new student

a new private student is an exciting thing to be a part of.  as a flight instructor, it is important to determine the goals that the student has and the time and opportunity of the student.  this will help determine how the student's training will play out.  also, it is important to get to know the student as an individual and make sure that you will be able to effectively and efficiently mold them into safe and professional pilots.

obviously, a student training at westminster will usually have the goal of becoming a professional pilot.  this is an important first step in determining how the student values their training and how important it will be to them to get it done.  i would ask the student what kind of pilot they would like to be such as a corporate or airline pilot.  also, i would ask the student how much time and effort they can devote to their training and how quickly they would like to get it done.  it would not be good to rush a student who does not mind taking some time, especially if they have to deal with other classes and responsibilities. getting to know the student on a personal level is also an effective tool when first becoming acquainted with a student.  knowing their personality and background can help determine what their learning style is and how the communicate.  also, it will help them to become comfortable with you, and you become comfortable with them.  if the student were at an FBO, the story may be slightly different.  generally, because the average age of a student pilot is over thirty years old, i would expect a student of that age to choose to fly as a hobby or for their business.  this training may be much more relaxed and at a slower pace.  it would still be important to stress safety and professionalism, as well as to get to know the students goals, time, opportunity and personal traits in order to give them the best training that they can receive.

getting to know a student and meeting for the first time is a critical part of flight training.  it is important to give the student a realistic time frame for their completion goals, and give them general knowledge of how their training will take place and what to expect.  also, it offers a great opportunity to answer any questions that a person who is new to flying may have.