Support Your Local Fly-in

The venue attracted more than a 100 ‘real aeroplanes’, aircraft that have served in war and peace in years gone by. These days those same aircraft are the pride of their owners as they enjoy flying aircraft that are different to the electronic, nav-aid driven, glass screen and plastic machines of today.

Listening to instructor tales around the coffee pot one hears of flight students not being able to identify even basic Beech, Cessna and Piper types. And yet those very students have signed up with the intent of driving something with the names Boeing or Airbus painted on them. Knowing something about other aircraft types is a vital part of a flight student’s education if only to know what an aircraft looks like when the tower tells them that they are ‘number two behind the Waco’.

A visit to a fly-in or airshow allows a flight student to see and appreciate a wide variety of different aircraft, usually up close and not from behind a security fence. To walk the lines and see up close how aircraft were built and the aerodynamic form that makes them fly is an education that all new pilots should have.

Fly-ins and airshows also provide the opportunity to meet and talk with fellow aviators. Those very people could give the tip needed to know who is hiring or who to talk to in order to pick up that sought after flight position – ie networking. Temora was no exception and it was interesting to see the number of airline pilots at the event.

Pilots like talking with pilots and working pilots are usually more than generous in passing on tips and clues to new pilots in relation to the jobs game.

Cross country flight is also a vital part of a pilot’s education, be it the chart, watch and compass variety or the more modern GPS variety.

To get to and from Temora the weather presented the visiting aviators with an interesting challenge. Once again the stuff of building up that catalogue of experience, if done in a controlled manner.

For a new pilot wanting to fly commercially attending a fly-in or airshow could be beneficial in not only gaining an aviation education but might also result in picking up a vital tip or clue that results in winning that dream position.

When are you going to attend a fly-in or airshow?

Air Mail

In the May issue of this column the topic was the decline of instructor numbers. The column noted the marked reduction of instructors, including the 52 per cent reduction of Grade 3 instructors between 2002 and 2007. It was also noted that senior instructors were leaving the training system bound for airlines and that as a result there was a marked decrease in the on-going training of new junior instructors.

Examples of poor airmanship were noted that could be attributed to poor instruction, a result of new instructors not being mentored by more experienced instructors, instructors who had moved out of the training system.

An anonymous email was received from eight amigos who asked that consideration be given to other possible reasons for the decreased standards. Fortunately we live in a democratic society so it is good to have an exchange of thoughts. If one was to ask any senior instructor, CFI, ATO or chief pilot their thoughts on standards I am sure that they would all agree that airmanship standards have fallen. Indeed this very aspect is what the CASA CEO Bruce Byron is seeking to address with his plan to rebuild the training system from the ground up.

That has already commenced with new and higher testing standards of Grade 3 instructors. Grade 2 and 1 instructors are next in line.

This writer stands behind the comments made that the level of airmanship can and should be improved by better instruction. No one is perfect but there is room for improvement. The reduced number of experienced instructors has contributed to the decreased standards and that in turn may be a failing of the training industry to not retain good people.

Eight amigos, you have been put on notice to do your part in raising standards.