The Easy Path to Pilot Proficiency

I have a way to increase your proficiency, it only takes 10 minutes per session, and its free! Interested? To set it up, you’ll need to get a piece of paper and write down different items. Write down emergencies – engine fire during start, engine failure on downwind, smoke in the cockpit, etc. Then tear those pieces of paper into small sections and put them in a bowl. Place your checklist next to it if you can. Try to commit to grabbing one emergency or situation every few days. Visualize it happening to you. Then see how much of your checklist procedures you remember off the top of your head, then finish by consulting the written procedures. Don’t do more than one a day. The idea is to get it into your head and have that be the only procedure you think about that day. You might revisit it on your drive to work or as you cook dinner. It will be time well spent considering possible options and how you’ll react. This will make you a better pilot and give you more confidence, as you’ll know how to handle a variety of situations because you’ve thought through them already. Don’t let the first time you really thought about a specific emergency be when you are actually experiencing that emergency. It doesn’t have to be just emergency procedures either. What’s the procedure for a hot start? What is the phraseology to request flight following? Estimate your takeoff distance required at full fuel and 2 pax on a grass runway. List all your V speeds. The purpose is short, deliberate practice. Think of this as hit and run studying! Enjoy becoming a more proficient pilot.