Transitioning Older, Rusty Pilots into High Performance Aircraft

Transitioning Older, Rusty Pilots into High Performance Aircraft

There has been much written about bringing rusty pilots back to proficiency in modern aircraft. As a flight instructor, one cannot assume that any area of knowledge or skill will come back evenly or adequately. This challenge is compounded when transitioning an older rusty pilot back into the cockpit of a high-performance aircraft, where everything happens faster, and errors can be more critical. This paper will present the lessons learned by instructors at a Cirrus Training Center, where older and rustier pilots often want to buy and fly a Cirrus following an effective transition.

Cirrus Aircraft has a goal to expand the pool of general aviation pilots by attracting those who would not choose to enroll at a typical flight school. The demographics of this new group of prospective aviators can be challenging due to a higher average age and different inclination toward learning new skills.

The instructors will present roadblocks to learning progression and their approaches to overcome each, including how to teach systems, regulations, ATC communications, and management of abnormals and emergencies, while reliably flying on profile in a glass cockpit in a high-performance aircraft.

While the examples presented will feature Cirrus SR series aircraft, the lessons learned and recommended approaches apply to any high-performance aircraft

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