Taking notes during flight training makes you a better pilot

Taking notes during flight training makes you a better pilot, and it does so rapidly. So many times I have had students sit there during our ground briefing, slack jawed, while everything we discussed went in one ear and out the other. You are paying for the time, so you need to get the most out of it. One easy thing to do is to write down what we are learning in a way that increases your retention and recall.

Here are our best recommendations, and what we have seen work best for student pilots.

Find the method that works for you

There are many ways to take notes, and the best method depends on your preferences and learning style. These tips help you find the most effective way:

• Determine your purpose. What do you want to get from your notes? Are you trying to understand new material, review what you have learned, or prepare for an exam?
• Pick a note-taking method. There are many to choose from, such as the Cornell Notes system, mind maps, or outline notes.
• Use abbreviations, symbols, and keywords. Condense longer phrases and ideas so you can keep up with the briefing.
• Take notes actively. Do not copy down everything you hear. Ask yourself questions, summarize the main points, and add your own thoughts.
• Review your notes regularly. Regular review is what makes it stick, and it helps most when you are studying for the knowledge test or the oral.

The most important thing is to find a method that works for you. Experiment with different approaches and see what works best.

We recommend the Cornell Notes system

Dr. Walter Pauk, an education professor at Cornell University, developed the Cornell Notes system. It makes you engage with the material: you take detailed notes, summarize the main points, and reflect on what you learned. Schools use it to improve comprehension, retention, and organization, and it works just as well for a pilot reviewing a briefing.

Here is how it works:

1. Divide a page into three sections: a narrow left-hand column, a wider right-hand column, and a small section at the bottom.
2. During the briefing or while you read, take detailed notes in the right-hand column. Use abbreviations, symbols, and keywords to condense the information.
3. When you finish, review your notes and pick out the main points. Summarize them in the left-hand column.
4. In the section at the bottom, write a few sentences on what you learned and how it connects to what you already know or to your goals.
5. Review your notes regularly to reinforce what you learned.

We made a free Cornell Notes template you can copy and use for your own lessons.

Want something to practice on? Our free online ground school and open lesson plans are a good place to start.