Definition
An instructor responsibility that requires holding students to the established performance criteria for each task, maneuver, or knowledge area, and not accepting work that falls short of those criteria. The standards come from sources such as the Airman Certification Standards (ACS), Practical Test Standards (PTS), and the relevant FAA handbooks, and the instructor is expected to insist on them throughout training rather than only at checkride time.
Plain English
The instructor must expect the student to perform to the published standard for each task and not let weak performance slide. If the work isn't up to standard, the instructor says so and has the student do it again until it is.
Context Anchor
Seen in instructor responsibility discussions, especially when evaluating maneuvers, deciding whether a learner is ready to solo, or deciding whether to recommend a learner for a practical test.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures pilots develop the competence needed for safe operations and reduces the risk of accidents caused by inadequate training standards.
Intuition Check
Do not read “demanding” as being harsh or unreasonable. Here it means holding the learner to the correct aviation standard, consistently and fairly.
Example Sentence 1
By demanding appropriate standards of performance on every landing, the instructor made sure the student was ready for the checkride well before the scheduled date.
Example Sentence 2
By demanding appropriate standards of performance during preflight checks, the CFI ensured the student never skipped critical items.