A private pilot student gets exposure to different things during flight training. Their Professional Pilot Courses include aircraft systems, flight planning, aviation rules & regulations, aircraft performance, flight planning and several other things. But the question is, what will they learn in the air? Here are some varied types of things that pilot students learn before moving to the advanced course-
- Plane takeoff and landing
Everyone says that takeoffs are easy, but did you know that there are more than one type of takeoff that pilots learn? In addition to the normal takeoff, pilot aspirants learn to do soft field, crosswinds, and short field takeoffs. The same happens for landings: pilots should learn how to land softly on a grass field, on short and long runways. This type of advanced training is very crucial for emergency off-field landings.
2. Ground understanding
Ground reference movements include S turns, rectangular course, and turn around a point. These movements are done to train the pilot to understand the effect of wind while flying the plane. For instance, during tailwinds, the aircraft’s ground speed gets quicker, which will need a change in bank angle and different power settings to maintain the desired flying path.
3. Different emergencies
A professional pilot is always prepared for the emergency checklist for different emergencies. Pilots commonly learn to do an emergency landing to simulate engine failure. The student pilot will glide to an emergency landing location while conducting emergency checklists, making radio calls, and preparing for a landing in a field with the aircraft’s power at idle. Some other emergencies that pilots prepare for include electrical malfunctions, engine fires, cabin fires and many other system failures.
4. Stall Recovery
As many of you may know, an aeroplane may stall on its wings rather than its engines. When the critical angle of attack on the wing is surpassed and the airflow over the wing is disturbed, a stall develops; in other words, the aircraft can no longer fly because it is not creating enough lift. At low altitudes, like during takeoff and landing, stalls are hazardous and might progress to a spin if the necessary recovery techniques are not learned. Pilots practise stalls and stall recovery techniques at high altitudes to learn how to recover effectively if they accidentally stall the aircraft while in flight.
5. Knowledge of Meteorology
The weather’s impact on a flight’s success can be significant. Your commercial flight training will assist you in learning how to discern cloud formations, humidity and wind variations, and impending storm threats, so you are well prepared. Knowing the forecast, particularly during a cross-country flight, you can determine if you need to fly around a region or change altitude.
6. Confidence and expertise
One of the key purposes of undergoing flight instruction is to gain confidence, which comes with experience. You will never be able to operate a craft like an expert if you lack confidence in your acquired abilities. The instructors at flying schools understand how crucial it is for you to have the same level of self-confidence that your passengers have in you.
If anyone wants to become a commercial pilot, you have to learn more than we have listed above. Training will involve in-class study and testing, simulators, and flying instruction.
Training for flights involves a lot of learning. These are just a few fundamental skills a student pilot must master to complete private pilot training. To get a private pilot licence and graduate to higher pilot ratings, you must be able to perform these manoeuvres with proficiency.