A good instructor must stay up-to-date on what is happening in the aviation training industry to be able to provide quality training to their students. The hard part is finding resources that keep you up-to-date, without having to go digging all the time. The good news is that there are a variety of free resources that can help keep an instructor in-the-know.
There are a number of FREE resources that I recommend any instructor start receiving and browse regularly to keep aware of changes and industry happenings that could affect the training they provide to students. There are others that you can get as members, but at a minimum, these free resources can help.
eNewsletters
AOPA FSB – AOPA’s long running Flight School Business publication is a digital newsletter specifically focused on the business of flight training and delivered to those that provide these services. With content from industry experts, it is a fantastic resource to learn about what is happening in the flight training industry and how to effectively provide training. Visit https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/flight-schools/flight-school-business to make sure you are on the receiving end of this publication.
ASA Enroute – This newsletter provides information on the newest products from ASA, as well as updates to existing ASA products and textbooks, Federal Aviation Regulation updates, changes to the Practical Test Standards, updates to FAA Knowledge Exams, the latest posts from the Learn to Fly Blog, training tips, links to resources and social media outlets, and much more–all in one place! Visit http://www.asa2fly.com/ENROUTE-Newsletter-W30.aspx to see it and subscribe.
AvWeb – This long standing independent aviation news resource is a good free resource delivered regularly to subscriber’s email address. It covers current and timely aviation news from around the industry. Visit https://www.avweb.com/ to learn more or subscribe.
CFI to CFI Newsletter – Another AOPA publication, from the Air Safety Institute, the CFI to CFI newsletter focuses on delivering information specifically to instructors that will help share training updates and best practices.
Visit https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/cfis/flight-instructor-resources/cfi-to-cfi-newsletter to subscribe or download archived editions from the past to learn from industry leading instructors who share their secrets, thoughts, and updates on current changes in training.
Flight School Association of North American (FSANA) Flight School News eMonthly –
Go to http://www.fsana.com/ and click on the “Sign up for Flight School News eMonthly” text to start getting this monthly flight school news focused email.
Podcasts
Airplane Geeks – The long running podcast includes competent hosts and industry recognized guests to recap aviation news, tell stories, and talk about the aviation industry. Not only just a good resource, it is a fun listen that keeps listeners engaged with current happenings in the aviation industry.
Visit http://www.airplanegeeks.com/ for more information or find the podcast on your podcast delivery channel of choice on your mobile device to listen on the go! The podcast is available on most platforms including iTunes, Google Play, and the Android platform.
Aviation News Talk – A relatively new podcast hosted by nationally known instructor, Max Trescott, highlights aviation news articles in a short and concise format for the listening. Some guests and stories are included, but it is a good quick hit resource for instructors to consider.
Visit http://aviationnewstalk.com for more information or find the podcast on your podcast delivery channel of choice on your mobile device to listen on the go! The podcast is available on most platforms including iTunes, Google Play, and the Android platform.
FAA Sources
FAA Safety Briefing – This bi-monthly FAA publication focused on safety and education from the FAA themselves should be on the list of reading for every flight instructor. Visit https://www.faa.gov/news/safety_briefing/ to download issues or subscribe to email notifications for when these become available.
FAA Airman Testing Updates – Visit https://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/ on a regular basis to keep up-to-date on any changes to airman testing that the FAA is making. While this isn’t a “newsletter” per say, it is a site that is regularly updated to include changes in airman testing. There is also an option (if you look at the notations on the right) to receive “Email Notification” of any updates to this page so the system will notify you when changes are made as a prod to go check what is new and upcoming.
Industry Association Memberships
A few paid memberships that an instructor should consider that also deliver regular digital and print news include membership in AOPA (www.AOPA.org), EAA (www. EAA.org), NAFI (www.NAFINET.org) and SAFE (www.SAFEPILOTS.org). All of these organizations have yearly membership fees and provide their members regular digital and print publications that include training related updates. Getting a membership in one or more of these will also help an instructor stay current in their knowledge base.
Staying current as an instructor while you try to provide training to students can be difficult, but there are resources that can make it easier. These are a few that I use as an instructor and DPE on a regular basis. Having this information delivered to you keeps you from having to go digging. Take advantage of these resources to keep your services as an instructor the best you possible.