Stage 1 - L2 - Basic Aircraft Operations

Objectives

  1. Continue the familiarization of the student with the training airplane and its systems

  2. Identify the certificates and documents that are required to be in the airplane.

  3. Understand the use of checklists during the preflight inspection, engine starting, before takeoff, after landing, parking, and securing procedures.

  4. Understand how to taxi the airplane, including use of the brakes.

  5. Learn how to use the flight controls to maintain specific attitudes, level turns, climbs, descents.

  6. Introduce the student to weather briefings.

Session Details

This session involves a continued familiarization with the aircraft and basic operational procedures. Most critically during this session is an in-depth preflight of the aircraft, as well as detailed coverage of the before takeoff checks that are performed.

Prior to going out for the preflight, walk the student through a preflight weather briefing. Perform the call to flight service, on a speaker phone, and allow the student to listen in. Then point the student to a helper webpage on the website that gives the basics of calling for a WX briefing.

Once ready, the student is instructed/coached in the details of making a correct take-off. Then in the air the basics of straight-and-level flight, level turns, climbs, and descents are introduced. During this time (and during most early sessions) the instructor works to begin familiarizing the student with the local practice area (i.e. boundaries, landmarks, etc.).

Resources/References

Articles

These articles are focused on aspects of this lesson in additional depth, and are provided as supplementary reading.

[ XXX SUPPLIMENTAL READING - BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST XXX]

Lesson Plans

These are individual lesson plans, keyed to the ACS, which discuss the topics included in this flight lesson. Each of the references below will have further references to additional FAA documents which address the individual topics in depth.

  • 2.B : Runway Incursion Avoidance

  • 2.C : Visual Scanning and Collision Avoidance

  • 5.A : Preflight Inspection

  • 5.C : Engine Starting

  • 5.D : Taxiing

  • 5.G : Before Takeoff Check

  • 6.B : Traffic Patterns

  • 7.A : Normal and Crosswind Takeoff and Climb

  • 8.A : Straight and Level Flight

  • 8.B : Level Turns

  • 8.C : Straight Climbs and Climbing Turns

  • 8.D : Straight Descents and Descending Turns

  • 14.A : Postflight Procedures