The responsibilities of Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) have shifted in recent years. Where they were once expected to instruct on skills within the cockpit and help students gain the hours in the air necessary to become fully qualified pilots, they are now delivering a deeper level of instruction.
Today’s CFIs are taking a more holistic approach to teaching. Helicopter pilot and flight instructor Tom Luca Schneider is a prime example of this new generation.
Like many of his contemporaries, Schneider has adopted a holistic approach to instruction, nurturing not only his students’ technical skills but also their safety acumen. Driven by FAA protocols and his role as an FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) representative, Schneider is helping usher in a new era of helicopter safety training and flight instruction, producing highly capable pilots who prioritize safety above all else.
Scenario-based helicopter safety training: teaching for the real world
While flight checklists and technical instruction are integral to flight instruction, truly preparing tomorrow’s helicopter pilots for real-world safety situations means instruction must include scenario-based training. Whether those moments include debriefs, digital resources, or video review of maneuvers, Schneider weaves real-world scenarios into lessons to best prepare pilots-in-training for what they may face once they take to the skies as full-fledged pilots.
By walking students through realistic scenarios, Schneider consistently encourages critical thinking skills, helping pilots-in-training analyze situations and respond in the safest manner possible. This immersive approach helps students become highly adaptable pilots who are ready for anything.
As an FAASTeam Representative, Schneider collaborates with other instructors and industry leaders to develop resources that address both technical skills and pilot well-being, including safety seminars, webinars, and practical strategies to support pilots. “I actively promote safety culture beyond just my students,” he explains. “It reflects a broader commitment to the industry.”
Making safety training relatable for today’s students
Schneider considers himself a lifelong learner, and it’s an attribute he hopes to instill in every student. “I believe this mindset as a lifelong student keeps my instruction sharp and adaptive,” he says.
As Schneider takes in new information alongside those he instructs, it also keeps lessons relatable to modern students. “Everyone is different, and you have to try different approaches in teaching,” he says.
Schneider incorporates actual, real-world scenarios into his teaching by linking safety concepts to well-known accidents or mishaps. This approach enables his students to better grasp the gravity and importance of safety protocols.
Additionally, Schneider understands that scenario-based training can help students learn to anticipate issues with controls, weather changes, system failures, or incidents that require quick decision-making. Having students run through these scenario-based exercises and make their own decisions based on what they have learned empowers them to have a greater stake throughout the entire process of their education.
Lastly, Schneider gets to know each student’s motivation and reasons, be they personal or professional, for wanting to become helicopter pilots. Leveraging each student’s “why” allows him to tailor training to each student and make every lesson more relatable to their goals.
Online resources provide community and support
In the modern aviation industry, many CFIs, as well as the FAA, use social media and other community-building tools to facilitate safety training and a more holistic approach to instruction. Social media has created new avenues for people to connect and learn online through communities that allow for advice, commiseration, and encouragement.
The FAA uses various platforms to connect with pilots, pilots-in-training, and CFIs. Through YouTube, Instagram, and even a podcast called “The Air Up There”, the FAA can talk all things flying, including the best ways of approaching safety training.
Schneider has expanded his reach through social media as well. Through behind-the-scenes looks at training, online insights, and sharing safety tips, he helps foster a culture of continuous learning that prioritizes safety.
“I’ve built a social media presence to make helicopter flying more accessible and to inspire the next generation,” Schneider explains. “This kind of visibility helps bridge the gap between the public and aviation, something not many CFIs are actively doing.”
Raising the standards for helicopter safety training
As safety training evolves, FAASTeam representatives like Schneider play a crucial role in raising training standards and supporting the community. The FAASTeam collaborates with CFIs and pilots to develop resources that help instructors address not only technical skills but also overall pilot well-being and risk reduction.
For Schneider’s part, he has dedicated many hours to advocacy and volunteer work as a pilot and as an instructor. By partnering with groups such as Pilots to the Rescue, who fly animal rescue missions, and remaining outspoken about pilot mental health, an issue many CFIs shy away from, Schneider demonstrates how one can give back as a working pilot and be an advocate for issues that support safer flying.
A future focused on safe helicopter operation
Technical expertise is just one part of being a well-rounded helicopter pilot. For his part, Schneider acknowledges that a more holistic approach creates pilots who are knowledgeable, skilled, and dedicated to having long careers in the air.
With a greater focus on safety and technical skill development, future helicopter pilots will be safer, more supported by the flight community, and better equipped to face anything that may happen once they take to the skies.