Blog

Greg Brown, National Flight Instructor of the Year and member of the Flight Instructor Hall of Fame, is known for his Flying Carpet stories and decades of inspiring pilots through writing, photography, and instruction. John Niehaus, host of The Calm Cockpit Podcast and former Program Director at the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), has dedicated his career to mentoring the next generation of aviators.

Hosted by Matthew Schley, this interactive session designed to help students, pilots and instructors connect, learn, and grow together.

Key Takeaways from the Webinar

Updated Oct 31, 2025

1. Choosing a CFI/School

Student-Driven Fit

• Students often have limited choice at large flight academies (especially Part 141 programs).
• John: It’s okay to realize your instructor isn’t a good fit—what’s not okay is staying silent. Speaking up protects your learning and your investment.
• Greg: If possible, interview several instructors before starting. Ask:
  • What’s your training philosophy?
  • How is the course structured?
  • How long should I expect to complete my certificate?
  • What are realistic costs?
  • How do you explain technical concepts (e.g., stalls, turns)?
• Lesson Quality Indicator: How clearly and confidently a CFI answers reflects their preparedness and teaching skill.

First Lesson Advice

• Skip the quick “discovery flight.” Instead, book a full first lesson. It gives you real preflight briefing, flight time, and postflight discussion—revealing both teaching quality and chemistry.

Communicating Learning Styles

• Tell your instructor how you learn best—visual, auditory, kinesthetic.
• John shared an example of a student with a learning challenge who never told his instructor because “they never asked.” → CFIs aren’t mind readers; sharing needs ensures tailored instruction.

2. Early Habits of Safe, Efficient Pilots

Preparation Culture

• Good flying starts before the lesson: check weather, NOTAMs, maintenance, and review materials.
• Lessons are shorter and cheaper when students come prepared.

Checklists & Preflight Discipline

• Greg: “If your instructor ignores checklists—fire them.”
• Preflights prevent tragedy; Greg found life-threatening issues in ~30+ of his 50+ years flying.

Personal Minimums

• John: Know your limits—e.g., “I’ll fly in up to 5 knots of crosswind but not 7.”
  • Stick to them even under social pressure.
• Greg added: Students should participate in the decision-making process early—ask questions like, “Can we safely train today with these winds?”

Professional Habits

• Be methodical. Rushing through preflight or skipping items because “they’re always fine” builds dangerous complacency.
• Always start the flight mentally the night before.

3. Ground Study, Sim & Chair-Flying

Chair Flying and Muscle Memory

• Chair-flying builds flow and procedural memory—eyes and hands learn where to go.
• Add distractions to simulate cockpit workload (e.g., balancing an object or playing a phone game while reciting checklists).

Simulation Value

• Flight simulators (even home setups) are powerful when paired with discipline.
• Greg shared a story of a 16-year-old who’d only flown on Microsoft Flight Simulator + VATSIM—his first real flight was near-perfect, including professional radio calls.
• Tip: Add live ATC (VATSIM, PilotEdge) to build confidence in communication—a major learning curve for new pilots.

Study Group & Community

“Study alone, fail alone.”

• Join study groups (e.g., Greg’s Student Pilot Pep Talk on Facebook).
• Shared learning boosts retention, reduces frustration, and builds accountability.

Skyfarer’s Role

• Greg highlighted Skyfarer Academy as a breakthrough platform—allowing students to connect with qualified CFIs online for topic-specific mentoring (e.g., mountain flying, radio work). This flexibility removes barriers of geography and access.

4. Feeling Stuck / Hitting Plateaus

Plateaus Are Normal

• Every pilot—student to airline captain—hits a learning plateau.
  • The FAA Flight Instructor Handbook even diagrams this.
• Expect it. Knowing it’s normal helps reduce discouragement.

Reignite Joy

• John: “Fly once just for fun.” Go sightseeing, no maneuvers—remind yourself why you love flying.
• Greg: A “fun flight” breaks frustration; suddenly you realize, “I can actually fly this thing!”

Fly with Another CFI

• Sometimes progress stalls because a concept needs to be explained differently. A fresh perspective can trigger breakthroughs.

The Calm Cockpit

• John’s Calm Cockpit podcast (with Gida Brown) helps pilots manage anxiety, mental blocks, and fear, proving mindset is part of flight skill.

5. Building Confidence in Difficult (Landings, Crosswind, etc.)

A. Frequency & Consistency

• Fly often. Weekly or biweekly lessons are insufficient for skill retention.

Safe but Uncomfortable

• Instructors should push students slightly beyond comfort zones—but never to fear.
• Learning stops when fear kicks in.

Observational Learning

• Have your CFI demonstrate complex maneuvers while you observe, feel the pedals, and note coordination.
• Seeing before doing builds intuition.

Accept “Safe, Not Perfect”

• A slightly firm or bouncy landing is fine if controlled and safe.
  • A “greaser” isn’t the only measure of competence—confidence grows from consistency.

6. Common Early-Stage Mistakes

Expecting Perfection Too Soon

• Many beginners think good pilots are naturally gifted. In reality, skill comes from time and repetition.
• Greg reminded students that even airline captains constantly learn; mastery is a lifelong process.
• John joked about “feeling one inch shorter after a hard landing”—proof that mistakes are part of learning.
• Focus on small wins like smoother takeoffs or clearer radio calls rather than flawless performance early on.

Neglecting Ground Study

• Some treat ground knowledge as optional, showing up only to “fly the fun part.”
• Greg: “You can’t just show up for Domino’s lessons.” Preparation saves flight time and money.
• Unprepared students spend paid flight time re-learning what could’ve been read at home.
• Review lessons beforehand, and use study tools or apps to stay sharp between flights.

Delaying the FAA Written Exam

• Waiting until the end of training to study for the written test causes expensive delays.
• John explained that taking it early reinforces what you learn in the air and makes checkride prep easier.
• Pair topics with lessons—study airspace before navigation flights, weather before cross-country training.

Treating Flight Lessons as Casual Hobbies

• Flight lessons aren’t like piano practice or weekend sports—they require consistency and focus.
• Sporadic lessons or poor preparation slow progress and build bad habits.
• The most successful students treat each flight like professional development: arrive early, review material, debrief after every lesson.

7. Staying on Budget & Progressing to Solo/Checkride

• Study at home: Don’t pay CFIs to read the textbook to you.
• Follow a structured syllabus: Know where you are in your journey (pre-solo, solo, cross-country, prep for checkride).
• Debrief after every flight: Review what went well, what needs work, and how to improve next time.
• Integrate ground & flight: Prepare for the written concurrently, not afterward.
• Greg’s analogy: “When I took piano lessons and didn’t practice, I stayed on the same song for weeks.” The same applies to flying—practice and preparation save both time and money.

8. Coping with Weather Delays and Seasonal Challenges

• Use simulators or ground lessons on bad-weather days—icing, crosswind, or IFR scenario discussions.
• Learn from the weather: study forecasts, METARs, and use apps like Windy to understand systems.
• Stay flexible: adjust training days around weather patterns if possible.
• Don’t second-guess good judgment: Cancelled lessons that later clear up are still good decisions—better to be on the ground wishing to fly than the reverse.
• Regional awareness: In the U.S., the “best training season” differs—Arizona prefers winter; Midwest prefers summer.

9. After the Checkride: Staying Current as a Private Pilot

Currency vs. Proficiency

• Legal: 3 takeoffs/landings every 90 days.
• Proficiency: comfortable handling, decision-making, and communication.

Practical Strategies

• Fly shorter, frequent sessions rather than occasional long cross-countries.
• Schedule a pattern refresher every few weeks.
• Don’t hesitate to call your CFI for a “confidence ride” after downtime.

Managing Nerves

• A little nervousness is normal—it sharpens awareness. Use facts over feelings to judge readiness.
• Differentiate between logical risk (e.g., crosswinds, maintenance) and emotional hesitation—the former may require postponement; the latter often just needs reassurance or review.

Community Support

• Ask for help. Instructors love helping pilots regain comfort or currency—don’t isolate yourself.

10. Final Reflections & Encouragement

Lifelong Learning

• Greg: The biggest surprise—how challenging flying remains at every level, yet how rewarding it continues to be decades later.
• John: The depth of community—pilots are genuinely generous; when someone gives you their number, they mean it.
• Matthew: The “license to learn” truth—becoming a pilot reveals how much you don’t yet know but opens endless growth ahead.
• Aviation thrives on connection, mentorship, and shared passion.
• Platforms like Skyfarer Academy extend that ethos by helping pilots learn from experts anywhere, blending the best of technology with aviation’s timeless human element.

Related Articles

• How to Choose the Independent Flight Instructor Website and Find an Independent CFI
• Comparison of Flight Instruction Types