Introduction to Flight Training - Key Concepts (FAA Airplane Flying Handbook Chapter 1)

Core purpose and definition of airmanship

  • Airmanship: combination of knowledge, experience, skill, and sound judgment for safe, efficient operation on ground and in the air.
  • Primary and intermediate flight training aims: acquire and hone basic airmanship transferable to any airplane.
  • Key dimensions of airmanship: coordination, timing, control touch, speed sense; ability to assess situations, predict results, and manage risk.
  • Accomplished pilot traits: assess quickly, predict outcomes, exercise safety, gauge aircraft performance, recognize limitations, mitigate risk.
  • Training goal: develop knowledge, experience, skills, and safe habits transferable to any aircraft; pilots trained in safe habits transition to more complex airplanes.

Role of FAA and CFR structure

  • FAA prescribes safety standards and certifies airmen and aircraft; operates through the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
  • Common CFR parts referenced: 14\mathrm{\ CFR\ part}\ 21 (airworthiness certificates), 14\mathrm{\ CFR\ part}\ 39 (Airworthiness Directives), 14\mathrm{\ CFR\ part}\ 43 (maintenance/alterations), 14\mathrm{\ CFR\ part}\ 45 (identification/markings), 14\mathrm{\ CFR\ part}\ 91 (operating rules).
  • Pattern for references: 14 CFR part ___, e.g., 14 CFR part 91.
  • Guidance material is voluntary and not the sole basis for enforcement; conformity with guidance is nonbinding.

FAA Flight Standards Service and roles

  • Flight Standards Service (FS) sets aviation standards for airmen and aircraft operations; organized into four offices.
  • Local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) handles certification and surveillance; Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASIs) oversee operations, maintenance, avionics.
  • Designated Pilot Examiners (DPEs): private individuals designated to perform specific pilot certification tasks; monitored by the issuing FSDO; not FAA employees; not authorized to initiate enforcement actions.

Role of the Flight Instructor

  • Flight instructor is the cornerstone of aviation safety; assumes responsibility for training in airmanship, judgment, hazard identification, risk analysis, and safe operating practices.
  • Effective instructors use a syllabus and building-block approach to develop correct techniques from the beginning; each new maneuver reinforces prior principles.
  • High-quality instructors model safe habits and regulatory compliance; Gold Seal and Wings programs indicate proficiency but are not prerequisites.

Teaching approach and building-block method

  • Emphasize building-block progression: move from known to unknown; each new topic reinforces older principles and highlights deficiencies.
  • The instructor’s role is to develop the total pilot (knowledge, skills, and judgment), not just maneuver proficiency.

Sources of Flight Training and ACS/PTS

  • FAA-approved pilot schools (Part 141) and training centers (Part 142) provide structured curricula and simulations.
  • Non-certificated Part 61 schools exist; instructor quality and program content determine training quality.
  • Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and Practical Test Standards (PTS) are testing criteria, not teaching syllabi; instructors train to acceptable standards within ACS/PTS.
  • Always reference the latest ACS/PTS from www.faa.gov.

Safety considerations: See-and-avoid and scanning

  • See-and-avoid principle: maintain vigilance to prevent midair collisions; effective scanning is essential.
  • Visual scanning technique: brief, regular eye movements; observe each area for ~1 second; use peripheral vision to detect movement.
  • Proper clearing procedures before turns and maneuvers; instructor may establish preferred clearing method.
  • Emergency Autoland (EAL) systems exist; avoid their flight paths as appropriate;更多 details in Emergency Procedures.

Runway incursion avoidance

  • Runway incursion: any ground encounter involving aircraft, vehicle, person, or object that creates a collision hazard with a landing/departing aircraft.
  • Main contributing factors: communications, airport knowledge, and flight deck procedures.

Taxi operations and surface safety

  • Taxi operations require vigilance from the entire crew; especially at non-towered airports where control is not centralized.
  • Planning, clear communications, and surface situational awareness reduce surface incidents.

Stall awareness

  • 14 CFR part 61, section 61.87\,(d)(10)\text{ and }(e)(10) require stall training/logging before solo flight for applicable ratings.
  • Direct cause of stalls: excessive angle of attack (AOA).
  • Critical AOA varies by airplane: 16^\circ-20^\circ.
  • Stall can occur at any speed; high pitch is not a universal stall indicator; students should visualize the wing’s AOA to gauge margin of safety.
  • Chapter 3 covers stalls in detail.

Use of Checklists

  • Checklists are foundational for standardization and safety; they are memory aids, not just “to-do” lists.
  • Discipline in using checklists is essential; fail to use properly leads to complacency.
  • Common checklist phases: Preflight, Before start, Engine start, Before taxi, Before takeoff, After takeoff, Cruise, Descent, Before landing, After landing, Engine shutdown and securing.

Exchange of flight controls

  • Three-step exchange procedure:
    1) Instructor: "You have the flight controls" → learner: "I have the flight controls" → instructor: confirms with "You have the flight controls".
    2) Visual check to confirm control transfer.
    3) When returning controls, follow the same sequence to re-establish control.
  • Clear, unambiguous communication prevents accidents due to loss of control authority.

Continuing education and WINGS program

  • FAA WINGS program provides ongoing training and study materials; encourages continuous skill development beyond the minimum.
  • Compare to 61.56\,(c)(1)\text{ and }(2): allow training and sign-off within the previous 24\ text{ calendar months} to act as PIC; 61.56\,(e) supports continued proficiency.
  • WINGS can contribute to safety, knowledge, and potential insurance discounts; pilots can create a WINGS account at www.faasafety.gov.

Chapter summary

  • Chapter outlines: goals of primary/intermediate flight training, regulatory roles, and recommended techniques to develop knowledge, proficiency, and safe habits for a competent pilot.