Definition
Written outlines a flight instructor prepares for each ground or flight training session, specifying the lesson's objectives, the content to be covered, the sequence of activities, the equipment or references needed, and the standards by which the student's performance will be evaluated.
Plain English
A written plan the instructor builds before each lesson that says what will be taught, how it will be taught, and how the student's progress will be judged.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight instructor training, especially when learning how to prepare and teach ground lessons, preflight briefings, and flight lessons.
Why Pilots Care
Well-prepared lesson plans produce consistent, thorough instruction that meets FAA standards and helps students progress safely without gaps.
Analogy
A lesson plan is like a simple flight plan for teaching: it does not do the work for you, but it gives the session a clear path and a clear destination.
Intuition Check
Do not think of lesson plans as just paperwork or a rough schedule. In flight training, lesson plans are working tools that guide what is taught, how it is taught, and how learning is checked.
Example Sentence 1
Before each flight, the instructor reviewed the lesson plan with the student so they both knew what maneuvers would be practiced and what standards had to be met.
Example Sentence 2
After the flight the instructor used the lesson plan to note the student’s performance on each item during the postflight review.