Intro Lesson

Nolan,

I'm in a bit if a different situation given that I live and teach in Hawaii, but what I do is I try to make it a more robust sight-seeing flight for the prospective student.  I think Alan K.'s critique is right on the money; don't overwhelm them with everything they don't know and will have to learn, rather let them enjoy the view and perhaps learn a thing or two about the absolute basics but really not much else. 

I've found that if they are interested in an intro flight to begin with (for the most part) then you shouldn't have to further stoke the fire of their interest any more than giving them a wonderful time and a great first memory of flying small airplanes.

Having said all that, I know its a bit easier to do while flying around the spectacular scenery of Hawaii versus flying around the flat farmlands of the Midwest or somewhere else, but I think the principle is still the same.

I usually let them fly it a bit at altitude just to show them how easy it really can be, and then I try to talk to them and explain what I'm doing without getting to verbose.

First impressions are everything.

Good luck!

Neal Thompson

Do either of you have the link to the Alan Klapmeier article?   Alan is a great thinker on issues like this.

My reference is a videocast the Aero-News.net put out just after Oshkosh. Here is the link for it on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8CoQUIJRTI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2F

I just gave an intro lesson this afternoon.  She had already decided that she does want to get her certificate, so I went over the pre-flight. If someone is just curious and wants a discovery flight, I just do the pre-flight before they get there.  I tell them that I'll do all the hard stuff - radios, take-off, landing - and that when we get in the air, I'll let them take the plane for a bit.  Then we do straight and level, turns, climbs, descents.  I talk about everything I'm doing so they understand there is always something going on in my head!

I always make it a point to make it fun by pointing out landmarks, other airplanes/airports we may see, this isn't something everyone gets to do, etc.  I do fly in the boring midwest, but I tell students that it's so wonderful how all the roads are perfectly aligned for pilots to do ground-reference manuevers!  I think some students/potential students are sometimes so nervous on that first lesson, that some might forget that it's fun!! 

I do almost exactly what Heather does with a couple of minor exceptions:

First, during the pre-flight briefing, I'll tell the prospect that at 400-500 feet AGL, they'll be flying.  That usually gets a "What!?", to which I'll reply (with a smile), "Well, I already know how to fly, so I have nothing to prove..."

Second, before the flight, I'll try to find out where they live.  If it's reasonable, given airspace and time constraints, I'll have them fly over their house at a couple of thousand feet (this always seems to be a winner).

Third, I'll show them that flying is far safer than the nonsense they've seen in movies.  I warn them ahead of time, and, in a safe place (just in case it turns real), I'll "fail" the engine by going to idle.  As we glide, I point out that they've just had that myth shattered.  Mind you, I only descend one or two hundred feet at most.

Finally, if it's a calm day and they're doing well, I'll back them up on a landing, talking them through it.  Often that gets a "Did I just land an airplane!?"  and I'll give them an honest answer:  "Well, 90% of it was yours, I just helped you a bit with the flare (or keeping the nose straight, etc.)."  That also always seems to be a winner.

Thanks for the link Nolan.

Nolan,

Your question is interesting and I am not a CFI but someone who went for an intro flight, ( Be-A-Pilot  $49.99 ) and passed my checkride 8 months later .  My CFI is John Sealey at JSO in Jacksonville , Texas and I flew the Warrior from rotation to final. He even had me taxi to the run up area before takeoff. Looking back he was easy going , answered questions kept me informed and helped me have fun . You know fly over my house and town sight seeing, did I want to go see anything from the air and some training maneuvers , I have the airplane, you have the airplane stuff.  When we were done I knew that I was going to go ahead and finally learn to fly partly because he made me realize that , I just flew an airplane, this isn't that hard. Wanted to do this since I was young, my youngest daughter finished college and my wife said go do it.  John means a lot to me.

He has Hangar 22 at JSO, his new flight school. He is on the web.

Brent

Brent,

Congratulations on passing your checkride. I appreciate yours and everyones respsonses. As pilots we know we are always learning and as well as instructors. I know as I learn it is not only about airplanes but being a mind/people reader as well. I've never done the intro lesson the same way twice because of the different expectations of new students. So I am enjoying reading comments about others experiences. I'm never complete in evolving my intro lesson to just tweak minor items, and gain compeltely new ideas as well.

The power of the instructor can be amazing - especially for us (me) normal shmucks.

-Nolan

Nolan

I've got a brother who's name is Nolan.  Any way, My thoughts are first determine if this is a demo or a first lesson type of flight.  To me a demo flight is more to see if they fit in the airplane and are comfortable with the environment.  Most though are ready for the first lesson.  It is my thought that the first thing taught is the remembered the longest.  Therefore I teach the safety issues first.  I start with a demonstration of positive dynamic stability.  It counters the conception that the airplane will get away from you and crash.  On flight reviews - it interesting to see how many seasoned pilots grab for the yoke on the downward leg of this demonstration.  I also mention JFKjr's flight.  Next, I demonstrate "parking" the aircraft in the air.  I know that when I mention this I get strange looks but some of my students have actually used this technique on their cross-countries, balancing the aircraft between over-banking tendencies and effects of dihedral - about 15 degrees - you can take your hands off the yoke and sort out problems without getting further lost or going past a point of no return.  I also demonstrate the difference between aileron turns and rudder turns (adverse yaw).  And the last thing is establishing best glide, the start of emergency procedures.  All these maneuvers are discussed prior to the flight so that there are no surprises.  Ground time is usually 2 hours and the flight time is .6.

  Ed Jett    

I am saving up for flying lessons.  Reading these ideas the lesson that sounds most fun is the one described by Bob Meder.

OK, I'm again reviving an older post.  I love Bob's method of intro flight (and Heather's and some others).  As an instructor, I finally realized that the majority of students coming to me wanted to learn to fly because of the thrill and the fun.  So many instructors have forgotten that and they only focus on getting the student through to the checkride.  Not only should the intro flight be a fun experience, but as many lessons as practical should be fun also.  After all, that's why most of us started flying in the first place wasn't it??