Learning Theory and Differentiation in Flight Instruction: Perceptions from Certified Flight Instructors

The pilot shortage has reached critical levels. One strategy to minimize the loss of potentially skilled pilots is to focus attention on providing flight instructors with the background knowledge to understand student learning and support student pilots as they progress through flight training programs. Within flight instruction, little or no attention has been focused on the concept of Multiple Intelligences (MI) Theory and its impact on student learning and retention. Consequently, the purpose of this study was to determine if Certified Flight Instructors (CFI) who have been provided with information about MI Theory perceived a positive relationship between their new knowledge about multiple intelligences and their general instructional effectiveness. The study used CFI journals, observations, and individual interviews to determine if instructors perceived MI Theory to be valuable when applied to flight instruction. The results indicated that the participants believed knowledge regarding MI Theory added value to their flight instruction. Implications for practice and directions for future research are provided

Able Flight at Purdue: Opportunities in Technology

Developing aircraft piloting skills takes years of training with experts to meet flight certification requirements. Not everyone can reach those standards, and the challenge is even greater for those with physical disabilities. There are opportunities to modify aircraft and train physically impaired students to be pilots; however, due to the high cost, few are able to do so. Able Flight seeks to change that by providing scholarship opportunities for people with disabilities to learn to fly and opening up new educational and career opportunities. Over 30 individuals with various disabilities have received scholarships since Able Flights inception, and all have successfully completed the requirements for a sport pilots’ license

Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Contemporary Approach to Professional Flight Instruction

In the United States, an increasing number of aspiring commercial airline pilots are teaching as Certificated Flight Instructors, presumably to reach the minimum required flight hours and move into airline flight operations. High-quality training is the foundation of a high-quality globalized aviation workforce, yet there has been a persistent lack of systemic in-depth guidance surrounding how instructors are taught how to teach aviation subject matter, justifying the need for incorporating the use of evidence-based and promising practices from education fields into flight instruction. In this conceptual article, we outline the integral components and the research basis of the universal design for learning (UDL) framework. We then provide three adapted UDL tools and recommendations for utilizing UDL during ground and flight instruction. The broader impact of teaching flight instructors how to use the UDL framework includes the potential to improve retention rates, reduce flight training hours, and lead to strong knowledge and skills for both instructors and students