Flight Reviews: What knowledge areas are pilots most weak?

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
For the CFI's on the forum that conduct flight reviews....

What knowledge areas are your clients the worst at? What gets the "I should know this..." look and has them scrambling for the reference material?

For these areas, how do you re-teach the material so the client does a better job recalling the information?
 
And I'll admit one area I always fumble with....

Airspace and VFR visability... I'm gonna find a flash card app and put it on my phone so I can review when I'm killing time waiting on something.
 
I give quite a few flight review each year. Mostly in owners aircraft.

Airspace is a big one. I like to take out a sectional chart & discuss airspace & symbols on the chart. Yes, I fly with Foreflight but I feel it's critical to understand all the info available on a chart.

I'm also big on them knowing their airplane. Flight limitations, weight & balance, & performance charts.

We discuss how they use their airplane & what most of their missions consist of & tailor the flight review based on that. Obviously, a pilot in a 7AC that putts around the local area gets a much different review than one who owns an A36 & travels all over.
 
I don't remember the details of airspace, but to be fair what most confuses me is class-G and the only time I'm in class-G is when I'm taking off or landing. In all of the airspaces, the VFR legal minimums are well, well below my personal minimums so if it is approaching the VFR limit, I am not in the air. My airplane never approaches the speed limits and I stay well clear of clouds 2000 below / 1000 above and 500 around. I know that in class B I don't need "well clear", just let them know if I have to deviate because of clouds.

Radio in B, C and D, Transponder in B and C. Explicit clearance in B.

That little bit keeps me legal and I don't have airspace problems.
 
:yeahthat: ...pretty much the same and weight & balance. Surprising how many haven't done one in a long time.
 
Airspace. I like to have them plan a flight from A to B and have them name every airspace they’ll hit along the route. Another topic is the medical. A lot of people think you’re medical “turns” into another class of medical once the 6 months, 1 year or 5 years expires.
 
AggieMike88 said:
And I'll admit one area I always fumble with....

Airspace and VFR visability... I'm gonna find a flash card app and put it on my phone so I can review when I'm killing time waiting on something.
Click to expand...


I created a way to memorize airspace / visibility in about a minute and a half and you will never forget it.

Everyone out there teaching it over complicates it. Pyramids, graphs, 3D diagrams. Total confusion. I had to create a way that made sense to me. I did and 5 years after my written, I can use my dumb method and rattle it off easily.

I will throw a video together and send it to you.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I created a way to memorize airspace / visibility in about a minute and a half and you will never forget it.

Everyone out there teaching it over complicates it. Pyramids, graphs, 3D diagrams. Total confusion. I had to create a way that made sense to me. I did and 5 years after my written, I can use my dumb method and rattle it off easily.

I will throw a video together and send it to you.
Click to expand...

Send it to mo, too. I’m always open to learning new ways of doing old business.
 
Well I had a big glass of wine. but let me get ye ole Go Pro out and see what I can throw together.
 
A flight review requires that we cover part 91. All other topics are at the instructor's discretion. I find that most remember the generalities but not the specifics of whatever topics we cover.

So I am always thorough with Part 91. Here is one that trips almost everyone up. If you are flying in airspace that does not require a transponder, can you turn yours off whenever you want? The answer is in a subparagraph entitled "Transponder-on operation". Of course, most people with a transponder always use it, but it's an interesting hypothetical issue.

Two others pertain to Special VFR and use of the position lights. The position lights must be used sunset to sunrise, not "at night". Likewise an instrument rating is required for Special VFR sunset to sunrise, not "at night".
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I created a way to memorize airspace / visibility in about a minute and a half and you will never forget it.

Everyone out there teaching it over complicates it. Pyramids, graphs, 3D diagrams. Total confusion. I had to create a way that made sense to me. I did and 5 years after my written, I can use my dumb method and rattle it off easily.

I will throw a video together and send it to you.
Click to expand...
If you don’t mind I will also enjoy the benefit of your system please?
 
Alright. Well it is 10:33 and this will take me an hour-ish to throw together.
I will try to get it done and uploaded before I get tired.
 
Airspace, special VFR and oxygen requirements (I find that odd considering we fly near the Rockies but whatever). As far as flying goes it seems like people struggle on the first steep turn, are caught off guard by an engine failure, and haven't done a short/soft takeoff or landing since the last flight review.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
I created a way to memorize airspace / visibility in about a minute and a half and you will never forget it.

Everyone out there teaching it over complicates it. Pyramids, graphs, 3D diagrams. Total confusion. I had to create a way that made sense to me. I did and 5 years after my written, I can use my dumb method and rattle it off easily.

I will throw a video together and send it to you.
Click to expand...
Cool!! Appreciate it.
 
I don't give them, but I've had a few...

The things I get the most from are slow flight, steep turns, and engine off. Sure, I could practice those any time.

But do I do it on the way to Hard8 or OSH? No.
 
dmspilot said:
Two others pertain to Special VFR and use of the position lights. The position lights must be used sunset to sunrise, not "at night". Likewise an instrument rating is required for Special VFR sunset to sunrise, not "at night".
Click to expand...
I've found quite a few pilots who can spout off the SVFR requirements but don't know how to get one.
 
What about the practical portion? What skills deteriorate between reviews commonly even in pilots who fly a lot?
 
Standard stuff; weather, airspace, W&B and specific aircraft systems.

Doesn’t help when you go on to different aircraft in military or commercial flying and you have to learn a whole new set of rules and procedures. You get so many things jumbled in your head, it’s hard to extract what exactly you need for that particular flight review.:confused:
 
My protocol changes over time, sometimes influenced by things I learn here and questions and discussions at EAA meetings.

For instance, someone pointed out the FAA wanted you to turn crosswind about 300' below pattern altitude, so the turn downwind will always be at pattern altitude. I figure if I either never knew that or had forgotten it, its a good thing to bring up - very few pilots I've discussed it with were aware of it.

One of my recent iterations:

38059787356_66e0fd0653_z.jpg
 
FastEddieB said:
..someone pointed out the FAA wanted you to turn crosswind about 300' below pattern altitude, so the turn downwind will always be at pattern altitude. I figure if I either never knew that or had forgotten it, its a good thing to bring up - very few pilots I've discussed it with were aware of it.
Click to expand...

TPA is not regulatory, just the direction of the turns (L or R traffic).

Personally I prefer to fly a tight oval pattern, not a huge squared off one, depending on conditions.

To each their own, but TPA and when to turn isn't a reg, as long as what they are going isn't obviously unsafe I'm cool with it, just as I'm fine with a 500' TPA for some ops.
 
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to convey to other pilots what the FAA recommends via Advisory Circulars or the AIM.

I see no reason a BFR needs to be confined to regulations.

As an aside, I fly pretty tight patterns as well. I’ve recommended to quite a few students and fellow pilots that they fly tighter patterns and steeper finals, and I think more than a few have heeded the advice.
 
FastEddieB said:
I don’t think it’s a bad idea to convey to other pilots what the FAA recommends via Advisory Circulars or the AIM.

I see no reason a BFR needs to be confined to regulations.

As an aside, I fly pretty tight patterns as well. I’ve recommended to quite a few students and fellow pilots that they fly tighter patterns and steeper finals, and I think more than a few have heeded the advice.
Click to expand...

Perhaps, but just don't preach suggestions as regs.

If I'm taking off somewhere like cedar key, where its ocean straight out, and no real obstacles on downwind, making a early turn instead of heading out to sea, especially in a lower power to weight plane, might be a good idea.
 
James331 said:
Perhaps, but just don't preach suggestions as regs.
Click to expand...


My original post was, “...the FAA wanted you to turn crosswind about 300' below pattern altitude, so the turn downwind will always be at pattern altitude.”

If that gave the impression I thought it was regulatory, my bad. It’s clearly not.

But I still think it’s proper for a BFR to concern itself with best practices, not just regs.
 
Not/not a CFI; Usually I'm weakest at the trivia - the junk you just don't use. FAA has a real problem separating the essential from the trivial. . .
 
FastEddieB said:
My original post was, “...the FAA wanted you to turn crosswind about 300' below pattern altitude, so the turn downwind will always be at pattern altitude.”

If that gave the impression I thought it was regulatory, my bad. It’s clearly not.

But I still think it’s proper for a BFR to concern itself with best practices, not just regs.
Click to expand...


True, but I'd change it from the FAA wants, to the FAA suggests.

I'd also mention WHY its better for the student, because the WANTS of the FAA doesn't even get you on the bus with me lol
 
AggieMike88 said:
And I'll admit one area I always fumble with....

Airspace and VFR visability... I'm gonna find a flash card app and put it on my phone so I can review when I'm killing time waiting on something.
Click to expand...

Easiest way I’ve found to memorize the VFR cloud clearance and visibility requirements:


Took me 6 mins to watch the video and another 10 or so minutes practicing recreating it... and it’s stuck with me for over a year now.

Note: When I draw it, I change the upper left to “Below 10,000” because then the “yes” and “no” answers are grouped together better.
 
Transponder codes, light gun signals. I admit I forget them.
 
Plano Pilot said:
Transponder codes, light gun signals. I admit I forget them.
Click to expand...

Getcha one of them clipboards w/ all that information on it. Or use 3x5 cards for the flight review with items you're fuzzy on.
 
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