Definition
Flight instruction conducted in an actual aircraft, where the learner operates the controls and performs maneuvers and procedures in real flight conditions under the supervision of a qualified flight instructor.
Plain English
Training that happens in a real aircraft, in the air or on the ground, with an instructor on board guiding the learner as they fly.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight-instructor material when discussing how students learn tasks in and around the actual aircraft.
Why Pilots Care
It builds skills that transfer directly to real flight conditions with actual aircraft responses and variables.
Intuition Check
Do not assume on-aircraft training means only training while airborne. It can also include instruction in or around the actual aircraft while it is on the ground.
Example Sentence 1
After several sessions in the flight training device, the student moved on to on-aircraft training to practice takeoffs and landings in the Cessna 172.
Example Sentence 2
On-aircraft training allows the student to experience real takeoff and landing conditions with the instructor.