Lessons Learned from Remote Flight Instruction During the Pandemic

When the pandemic struck and the lockdowns began, flight instruction seemed like one of the riskiest activities you could undertake. Imagine trapping yourself inside the cockpit of a small aircraft, sometimes for hours on end, with a relative stranger.

But as the saying goes, "Necessity is the mother of all invention." Hardworking CFI's came up with new ways to teach. Much was borrowed from the worlds of high education and computer flight simulators, which many students already had and were proficient in using.

So can technology successfully be used as a tool for aspiring pilots? Is it limited to flight simulators, or is it only a nifty coaching tool for flight simulator enthusiasts? Let's take a closer look at how remote flight instruction has worked out.

Get the Techonology Right

There is no doubt that remote flight instruction pulls from the very edges of technological innovation. To train a student remotely, you'll be using screen share and webcams to provide real-time feedback.

To make it all work, a high-speed internet connection is vital. Having familiarity with the simulator your student uses helps but probably isn't as important as you might think. And having a computer and a workspace that can handle it all is important too.

If you're working with a commercial simulator program, either Flight Simulator from Microsoft for PC or X-Plane for Macs, the student probably already has one or the other. Many students go overboard setting up elaborate cockpits and controls--you'll be impressed at what some student pilots have come up with.

But a lot of this isn't necessary to use flight simulators effectively. A lot of what professional pilot training and UPT consists of is procedural. And the flight simulator is the perfect procedural trainer, especially if it has your make and model of trainer built in.

Some flight schools have experimented with bringing their students in to use AATDs and simulators while the instructor sits at a safe distance. In these cases, you'll have to work through the technical issues you encounter on a case-by-case basis.

No matter how you do it, no one walks into it being naturally-perfect. It's a learning process and most flight instructors aren't familiar with teaching in this manner. They didn't learn this way, so seeing how to communicate their expertise can be a challenge.

Maximize Your Time

Everyone realizes that there is no real substitute for flight hours in the plane. But making ground training more encompassing has benefits that extend well beyond the pandemic.

The real advantage of remote flight instruction is that it frees students and instructors from the regular confines of the ever-demanding flight schedule. With remote learning, you can hop in and out of the plane at will. You can pause the simulation to discuss the finer points of a maneuver or more deeply explain an approach plate.

As with any flight lesson, making a plan of action is a good idea. Think through what works well over the flight simulator. You'll want to be sure to include pre and post-flight briefings, just like regular lessons. You'll likely be surprised at how much more comfortable some students can be asking questions and staying engaged using this format.

Best Practices for Remote Flight Instruction

A how-to guide for remote flight instruction has yet to be written. At this point, it's up to individual CFIs to use their best judgment about how much to do with students. While instrument and commercial pilot requirements lend themselves to simulator training easier, some creativity is necessary when working with primary students.

Also, don't ignore using online meetings solely to review groundwork. There's no reason you can't hold ground school online.

Review the Use of Training Devices and Regulations

If your school is lucky enough to have one or more basic aviation training devices (BATDs), you likely already know how useful they are. For Part 141 professional pilot schools, up to 15 percent of a private pilot's time and 25 percent of an instrument pilot's time can be credited from a BATD. For Part 61 learners, 2.5 hours from the private and 10 hours from the instrument can count.

But perhaps more importantly is to look at how your school has integrated this training into the curriculum. Pay special attention to how you can use the devices in the commercial pilot requirements for training and experience.

Get the Right Webcam Views

If part of the training in question involves maneuvers and motor skills, have your student mount their smartphone or tablet on a tripod. The goal is to be able to see them move the controls. There's only so much you can ascertain from screen sharing of the instrument panel.

If you're working in this fashion, the instructor will want to view both things--the webcam view of their student at the controls and the screen share of the flight simulator. Two monitors could be used, or simply a split-screen if you're good at multitasking on the computer.