Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences › Physical Sciences
This course equips pilots with the skills to safely control an aircraft by visual reference during normal flight operations. It covers fundamental techniques for maintaining situational awareness, executing standard maneuvers, and responding to routine flight conditions without reliance on instruments.
This course is designed for student pilots and licensed pilots seeking to reinforce visual flight proficiency. It is also suitable for aviation professionals requiring refresher training in basic aircraft control.
None — open enrollment
Objectives:
• Understand the principles of visual flight and the role of external visual references.
• Identify aircraft controls and their effects on flight path and attitude.
• Explain the relationship between aircraft attitude, power, and performance.
• Describe the basic flight instruments and their use in visual flight.
Topics:
• Introduction to visual flight rules (VFR) and visual meteorological conditions (VMC).
• The aircraft control surfaces: ailerons, elevator, rudder, and throttle.
• Effects of controls: pitch, roll, yaw, and power changes.
• Aircraft attitude and its relation to the horizon.
• Basic flight instruments: airspeed indicator, altimeter, attitude indicator.
• Trim systems and their use.
• Pre-flight inspection and cockpit checks.
Objectives:
• Perform straight-and-level flight using visual references.
• Execute level turns with coordinated use of controls.
• Maintain altitude and heading during turns.
• Recognize and correct for common errors in visual flight.
Topics:
• Establishing and maintaining straight-and-level flight.
• Power and attitude adjustments for constant altitude and speed.
• Medium and steep turns: entry, bank angle, and recovery.
• Coordination: use of rudder to prevent slips and skids.
• Effects of wind on turns and drift correction.
• Common errors: overbanking, loss of altitude, uncoordinated flight.
Objectives:
• Perform climbs and descents at various speeds and configurations.
• Control airspeed using pitch and power.
• Execute constant-rate climbs and descents.
• Understand the effects of flaps and landing gear on performance.
Topics:
• Normal and best-rate climbs: pitch attitude and power settings.
• Descending flight: power-off and power-on descents.
• Airspeed control: pitch for speed, power for altitude.
• Use of flaps and landing gear during climbs and descents.
• Level-off techniques from climbs and descents.
• Maneuvering during slow flight and stall awareness.
Objectives:
• Combine all basic maneuvers into a coordinated flight sequence.
• Perform traffic patterns and approaches using visual references.
• Respond to simulated emergencies using visual flight techniques.
• Demonstrate proficiency in visual flight control for normal operations.
Topics:
• Traffic pattern entry and departure procedures.
• Normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings.
• Go-around procedures.
• Simulated engine failure: forced landing procedures.
• Emergency descent and recovery.
• Post-flight procedures and debriefing.
Practical sessions are conducted in a flight simulator or training aircraft to apply visual flight control techniques. Learners practice maneuvers under supervision, developing muscle memory and decision-making skills essential for safe visual flight operations.
Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.
Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.
Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.
On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.
| Component | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) | 100% | 30% |
| Daily Average (multiple choice) | 100% | 20% |
| Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) | 100% | 50% |
| Final Total | — | 100% |
All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.
Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.
Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.
| Delegates | Discount |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3% off |
| 10 | 6% off |
| 15 | 9% off |
| 20 | 12% off |
| 25 | 15% off |
| 30 | 18% off |
| 50 | 30% off |
| 75 | 35% off |
| 100 | 40% off |
3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.
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