Student and Instructor Instructions for Glider Curriculum
The glider practical test prep document is a reference document for the private pilot practical test. It references the PTS to corresponding study materials. I updated this document in the March 2006 so it should be reasonably current.
The instructor card is a document that is to be used by the instructor to help keep track of the students’ progress. It is to be left on file at the field so that all instructors have access to it. Each lesson will be taught with 1-4 flights depending on the complexity of the lesson and the background of the student. Generally,a transition pilot will not need as many flights in each lesson and a new student will need more. We used a grading system of 1-5.
1) For an instructor demo or oral introduction of the subject.
2) For a student doing the maneuver with instructor supervision or student having a rote understanding of the subject.
3) For a student doing a maneuver under their own supervision with only minor instructor correction or student being able to explain the subject to the instructor.
4) For a student able to do the maneuver well enough for solo or student comprehension so that they are able to pass the pre-solo written test on those subject matters.
5) For a student able to do the maneuver well enough to pass the appropriate practical test or subject comprehension to be able to pass the written test and/or pass the practical test.
We also used a system of condition levels 1-5 (cond lvl). This was used to evaluate what conditions each lesson was conducted in and aided the instructor and student as to the ability of each individual to handle different wind and thermal conditions. A red flag was if a student consistently came out only in the calm of the evening, was soloed under those conditionsand then wanted to fly during the day when the thermal or wind was significantly different. His/her student card would reflect that kind of activity and the instructor could restrict their solo flight to those conditions only until they had more experience. This was also useful in that a student could call the field from home, ask what the condition level was, and know that they would either need an instructor to fly with them or may not be able to fly.
1) No wind and/or no thermal activity
2) Wind less than 10 kts with little or no crosswind and/or light thermal activity (0-300fpm)
3) Wind less than 20 kts with less than 10 kts of crosswind and/or moderate thermal activity (300-600 fpm)
4) Wind greater than 20 kts or greater than 10 kts crosswind, licensed pilots OK, no student solos
5) Wind greater than 25 kts or greater than 15 kts crosswind, instructors only
The Student Guide is to be used by both the student and instructor to follow a set course of instruction. It helps the student with what to study for the upcoming lessons and helps the instructor with what to teach without gaps in the learning process. This, along with the Instructor card, allows for multiple instructors to teach a student and have very few gaps in their learning. It uses the SSA Soaring Flight Manual as a reference and should be updated using references from the FAA documents "Glider Flying Handbook" FAA-H-8083-13 and the "Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge" FAA-H-8083-25. Lessons 11-18 do include references to the PTS.
During the last phase of the training the instructor is called on to be an evaluator. This is not the usual role of the instructor and therefore requires a different discipline. Lessons 22 & 23 are evaluation lessons. They will be conducted as if the applicant is actually taking the test. Lesson 22 will include a review of the paperwork (8710-1, student or private pilots license, written test (if required), and the first half of the oral and flight evaluation. Lesson 23 will include review of the logbook and required endorsements and the second half of the oral and flight evaluation. The oral evaluation should have 85%-90% correct answers and the flight evaluation should be 100% correct before the recommendation is made. Remember ALL TASKS WILL BE EVALUATED on the practical test. It is recommended that each Task be evaluated with at least 10 questions. After each lesson is completed then and only then should the flight instructor give a critique. Take notes during the evaluation so that you can give a fair and accurate critique. This method will better prepare the applicant for the stress of the check ride. If he/she sees you taking notes during the evaluation they will not be as apprehensive when they see the examiner taking notes. If enough weak areas (Tasks) are found the instructor must give further instruction and reevaluate those Tasks during another lesson. All Tasks must be passed, not all questions in a task. Don’t forget to evaluate the special emphasis items found in the introduction pages of the PTS.
I hope this helps with developing a comprehensive training program for your club instructors. It is imperative that all instructors are on board with the program. If the instructor card is not updated on a per lesson basis then the next instructor does not benefit from that knowledge and the student pays the price.
03-13-2006