Weekly flying

crawdaddyjc

crawdaddyjc

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Dec 27, 2018
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North Ga up in the blue ridge mountains
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crawdaddyjc
now that i have begun my training i have read on this board that it is better to fly multiple times/ days per week. Does it matter if those days are back to back (friday/ saturday) or separated (wednesday/ friday)?

With my work schedule, weekdays are tougher to schedule ahead of time but friday-sunday are no problem scheduling. There are times that i can squeeze a couple hours throughout the week but its always hit or miss.

I can see pros and cons of each but i would like feedback from those who have been there:done that.

Im not taking in account any weather issues in this hypothetical. I use flight schedule pro as well so i can see the availability of the plane and instructor.

Thanks!
 
I suspect that advice is mostly a generalization based on how most people learn. There are no hard and fast rules that apply to everyone. If all you can do is 2 consecutive days a week, that is better than 1/week or 1/month.
 
Nothing wrong with two consecutive days. The idea is simply that you’ll retain information and concepts better when less time lapses between lessons.

My suggestion is just to fly as often as you can, doesn’t matter when that is.
 
I flew 2-3 times a week for the private and same for the instrument and did each in about 4 months. Early in the training I needed a day in between to absorb and reflect but later in the training it was honing and refining as I neared the check ride so the next day, or even 2X a day (often one solo one instruction) and that was fine.

Of course I just flew a 1.8 this am with an ILS and an RNAV plus just flying around looking at the mountains, trees and lakes and I'm ready to go again so perhaps I'm the exception. ;)
 
Some space is good. You should be getting homework (reading, planning, etc) to do between sessions. Consecutive days might not work so well, since you'd be time crunched.
 
right now my plan is 2x and possibly picking up another day as i can.
i thought the same thing about consecutive days and not having the time to process and study but also back to back days can help drive the lessons into my brain and help with retaining the info.
you guys have great info and instead of trying to reinvent the wheel- i hope to gather info from what others have found to work!

as for studying- i have been working through sportys ground school and i believe that i could take the written right now and pass but i want to get hands on time to help me associate what i have learned so far.

thanks for the info! keep it coming! you all are a wealth of knowledge for us noobs!
 
Based on my own flight training experience, and 35+ years of college teaching and coaching sports, frequent, spaced, involvement is the most efficient and effective at learning a new skill. Cramming (training in a concentrated period of time) doesn't always work well. I think the sweet spot is probably 2-3 times a week, spaced out a bit if possible, to allow time for integration of what you have learned between lessons, but also to allow those neural synapses to restructure. (Your brain doesn't respond to stimulus and re-wire overnight, unfortunately.) If the only way you can do it is Sat-Sun every week, then so be it, but keep up the momentum by not skipping 2-3 weeks between training sessions. If you can squeeze in a third lesson in between weekends, that is probably ideal. If you train too often, it is possible to reach saturation, and worse, if you wind up unintentionally practicing bad habits you can ingrain stuff you have to "unlearn." The college and adult sports participants I coach sometime learn that the hard way. It takes twice as long to properly learn a new skill if you ingrained a bad habit during extensive practice.

During my flight training, I found, for example, if I practiced a new challenging task (like crosswind landings) two days in a row, I did not make much progress and got frustrated. If I practiced the same or a similar task 2-3 days apart, I was surprised that some sort of "magic" often occurred during the interval that allowed me to make rapid progress the second time out. The gap between training flights was also excellent time to hit the books as required to learn the between-the-ears stuff.
 
chemgeek said:
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During my flight training, I found, for example, if I practiced a new challenging task (like crosswind landings) two days in a row, I did not make much progress and got frustrated. If I practiced the same or a similar task 2-3 days apart, I was surprised that some sort of "magic" often occurred during the interval that allowed me to make rapid progress the second time out. The gap between training flights was also excellent time to hit the books as required to learn the between-the-ears stuff.
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I think what happen is this. The break gives your brain an opportunity to process and make adjustments.
 
Fly as often as you’re able to absorb and learn the info/skills.

Sometimes that can be one or more times per day, others it’ll take a day or more break.
 
I am in the early stages of my PPL and what has helped me is to study and go over checklists/ATC communications as much as I can in between flying. This has helped to stay fresh and keep my mind on it when I can't fly for a week or two. Heck, I keep a folded up checklist in the side pocket of my car to pull out and look over, even if it's 3-4 minutes.
 
I found initially that consecutive lessons was too much overload for me.
I preferred 1-2 lessons a week, early in my training.
This gave me plenty of time to absorb what I had just learned.
I record all my lessons with a GoPro and can review them later.
I also use a simulator and did a lot of "armchair" flying. Both of those were a big help.

Completed my solo, a few weeks ago, and am now working on cross countries and practicing the ACS maneuvers.
Been having booking/weather issues with the plane lately (maintenance, rented out, T-storms, etc) so occasionally I might go 2-3 weeks without flying.
At this stage of training, I've never gotten in the cockpit and feel "rusty".
 
DonJinIA- i have read where people use gopro’s to record and review and i have read where people use a micro- recorder to listen through the lessons and chairfly. I think either would be a good idea!

I think i will do my trainings on fridays and saturdays because it fits my schedule easier but will try to squeeze in a tuesday or wednesday when possible.
 
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