This issue of the Pilot’s Digest is all about becoming a better pilot. A good pilot is one that is always learning, but a great pilot is one that practices what they have learned. If you’re like me, you’ve watched the ESPN special about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls called The Last Dance. What really caught my attention was hearing Michael Jordan’s teammates talk about his approach to practice. According to them, MJ’s intensity was at its peak during practice. This way, he was so prepared during games that he could just show up, drop 50 points, and hit the game-winning shot. It was his approach to practice, his preparation and his dedication to being the best he could that transformed him into the greatest player in the history of professional basketball.
As pilots, we can learn a lot from Jordan’s approach to basketball, specifically how he practiced. At American Flyers, we offer many courses designed to help you practice and in turn, enhance your skills and improve your confidence. In this issue, we are going to hear from our National Chief Pilot, Steven Daun, about flight reviews and Instrument Proficiency Checks (IPC). It’s one thing to complete these objectives to ensure you are compliant, but what can you learn during these critical lessons spent with a flight instructor? These are opportunities to expand your knowledge and improve your skillset.
American Flyers is dedicated to helping you. We offer other programs in addition to flight reviews and IPC’s that are meant to improve your flying skills. We have basic and advanced landing courses, basic and advanced instrument training (for those with and those without an instrument rating), a pinch hitter course, and custom programs designed to meet your exact needs. American Flyers’ Pinch Hitter course is unique, as most non-pilots do not like to fly in small airplanes because they are unsure of how things work. The Pinch Hitter course provides enough information to make flying fun for everyone by ensuring that both the pilot and the non-pilot are comfortable flying. This is also a great course for safety purposes just in case of an emergency.
I would encourage you to think about your flying skills and point out which areas need practice.
Do you lack confidence when landing with a crosswind? Are your instrument skills good enough to get by, but not good enough to fly in actual weather conditions? Are you worried about flying with your friend or significant other who isn’t a pilot?
Jordan was the best because he practiced with the best and I recommend you to do the same: spend more time with a flight instructor. A flight instructor will help you improve your own game so that you can fly with confidence and shoot that approach down to minimums while greasing that crosswind landing.
Andrew Henley
Vice-President
American Flyers