30 tips for successful cross-country flying
#6: Keep a log book – analyse your flights
There is a big difference between someone telling you about something or you experiencing it for yourself. Anything you experience is more easily accepted and the resulting learning will be more profound. A detailed log book is therefore a very good method to make the most from your own experiences. BEFORE a flying day, write down what your expectations for the day are. Collate screenshots and weather maps from your favourite forecast sites so that you can analyse your predictions AFTER your flight.
Was your plan a good one? What could you have improved? Should you have changed your plan completely? What did others do better? Did the weather develop as expected? How were you feeling? You can also use the Air Buddy feature to compare your flight with other pilots.
If you regularly analyse your own flights, you will be able to see for yourself what you have learned and will be able to incorporate it into your future development. Yes, it’s a lot of work – but it is worth it.