1.
Student Pilots:
This kit will
support student pilots’ efforts to understand what to say and
when to say it during a flight. By constructing a communication “script”
during their preflight and then using the “script” in flight,
students are better prepared mentally to accomplish, in a quick and
accurate manner, the necessary communication exchanges. Enough copies
of the communication templates are included to support the student pilots
through each of the required cross-country flights necessary to secure
a private pilot’s license.
2. Inactive Pilots:
The old adage,
“If you don’t use it, you lose it!” is particularly
appropriate when applied to the inactive pilot. Safe aviation communications
require the pilot to listen and understand ATC commands and respond
in a quick and accurate manner. Aviation communications also calls for
the pilot to see the “communication big picture.” Without
timely practice, the inactive pilot loses sight of the “communication
big picture” rapidly, and it is not easy to regain. When the inactive
pilot prepares a communication script during preflight, the pieces of
the big picture start coming back together again. Using the VFR or IFR
templates to construct VFR or IFR communication scripts for several
flights will help the inactive pilot regain the “communication
big picture” quickly and with less anxiety and stress.
3. Active Pilots:
Active pilots
know, understand, and use VFR and IFR communication protocols effectively.
The cockpit, however, is a busy place during a cross-country flight.
Selecting, sequencing, and partially completing a set of the kit’s
templates to match an upcoming cross-country flight during the preflight
reduces the workload in the cockpit during the flight. By using this
unique communication “memory aid,” the active pilot gains
“think time” for other matters he or she may encounter during
the cross-country. A prepared pilot is a focused pilot.
4. CFIs:
A CFI’s
first love is teaching the student pilot how to actually fly an airplane.
Since the skills necessary to fly an airplane are largely kinesthetic
in nature, most CFI’s find this portion of the student pilot training
to be intuitive and relatively easy to do. Teaching the student pilot
how to communicate, however, requires the CFI to constantly explain
and re-explain the various pieces of the “communication big picture.”
For those student pilots who have a mental block about VFR or IFR communications,
competency can be an especially frustrating, time consuming, and expensive
task. Some student pilots quit after encountering trouble with VFR or
IFR communications! When the CFI helps the student pilot select, sequence,
and partially complete a set of the kit’s templates to match an
upcoming cross-country flight during the preflight, the CFI helps lower
the anxiety and stress levels of the student. Reducing the student pilot’s
anxiety and stress level decreases the CFI’s need to coach the
student pilot during those portions of flight requiring VFR or IFR communications.
Nothing builds the student pilot’s confidence more than a successful
cross-country flight. In short, use of the kit makes VFR or IFR communications
instruction easier to do.
5. Ground School Instructors:
Whether ground
schools are conducted with small groups of student pilots in rather
informal settings, or with large groups of student pilots in formal
settings, teaching the airspace and communication portion of the curriculum
challenges the instructor. Helping student pilots visualize the airspace
system and the necessary communications required in each type of airspace
near an airport and away from an airport can be time-consuming. Since
ground schools are run for a set number of hours a week over a limited
number of weeks, ground school instructors can not spend a large amount
of time on any one topic. Using the kit’s templates, template’s
descriptions, and other supporting information helps shorten the amount
of time necessary to explain the airspace and IFR and VFR communication
topics. There are a variety of ways for a ground school instructor to
use the kit.
Consider
the following example: students are shown how to construct a hypothetical
VFR communication script from one city’s airport to another city’s
airport using the templates from the kit. The students are next given
different departure and destination airports and are then asked to construct
the correct communication sequence on their own. Attention Ground School
instructors! After this exercise the student’s CFIs will love
you!
6. Student Pilots Who Speak English As
A Second Language
Learning a
second language is a difficult and time- consuming task. Aviation technical
communications in a second language is an especially difficult task.
Use of these templates will give the English-as-a-second-language student
the correct sentence structure to speak and say back the communications
necessary to fly in a safe manner.
7. Beginning IFR Students
There is a
much bigger need to communicate during IFR flights. Use of these templates
will help you quickly and accurately perform your communications with
ATC.
