Slow flight is a skill. Crosswind landing is a skill. Exposure to long
trips and making difficult decisions under varying weather conditions
is experience. The right combination of skill and experience is what
makes a pilot "mature" and safe.



On Sep 8, 3:49 pm, Bob Fry wrote:
"Ol" == Ol Shy & Bashful writes:

Ol There is little doubt in my mind that the ability to do slow
Ol flight at the very edge of stall speed will do more to prevent
Ol accidents than 1000 hours of cruise speed flight.
. . .
Ol What are your thoughts?

Can't agree. The single best thing I did with an airplane to improve
my confidence and safety was fly a cross-country to Oshkosh from
California with a more experienced friend, each in our own airplane.

But others will agree with you. The point is that there are several
areas of aviation and flight that are important, and different people
will have different needs in those areas. Your students are probably
proficient in slow flight, that's good. How well would they do with a
long cross country and handling weather issues?

There are only so many hours of training to give, and the reality is
that a fresh pilot just receiving their PP-ASEL doesn't know
much. Perhaps the best thing an instructor can do is see that their
students understand their ignorance but also understand how they can
use their new license to improve.

--
It is a mistake to think you can solve any major problems just with
potatoes.
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