, Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), ACS/PTS, and pilot training manuals. The aviation maintenance instructor should have copies of applicable regulations, current knowledge and ACS/PTS, and maintenance training manuals. Aviation instructors should be thoroughly familiar with current certification and rating requirements in order to provide competent instruction. Many of the advisory circulars should be considered by the aviation instructor as references. The www.faa.gov website maintains current advisory circulars under the Regulations and Policies tab.
In addition to government publications, a number of excellent handbooks and other reference materials are available from commercial publishers through print and online media. Aviation periodicals and technical journals from the aviation industry are other sources of valuable information for instructors. Many public and institutional libraries have excellent resource material on educational psychology, teaching methods, testing, and other aviation related subjects.
The aviation instructor has two reasons to maintain a source of current information and publications. First, the instructor needs a steady supply of fresh material to make instruction interesting and up to date. Second, instructors should keep themselves well informed by maintaining familiarity with what is being written in current aviation publications. Many of these publications are in printed form, but increasingly, information is available through electronic means. [Figure]
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| Aviation instructors can improve their knowledge by becoming familiar with information on the internet |
Printed Material
In aviation, documentation in the form of flight publications or maintenance data needs to be immediately available for referral while flying or conducting maintenance. While the portability of printed material meets this need for immediate availability, printed material has two disadvantages. First, it takes up space for storage and second, it can be time consuming to keep printed material current. Many publishers of printed material now make their information available in electronic format. For example, most FAA regulations, standards, and guides are available either in electronic form or as hard copy.
Non-FAA publications are available through the GPO and from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). Publications not printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office are available from the many publishers and suppliers of books. Commercial publishers usually provide catalogues and toll-free numbers or websites for ordering their products.
Electronic Sources
Access to the internet via personal computers, tablets, and smartphones has opened up a vast storehouse of information for the aviation instructor at the FAA website, www.faa.gov and many, many other websites and apps.
Professional aviation instructors should continue to expand their knowledge and skills in order to remain competent. The field of aviation is advancing, and the instructor also needs to advance. Instructors can best do this by taking advantage of the wide variety of materials available from the FAA, other government agencies, commercial publishers and vendors, and from industry trade groups. These materials are available at training sessions and seminars, from printed books, papers, magazines, and from the internet and other electronic sources. Instructors who commit to continuing education are able to provide the highest quality instruction to their learners.