Making Instrument Ground Fun

[ADRidge]

So I'm currently pursuing my CFII in helicopters. I've got my lessons done, and they look great. To help prepare myself, I've organized an informal ground school with a few fixed wing guys I know, teaching them what they need to know to pass the oral portion. They're all flying with fixed-wing CFII's, and I can't sign them off for anything and they know that. I'm mainly using it as a way for people to poke holes in my lessons and make them bulletproof. And hey, it's free instruction for them.

 

The problem is this: there is quite a bit of the IFR knowledge base that is extremely dry at best, if not downright boring. I love instrument stuff, personally. I think it's incredibly cool that we can fly without visual reference thanks to technology.... but there's some stuff that even I don't really get excited about, and it shows when I present the material.

 

During those lessons, when I see I'm losing the attention of the class, I'll take a short break, or do some light quizzing on their strong points to keep them going, but either way it's still just gonna be one of those boring days.

 

Have any of you more experienced instructors found a way to make your classes more interesting?

[naflight]

Scenarios, scenarios, scenarios.

 

And break it up with ASF interactive courses.

 

http://www.aopa.org/asf/index.html

 

NAFA

[R22139RJ]

I was taught and still currently use our golf cart to practice entry into holding patterns. I create a holding pattern on the ground and then practice with the student driving into the hold from different quadrants. I also mimic local approaches and how to enter those holding patterns. It helps to break things up a bit.

[kodoz]

Scenarios!

 

There's also Tim's VOR simulator, and a really nice sim by Luiz Montero that make for great hold and approach practice.

[Hawkeye0001]

I was taught and still currently use our golf cart to practice entry into holding patterns. I create a holding pattern on the ground and then practice with the student driving into the hold from different quadrants. I also mimic local approaches and how to enter those holding patterns. It helps to break things up a bit.

 

Haha, I LOVE this idea! I'm sure this would've prevented me (and my students...) from getting completely lost on my first 2 or 3 lessons on holds!