What Makes a Great Pilot? One Flight Instructor’s Thoughts

If you are reading this, you’re most likely a beginning pilot or someone eager to begin pilot training.  Here’s something to think about regarding becoming a good pilot; this is from an article by Jane G. Birch.  She quotes a master flight instructor: “Thinking about what makes an expert pilot, I believe the first trait is one’s ability to maintain beginner’s mind.  Beginner’s mind is having an open mind to life experiences and the ability to recognize and use these experiences in the future. You may know someone who seems to know all there is to know about aviation.  However, if they do not possess beginner’s mind, then to me they are knowledgeable, but not an expert….besides being knowledgeable, the best pilots observe the environment around them…The expert will say this or that is going to happen, and it usually does further along the flight. When their prediction becomes realilty you think, ‘how did they know that was going to happen’?” The flight instructor goes on to say that such pilots share one thing in common: all are able to apply their aviation abilities to their environment.

If you are interested in starting to become both knowledgeable and later an “expert,” you will need to begin with high quality instruction.  Phoenix East Aviation is known for such quality training. Check out www.pea.com for more information.