Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Flight Instructor (Airplane) • ACS Area I, Task F

The Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan covers the instructional knowledge, risk management, and skills required by FAA-S-ACS-25.

Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Introduction

  • Schedule

    Topic:
    Time:
    Attention/Motivator:
    0:05
    Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
    0:05
    Part 2, Instructional Knowledge:
    0:25
    Part 3, Risk Management Instruction:
    0:15
    Part 4, Skill Demonstration and Teaching:
    0:30
    Part 5, Guided Teaching Scenario:
    0:20
    Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:
    0:05
    Remotivation/Closure:
    0:05
    Total Ground Time:
    0:00

  • Attention Getter:

    • Present a teaching scenario in which learner safety or understanding depends on effective instruction in elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention.
    • Ask the instructor applicant to identify the first instructional decision that will shape the learner's outcome.

  • Motivator:

    • To determine the applicant understands teaching practical risk management, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.

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Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Materials

Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Instructor Actions

  • Before the lesson, review the reference materials, applicable airplane limitations, and the instructor applicant's prior lesson preparation.
  • Part 1, Lesson Introduction:
    • Present the attention getter and motivator.
    • Review Area of Operation I, Task F, and the Airman Certification Standards.
    • State the lesson objective: To determine the applicant understands teaching practical risk management, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.
  • Part 2, Instructional Knowledge:
    • Present a concrete example, then require the learner to explain and apply a repeatable process for identifying hazards, assessing likelihood and severity, selecting controls, and reassessing risk as conditions change. (FI.I.F.K1)
    • Teach the appropriate use and limitations of risk management tools, including: (FI.I.F.K2)
    • Use an aircraft- or scenario-specific example, then have the learner explain when and how to introduce risk management so it becomes an integral part of every lesson rather than an isolated checklist exercise. (FI.I.F.K3)
    • Adapt risk-management teaching to the learner's phase of instruction, progressing from instructor modeling through guided decisions to independent application. (FI.I.F.K4)
    • Prepare the applicant to manage risk while providing flight instruction, including: (FI.I.F.K5)
    • Integrate Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) with Crew Resource Management (CRM) or Single-Pilot Resource Management (SRM), as appropriate to the operation. (FI.I.F.K6)
  • Part 3, Risk Management Instruction:
    • Identify and mitigate hazards unique to providing flight instruction, including divided attention, delayed intervention, learner control inputs, and reduced safety margins. (FI.I.F.R1)
    • Identify obstacles to instructor situational awareness and establish techniques for maintaining aircraft-state, learner-state, traffic, position, and environmental awareness. (FI.I.F.R2)
    • Recognize and manage hazards arising from human behavior, including hazardous attitudes, external pressures, anxiety, fatigue, fixation, and reluctance to intervene. (FI.I.F.R3)
    • Require the instructor applicant to model risk controls, intervention points, and discontinue criteria while teaching.
  • Part 4, Skill Demonstration and Teaching:
    • Use scenario-based training to demonstrate, teach, and assess risk management and Aeronautical Decision-Making in the context of a task specified by the evaluator. (FI.I.F.S1)
    • Have the applicant identify, assess, and mitigate risks commonly associated with flight instruction by maintaining: (FI.I.F.S2)
      • Awareness and oversight of the learner’s actions, with timely and appropriate supervision, intervention, or mitigation as needed (FI.I.F.S2a)
      • Awareness of the learner’s cognitive/physiological state, with timely action to mitigate anxiety, fatigue, or other obstruction to learning (FI.I.F.S2b)
      • Overall situational awareness of the aircraft’s dynamic state, its position in space, and vigilance for unexpected events or changing circumstances that occur in the environment (FI.I.F.S2c)
    • Require the applicant to model and teach safety practices, including maintaining: (FI.I.F.S3)
      • Collision avoidance while simultaneously providing instruction (FI.I.F.S3a)
      • Avoidance of unnecessary distractions (FI.I.F.S3b)
      • Coordinated flight (FI.I.F.S3c)
      • Awareness of who is manipulating controls through positive exchange of flight controls (FI.I.F.S3d)
      • Continuous awareness of the aircraft’s dynamic state and position in the NAS (FI.I.F.S3e)
    • Coach simultaneous explanation, demonstration, observation, error correction, and, when airborne, positive aircraft control.
  • Part 5, Guided Teaching Scenario:
    • Lead the guided scenario.
    • Evaluate instructional organization, technical accuracy, risk management, learner engagement, and every applicable ACS element.
  • Part 6, Lesson Conclusion:
    • Review the lesson objective, instructional strengths, risk-management decisions, and items requiring additional practice.
    • Present the re-motivation and closure.
  • Update instructor records and the instructor applicant's training record, as required.
Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Guided Scenario(s)

  • Assign a realistic instructional flight in which the learner must make a go/no-go or continue/divert decision while aircraft, environmental, learner-state, and external-pressure conditions evolve.
  • Require the instructor applicant to identify hazards associated with providing instruction, obstacles to situational awareness, and human-behavior risks, then establish controls and intervention points before flight. (FI.I.F.R1) (FI.I.F.R2) (FI.I.F.R3)
  • Have the applicant use scenario-based training to teach and assess the learner's ADM while continuously supervising learner actions, monitoring cognitive and physiological state, and maintaining awareness of the aircraft and environment. (FI.I.F.S1) (FI.I.F.S2)
  • Evaluate collision avoidance, distraction management, coordinated flight, positive exchange of controls, and continuous awareness of aircraft position and state. (FI.I.F.S3)
  • Introduce a realistic learner error, misconception, change in operating conditions, or external pressure and require the instructor applicant to adapt the lesson.
  • Conclude with a learner-centered assessment and instructor self-critique tied to the ACS knowledge, risk management, and skill elements.
Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Student Actions

  • Complete assigned readings and prepare a lesson plan with objective, content sequence, teaching aids, assessment, and completion standards.
  • Teach the applicable knowledge elements accurately and in learner-appropriate language rather than relying on rote recitation.
  • Identify, assess, mitigate, and teach the risks associated with the task.
  • Demonstrate or explain each applicable skill while maintaining positive control, observing the learner, and correcting errors appropriately.
  • Review AOPA's Do the Right Thing: Decision Making for Pilots Safety Spotlight.
  • Use effective questions, check learner understanding, conduct a learner-centered assessment, and perform an instructor self-assessment.
Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Airman Certification Standards

Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Airman Certification Standards

  • Note: The evaluator must select Task E, Task F, and at least one other Task for initial flight instructor applicants. During a practical test for an added flight instructor rating or flight instructor reinstatement, the evaluator has discretion to evaluate the applicant on Fundamentals of Instructing.
  • Task F: Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention.
  • Objective: To determine the applicant understands teaching practical risk management, can apply that knowledge, manage associated risks, demonstrate appropriate skills, and provide effective instruction.
  • References: FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-9 (Aviation Instructor’s Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)
Knowledge 6 ACS Elements
  • FI.I.F.K1:
    Teaching risk identification, assessment, and mitigation.
  • FI.I.F.K2:
    Teaching risk management tools, including:
    • FI.I.F.K2a:
      Pilot/Aircraft/enVironment/External Pressures (PAVE) checklist
    • FI.I.F.K2b:
      Flight Risk Assessment Tools (FRATs)
  • FI.I.F.K3:
    When and how to introduce risk management.
  • FI.I.F.K4:
    Risk management teaching techniques by phase of instruction.
  • FI.I.F.K5:
    Managing risk during flight instruction, including:
    • FI.I.F.K5a:
      Common flight instruction risks
    • FI.I.F.K5b:
      Best practices
    • FI.I.F.K5c:
      Special considerations while teaching takeoffs and landings
  • FI.I.F.K6:
    Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) to include using Crew Resource Management (CRM) or Single- Pilot Resource Management (SRM), as appropriate.
Risk Management 3 ACS Elements
  • FI.I.F.R1:
    Hazards associated with providing flight instruction.
  • FI.I.F.R2:
    Obstacles to maintaining situational awareness during flight instruction.
  • FI.I.F.R3:
    Recognizing and managing hazards arising from human behavior, including hazardous attitudes.
Skills 3 ACS Elements
  • FI.I.F.S1:
    Use scenario-based training (SBT) to demonstrate, teach, and assess risk management and Aeronautical Decision-Making (ADM) skills in the context of a Task specified by the evaluator.
  • FI.I.F.S2:
    Identify, assess, and mitigate risks commonly associated with flight instruction by maintaining:
    • FI.I.F.S2a:
      Awareness and oversight of the learner’s actions, with timely and appropriate supervision, intervention, or mitigation as needed
    • FI.I.F.S2b:
      Awareness of the learner’s cognitive/physiological state, with timely action to mitigate anxiety, fatigue, or other obstruction to learning
    • FI.I.F.S2c:
      Overall situational awareness of the aircraft’s dynamic state, its position in space, and vigilance for unexpected events or changing circumstances that occur in the environment
  • FI.I.F.S3:
    Model and teach safety practices, including maintaining:
    • FI.I.F.S3a:
      Collision avoidance while simultaneously providing instruction
    • FI.I.F.S3b:
      Avoidance of unnecessary distractions
    • FI.I.F.S3c:
      Coordinated flight
    • FI.I.F.S3d:
      Awareness of who is manipulating controls through positive exchange of flight controls
    • FI.I.F.S3e:
      Continuous awareness of the aircraft’s dynamic state and position in the NAS
Flight Instructor (Airplane) Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention Lesson Plan

Conclusion

  • Re-Motivation:

    • Effective instruction in elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention helps learners build sound judgment, technical competence, and safe operating habits.

  • Closure:

    • Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson.
    • Assign study materials for the next lesson.