Definition
In flight instruction, a training method or technique that is incorrect, ineffective, or poorly applied, causing the learner to develop wrong habits, lose confidence, or become frustrated. Faulty practice includes things like unclear explanations, demonstrations performed poorly, allowing the learner to repeat errors without correction, or letting the learner continue past the point of fatigue.
Plain English
Teaching or training done in a way that is wrong or sloppy, so the learner ends up confused, frustrated, or picking up bad habits.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instruction when discussing learner frustration, skill development, and the need for an instructor to correct errors early.
Derivation
‘Faulty’ comes from the Latin ‘fallere’, meaning ‘to deceive or fail.’ A faulty practice is one that fails the learner — it doesn’t deliver what good instruction should.
Why Pilots Care
Uncorrected repetition builds unsafe habits that later appear in solo flight or checkrides and increase the chance of an incident.
Intuition Check
Do not assume all practice is helpful. Practice only helps when the action being repeated is correct, or when errors are caught and corrected quickly.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor realized that faulty practice during landing drills had let the learner reinforce a habit of flaring too high.
Example Sentence 2
By spotting the faulty practice early, the instructor prevented the student from carrying the habit into solo cross-country flights.