The Flight Instructor's Oath

The Flight Instructor’s Oath is more than just words recited at the start of a career—it’s a living, breathing pledge that embodies the commitment to shaping the next generation of pilots. It’s a promise to impart not only technical knowledge but also the values of safety, responsibility, and professionalism. For flight instructors, this oath serves as a constant reminder of the profound influence they have on their students’ futures and the aviation community at large. In this blog post, we’ll explore how this pledge is not just a formality, but a guiding principle that inspires instructors to lead by example, nurture their students’ passion for flight, and ensure the skies remain safe for all.

I WILL NEVER WASTE MY STUDENT'S TIME AND MONEY

I will never take unnecessary risk.

I will never teach my students what to think, only how to think.

Every time my student extends their downwind leg in the traffic pattern beyond gliding distance to the runway, I have started pulling the throttle to idle. "Make the runway" is the only thing I say with no further instruction given. I often get a confused look if it's the first time I've done this to them. ( My thoughts about flying a tight traffic pattern and mitigating hazardous attitudes can be found here) The thought process behind this strategy is to instill Thorndike's Law of Intensity to their training. Yes, I know, shameless CFI fundamentals of instructing plug.