Definition
A teaching method in which the learner repeats a specific skill or set of facts under instructor guidance until the response becomes accurate, automatic, and reliable. It is used primarily to build habit-strength in tasks where speed, precision, and consistency matter more than analysis or creativity.
Plain English
Doing the same thing over and over, with feedback, until you can do it correctly without having to stop and think about it.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation teaching discussions, especially when an instructor is choosing how to build a student's skill after first explaining or demonstrating something.
Derivation
‘Drill’ comes from the Dutch ‘drillen,’ meaning to bore or turn — later used for repeated military training. ‘Practice’ comes from the Greek ‘praktikos,’ meaning to do or perform. Together they describe learning by repeated doing, not by reading or listening.
Why Pilots Care
It turns important maneuvers into reliable habits that reduce errors when flying under pressure.
Intuition Check
Drill and practice does not mean mindless busywork. In this context, it means planned repetition of something already introduced, with the goal of making correct performance reliable.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor used drill and practice to help the student master the pre-takeoff checklist flow until it could be done smoothly every time.
Example Sentence 2
Through repeated drill and practice the student performed emergency descents without hesitation.