tsgarp wrote: ↑Mon Nov 09, 2020 10:21 am
trey kule wrote: ↑Sun Nov 08, 2020 10:17 pm
I would not be to concerned about the real world implications for teaching students.
The objective, at their level is to instil them with a solid grounding in knowledge and flight fundamentals. When they finish up, regardless of the path they choose, if they have the fundamentals, they will easily adapt to any changes.
My experience from dealing with fresh CPLs is that their instructors were so busy trying to give them the airline experience, they kind of forgot to teach then the fundamentals.
Do a great job on teaching to those basic objectives, and you will be doing your students a great service.
Opinion, others may vary
x 2
+3
The problem with "operational knowledge" is that it is often limited in scope, and it takes experience in that operating environment to know how to apply it safely and even more experience to know how to teach it so the student doesn't go and kill themselves stretching that knowledge. I've also seen too many students come into various different operations (703, 704, and 705) and then try and fly a Cessna 172, Navajo, King Air, or Dash-8 like an A320 or B747 because that was what the instructor taught. I've also seen it the other way where the student showed up without a certain level of knowledge that should have been taught because the licence or rating required it, but the instructor didn't teach it because "it's not on the flight test" or "we don't do that type of flying here." Plus, what one commercial operator does another would baulk at because they don't operate in the same operating sphere. So even if you try and obtain operational knowledge, it is still limited and thus a disservice to the student (who could walk away thinking all operators do x, y, and z).
The licences are the foundation under which on-the-job training builds. Someone above mentioned exposure to Special VFR conditions, and I agree. Training towards the licence should include training to the edge of what the licence permits.
What I would do is contact other flight schools and find out what different types of exercises they do with similar aircraft (e.g., minimum radius turns, costal reversal turns, low visibility/cloud circuits, cold weather tenting, hot weather operations) and integrate those into a well-rounded training plan.
Always remember that what is routine and boring for you is possibly at the maximum of what your student can absorb, and anything extra will lead to a negative training experience.