There aren't many things that are more exciting than training to become a pilot. Of course, embarking on this adventure can be more than a little nerve-wracking as well. Beginning a training program with little or no experience is sometimes especially stressful, but it doesn't have to be. These tips will help you to prepare and get the most of every lesson you'll get at flight training school.
Become an Active Learner
Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to familiarize yourself with the concept of active learning. Active learners involve themselves directly in the learning process rather than simply passively trying to absorb knowledge. Learning to fly is an incredibly interactive and hands-on experience, and you will have a huge amount of difficult if you are not ready to engage with the process at every step. This means that, at a minimum, you should be prepared to ask questions and speak up if there's something that you don't understand.
Take Your Learning Outside of the Flight School
Extending your learning beyond classrooms and practice flights is part of the active learning process. Becoming a pilot can involve learning some fairly complex topics, and it will be hugely beneficial to continue studying these with resources outside of the classroom. For many basic flight topics, you can (surprisingly) expect to find a huge array of high quality and often free materials online. Videos in particular can be very helpful. Immersing yourself with these resources will help you to better understand and absorb the information presented during the training program.
Practice When You Can
Of course, flying is about more than just reading and watch videos. There's a little to how much flight time you will actually be able to log, so making use of simulators can help to fill in the gap. Buying decent flight simulator equipment (such as a throttle and yoke) can be a bit pricy, but remember that these items are still incredibly cheap compared to the cost of flight school itself. A few hundred dollars spent on realistic simulator equipment is a small investment that will pay dividends later on.
Network
When your head isn't buried in flight simulators or training books, be sure to actually network with other pilots and pilots-in-training. Listen to the advice of experienced pilots and be sure to also discuss your successes and failures with other trainees. Sharing experiences like this not only makes learning to fly more enjoyable, it will help you to become a better pilot as well. The best way to discover and overcome our own weaknesses is often to see them reflected in others, and in this way being open and honest about the difficulties you are having in training with others can be invaluable.
Know What You're Getting Into
Flight training is a challenging and often long process. Once you are ready to begin your program, be sure that you are able to fully commit. Scheduling conflicts that create long periods with little classroom or flight time can greatly slow your progress, so it is important that you are prepared to see this journey to its end. If you do, then you will be in for the adventure of a lifetime.
You never know what you will decide to do in school, but if you aren't careful, you might unintentionally select a school that doesn't have the type of program you are looking for. Every school is different, and making the right choices regarding your education early on can pay off in big ways. I learned this lesson the hard way after I started school and came up against some challenges, and I wouldn't recommend my path to other people. Instead, I made a blog that acts as an open marketplace for people providing information about colleges and universities, since I figured that was the best way to help.