John Erickson, CFI, has just over 8000 hours of flight training time and over 16,000 hours of varied types of flying and aircraft, including time accumulated on power line and pipeline patrol. He's been running his company (Sunrise Aviation in Saskatchewan) for 22 years. John's website proclaims "the most dangerous part of flight training is the drive to the airport". We talked to John recently about how driving can interfere with flight training, and how he -- as a flight instructor -- deals with some of the quirks of thos who drive and want to learn to fly.
OFTM: John, your website jokes about the drive to the airport, but I know you feel strongly about how driving can interfere with learning to fly an airplane. Tell us more about that.
JESA: I've found that the biggest challenge in flight training is with rudder pedals on take off and landing, and students using the yoke like a steering wheel. People that we train have been driving for many years and they have a difficult time steering with their feet when they have a steering wheel in their hands. That's usually why they have problems in a cross wind. It's much easier teaching in an airplane with a stick.
OFTM: How do you help students understand the effect of crosswind on landings?
JESA: I've found that the biggest challenge in flight training is with rudder pedals on take off and landing, and students using the yoke like a steering wheel. People that we train have been driving for many years and they have a difficult time steering with their feet when they have a steering wheel in their hands. That's usually why they have problems in a cross wind. It's much easier teaching in an airplane with a stick.
OFTM: How do you help students understand the effect of crosswind on landings?
JESA: There is a good way to demonstrate cross wind effect and that is to have the student face down the runway in a cross wind with a strip of plywood tied to each arm, hold his arm up like he is flying, and have him raise the arm that's wind side. I have found the students will apply the correct inputs for a touch and go but will forget the inputs on a full stop, so I have started doing cross wind landings with a full stop every time.
OFTM: I'm intrigued by your comments about the rudder pedal issue -- I TOTALLY had this problem with the yoke, too, when I was working towards my PPL! (And yes, I drove a car for many years before coming to flying, lol!) So... what do you do to counteract this problem with your students who drive?
JESA: I would usually have them taxi figure 8's while I handle the control, on the ground. This works pretty effectively as an exercise to improve rudder pedal control.
OFTM: Thanks, John, for sharing a few tips with us today. I know that the students and instructors who use our website will benefit from your insights.
JESA: You're welcome, thanks for the opportunity!
OFTM: I'm intrigued by your comments about the rudder pedal issue -- I TOTALLY had this problem with the yoke, too, when I was working towards my PPL! (And yes, I drove a car for many years before coming to flying, lol!) So... what do you do to counteract this problem with your students who drive?
JESA: I would usually have them taxi figure 8's while I handle the control, on the ground. This works pretty effectively as an exercise to improve rudder pedal control.
OFTM: Thanks, John, for sharing a few tips with us today. I know that the students and instructors who use our website will benefit from your insights.
JESA: You're welcome, thanks for the opportunity!