by: Stuart Simpson
All flight training begins on the ground. The worst place to learn a new skill is in an airplane. It can be very difficult to grasp new concepts in the air without reviewing them first on the ground. In the plane, training in the cockpit can have other environmental issues such as cold (or hot), noisy, and bumpy.
You want to get up in the air as soon as possible and as frequently as possible. Don’t waste time at the airport studying things you could have done at home. Get your studying done before you get to the air. Some of the pilot instructors may have been guilty of skipping some of the ground training so they could get in the air quick, too.
I’ve heard that some pilots have even missed flying lessons because they didn’t do their learning on the ground and weren’t ready to go up. They had to spend their training in the classroom. What a waste of expensive instructor time.
Flight training by referring to the instruments only is hard to learn, but can be practiced on the ground. You have to do this to become a private pilot and if you want an instrument rating.
Don’t think of ground training is a waste of your money. Don’t have a bad attitude and hopefully your training pilot won’t have one either. Also, poor preparation can hinder you. Ground time can be expensive and some charge the same rate for ground time as they do flight time, but remember, the CFI has to make a living, too. Try to include a mix of ground time and flight time.
Be sure you know what is going to be covered before any lesson and find out what is expected from you. If you show up unprepared for a lesson, then expect to spend more time on the ground. You sure don’t want to have your flight time shortened or even canceled.
Remember, preparation is the key to more flight time. Your flight instructor’s mail goal in your pilot training is to keep you safe. Proper ground instruction makes flying easier and more enjoyable.