I expect many of us will have some down time in the next few weeks or even months. I propose going through the Airmen Certification Standards. In the whole of my university preparation for the teaching certificate, I encountered but one very good professor. Professor Gwynthomas said, "Do not attempt to teach any topic without first explaining why we should learn said topic. Let us approach various tasks in the ACS with that in mind. Please jump in with whatever you see as useful, not useful, or could be improved.

Task F Performance and Limitations/Risk Management/Possible difference between calculated performance and actual performance.

Because I have neither excelled in math nor have been an organized pilot, I see the possible difference between calculated performance and actual performance as a very worthwhile consideration. As an English teacher, I love the alliteration of, Prior planning prevents pitifully poor performance. Prior planning MITIGATES pitifully poor performance is more accurate.

We need to understand how the best prepared pilot may be the most vulnerable to upset, loss of control, and controlled flight into terrain. The tactical situation is fluid. For the test, we plan for everything. For real life, we need to expect the unexpected. Example: Having to use both weak hands on the yoke leaves me vulnerable to reduced power because of throttle creep. The instructors at Aurora Aviation are right there with a hand to put the throttle back in and hold it in. Example: Acceptance of engine failure before every takeoff saves precious seconds on forced landing or abort, as in courierguy's recent self isolation post.

We should all be pregnant with this one. Jump in there.

While determination that things aren't going as planned need come quicker the shorter the strip, long runways can lead to too late determination as well. On the short strip we need to judge how appropriately soon the nose or tailwheel is off, mains off into low ground effect, etc. On the long runway we need to judge how appropriately soon the nose or tailwheel is off, mains off into low ground effect, etc.

While trying to be diplomatic I missed a key point in thinking acceleration in ground effect was now the school solution. No, just on the soft field takeoff. So I have to go back to my old adage that the soft field technique is the best short field and even normal takeoff techniques. I have to agree with courierguy that there is little worth teaching in the ACS. I have to agree with King Solomon that there is nothing new under the sun.

In the ACS Normal, Soft Field, and Short Field Takeoff and Climb (ASEL) Risk Management sections, low altitude maneuvering including stall, spin, or CFIT are listed as abnormal operations. My question is should not low altitude maneuvering be considered normal in the pattern? Are we to make our students believe that trying to get high as soon as possible absolves them of the low altitude maneuvering risk in the pattern. Or do we teach that high altitude stall and spin recovery practice prepares them for the low altitude maneuvering that is necessary to make a circuit? Are we really going to teach that not turning until 400' AGL has put us high enough to safely recover from the takeoff and departure stall that is induced by pulling back on the stick in the required climbing turn to crosswind? What would my student get if he told the examiner he was going to release back pressure in the turn to crosswind so that they would both more likely live through It?

So has low altitude maneuvering become the new, and just as taboo, maneuvering flight? It would sure help with the teaching of safe maneuvering flight techniques if we could admit that maneuvering flight, sorry low altitude maneuvering, existed normally, as in the pattern.

Words matter. Attitude matters. How we indoctrinate, how we orient students matters. It has lasting effect on their techniques, skills, attitude, morale, and risk management. If the maneuvering we require puts them at risk, it is not sufficient to act as if the risk exists only if they do not wish to get high as soon as possible.