Survey of Flight Instructors’ Experiences in Communication Training

Abstract

A self-report survey of flight instructors (N=102) at an upper Midwestern university flight program was administered to gather flight instructors’ reflections of their experiences in communication training. Four open-ended questions yielded information about courses or training in communication flight instructors received, experiences that helped improve their ability to communicate effectively, training in effective communication with students, and participation in crew resource management courses. Content analysis methods were used to analyze data. Instructors reported experience flight instructing, coursework, their flight instructors, FAA materials, and daily life interactions as sources of training and experience in communication. Training implications and areas for further research are discussed.