Cessna Flight
Training System
Philosophies and Techniques
Additional information
• Be sure to study the
Instructor’s Guide
• Available under the
“Documentation”
menu of the Course
Tracking Application
(CTA).
The traditional approach
• Teach customers how to fly maneuvers
• They reach a certain proficiency level with
those tasks
• We recommend them for a flight test
• The flight test measures their proficiency in
those specific tasks
• The examiner issues them a certificate.
Then came FITS
• FAA-Industry Training Standards
– Simply go to Google and search for “FAA FITS”
– Or: faa.gov/training_testing/training/fits
What we mean by FITS
• Cessna has designed the following FITS
principles into this new training system:
– Scenario-based training (SBT)
– Single-pilot resource management (SPRM)
– Learner-centered grading (LCG)
The objective
• The goal of FITS is to build pilots’ decisionmaking skills during the training process so
they will be better prepared to make
aeronautical decisions when they receive
their certificates.
Traditional Approach vs. FITS
• FITS helps increase decision-making skills as
well as stick-and-rudder skills
Traditional Approach
Skills
FITS
Skills
Judgment
Judgment
What’s the secret?
• You cannot teach judgment
– But it can be learned
• This is where scenario based training (SBT)
comes in
• This is not new
– Airlines: Line Oriented Flight Training (LOFT)
– Military: “Fly like you fight”
• What’s new is implementing these
philosophies into GA flight training.
Another part of the problem
• Flight Director
• Cessna has one that:
– Directs the climbs, descents, heading changes
– Prescribes the control input to accomplish those
maneuvers
– Directs level offs
– If the pilot does not make the needed corrections
in a timely manner, it makes them automatically
• Called the Flight Instructor
• It’s difficult to sit on your hands and even
more difficult to shut up
Flight instructors
• You have a lot more “airsense”
• You don’t have to devote most of your
available “RAM” to controlling the airplane
• You see it happening before the customer
• You need to let the customer make the call
unless it’s going to bend metal or hurt
someone.
Implementing SBT
• “Reflective Response”
– They need to reflect on their choices
– No canned answer
– Multiple solutions
• Hint: Your way is not the only way
– Never criticize a conservative approach
Effective scenarios
• Realistic
• Have to be relevant to the current phase of
training
• Outcome has to be determined by the learner
• Instructor coaching must be positive, not
condescending
Wait a minute!
• I have to make up scenarios for every flight?
• Nope, we did it for you
• You can customize each scenario for your
school.
Course structure
Three Stages
• Stage 1: Pre-Solo
• Stage 2: Solo & Cross-Country
• Stage 3: Preparing for Your Practical Test
Each stage is divided into phases (total of 10)
Each phase includes multiple scenarios.
Sport/Private Course
Memory aid
Stage
There are only 3 of these.
Phase
There are 10 of these.
Scenario
New name for a “lesson.”
Stages
Each stage has
• Suggested one-on-one Knowledge Review Sessions
• Required Expanded Instructor Briefings
• Required Progress Checks
The suggested one-on-one Knowledge Review Sessions are
designed to
• Supplement the web-based knowledge instruction as necessary, and
• Enhance customer learning by identifying any weak areas
The one-on-one Knowledge Review Sessions
• Are not required but strongly recommended
• Can be found in Appendix B of the syllabus
IMPORTANT: The syllabus does not address briefing your local
safety practices and procedures; please review these key items
before or after your first flight with the customer.
Progress Checks
Each stage, the customer is required to complete a
Progress Check that:
• Checks the customer’s progress and instructor
pairing
• Consists of oral quizzing and a flight
• Is to be performed by the Chief Flight Instructor,
Assistant Chief Flight Instructor, or a designated
instructor
The progress checks can be found in
• Stage 1, Phases 2 and 5
• Stage 2, Phase 7
• Stage 3, Phase 10.
Phases
There are 10 phases of training. Each phase includes…
• Web-based Knowledge Instruction that:
– Forms the customer’s knowledge foundation to be used for the
flight scenarios
– Is directly correlated to the phase
– Is to be completed before the corresponding phase can be
considered complete
• Flight Scenarios that:
– Are placed in a suggested order of completion
– Can be flown
• Once
• More than once
• Not at all
– Can be customized for your local training environment
– Can be completed out of phase or stage if approved by the Chief
or Assistant Chief Instructor
Phases continued
• Phase Ground Training Checklists that:
– Contain knowledge areas evaluated by the instructor on the
ground and normally discussed during the preflight briefing.
– Must be demonstrated to the ‘explain’ level in order to complete
the phase.
• Phase Proficiency Checklists that:
– Contain tasks that are to be completed in order to the ‘perform’
level in order to complete the phase
– Contains completion standards for the phase.
Phase Proficiency Checklist
• The customer can move on to the next phase of
training once all items on the phase proficiency
checklist are completed to the level of performance
required for that phase
• The customer is not required to complete every flight
scenario within a phase, but it is highly
recommended that they do so, as the scenarios
progress in complexity to provide maximum
efficiency.
Example
Scenarios
• The new name for “lesson”
• Total of 32 (includes the four progress checks)
In each scenario
Scenario Title: Recognizing and Recovering From Stalls (Stage 1, Phase 2,
Scenario 1)
Objective:
Learn how to correct for the wind while taxiing, perform radio communications, and
improve aircraft control while learning the skills to recognize, avoid and recover
from a stall
Where to go:
The vicinity of the highest obstacle in a 20-nm radius, keeping the appropriate legal
distance (vertical and horizontal) from the obstacle and then to suitable airspace
for the maneuvers
How to get there: Pilotage
Possible deviations: None
Possible malfunctions: None
Purpose/pressures (real or simulated):
You need to take an aerial photo for a client of the highest obstacle within a 20-nm
radius of your home airport. The deadline for the photography is tomorrow
morning at 9 am.
Risks (real or simulated): Traffic, flying at or near stall speed, flying near a high
obstacle
New this scenario (list of tasks)
Improving your skills (list of tasks).
Lesson numbers
• Disadvantages of a traditional lessonnumbered syllabus:
– When a customer repeats a numbered lesson, they
naturally feel that they are spinning their wheels
and not progressing
– A rigid structure does not fit the individualized
nature of flight training
• This new curriculum does not number
lessons from beginning to end of the syllabus
• Instead, each phase includes multiple
scenarios that are performed until the phase
proficiency standards are achieved.
Watch for DEMO in the syllabus
• Too many instructors are trying to teach customers
how to fly the airplane while in the traffic pattern
• Customers need to learn stick-and-rudder skills in
the practice area, THEN learn how to perform
takeoffs and landings
• This syllabus includes the word “DEMO” next to the
takeoff and landing tasks in the entire first phase
• This means the instructor is to perform
(demonstrate) those takeoffs and landings
• Don’t let the customer do it in the first phase
• Make it something to look forward to.
Quality ground training
• Ask a question that requires the customer to
make a decision
• Examine the decision made
• Explore alternatives
• Evaluate which way is best
– Best for the customer
• Case study training
– Real, dynamic, interesting
– ntsb.gov, asf.org (aopa.org/asf/ntsb)
Expanded Instructor Briefings
• Before each significant event the instructor will give
an expanded briefing to ensure that all goes as
smoothly as possible for the
– First solo flight,
– First solo cross-country flight,
– And FAA practical test
• During these expanded briefings, the instructor will
ask questions about the airplane and local flight
environment as well as questions specific to the
phase of training just completed
• These briefings will be conducted one-on-one with
the instructor and can be found in Appendix A.
Example
Learner Centered Grading (LCG)
Learner-centered grading includes two parts:
1. Learner self assessment, and
2. A detailed debrief by the instructor.
• The purpose of the self assessment is to
stimulate growth in the learner’s thought
processes and, in turn, behaviors.
• The self-assessment is followed by an indepth discussion between the instructor and
the customer
Example
Suggested Knowledge Review
Sessions
• Designed to be an optional supplement to the
web-based knowledge instruction
• Are conducted one-on-one with the instructor
• Found in Appendix B of the syllabus.
Example
So why should I care?
• Safer, more competent pilots
• Customer Satisfaction
– Focus on the areas they need to work on
– Proficiency advancement
– No expectation of solo by certain time
• Scenario-based flight tests
– Required right now
Additional information
• Be sure to study the
Instructor’s Guide
• Available under the
“Documentation”
menu of the Course
Tracking Application
(CTA).