NATHAN BALLARD Presents: "I Have The Flight Controls - My Airplane" or "What To Do When Things Go Wrong"

What if they don’t let go of the controls? A learner or certificated pilot, frozen on the flight controls can kill you, if you don’t do something about it quickly.

Flight training can be incredibly stressful at times. When a person is stressed, they may react in a way that you, as an instructor, must anticipate. A fight, flight, or freeze response is a physiological reaction that happens in response to a high stress situation. These behaviors are hardwired into our DNA, and no two people react the same way when something potentially traumatic occurs.

The Freeze is the one response to severe stress that you, as a CFI, must be prepared to address at all times. The instructor community and aviation community have lost many fine people to Freeze events. Understanding, detecting, and responding to a Freeze occurrence may save your life.

In this session, we will take a deep dive into a Freeze event using a real world, genuine occurrence that happened to the presenter. We will review some tragic examples of the Freeze event, which ended in fatal accidents. Most importantly, we will learn how to spot particular indicators of an impending freeze, as well as what to do if you find yourself flying with a pilot who has locked their hands on the flight controls.

"I Have The Controls - My Airplane or What To Do When Things Go Wrong"

CLICK HERE to access Part 1 of the video "2.7 SECONDS TO REGAIN CONTROL"

CLICK HERE to access Part 2 of the video "2.7 SEDONDS TO REGAIN CONTROL"

NATHAN BALLARD - Fight Instructor, Content Creator, Learner

Nathan Ballard is a well-respected independent CFI-I, IGI, and most recently, an aviation safety content creator. Nathan believes that while many practices in aviation are sound, we should also be thoughtful and scrutinize practices that have been handed down without challenge over the years. The foundation of his flight instruction and content is deeply established in his philosophy of “Attacking Aviation from a Critical Angle.”

As the third generation of pilots in Nathan’s family, aviation has always been an integral part of his life. During World War II, his grandfather was a T-6 instructor in the Army Air Corps. His father is a retired Delta Airlines captain and U.S. Air Force veteran. His mother holds a private certificate with a multi engine and instrument rating. His son recently obtained his private pilot certificate with Nathan as his CFI, establishing the fourth generation of Ballard aviators.

Nathan, who has just over 1000 hours of dual instruction, is aware of how much learning occurs in the first few hundred hours of sitting right seat. With this in mind, he is committed to assisting newer flight instructors in achieving success by sharing lessons and experiences that aren’t part of a typical CFI curriculum. These lessons enhance the safety of the CFI, the learner, and everyone who shares the skies.

Nathan is a volunteer member of the FAA Safety Team and the Safety Officer of his flying club. He is an aviation subject matter expert for local Atlanta media outlets, appearing on broadcasts to provide aviation safety analysis. He is an aviation subject matter expert for Atlanta-based media channels, appearing on broadcasts to discuss aviation incidents and safety. Nathan gives back by instructing recipients of EAA scholarship awards, and as a graduate of the University of Georgia, he volunteers with the UGA aviation society.

When he is not teaching, Nathan loves being an aviation learner himself. In his family’s RV-8, 2023 has been devoted to learning and refining his tailwheel flying skills. He also loves traveling in small airplanes with his wife, exploring the US, Canada, and Bahamas.

Click below to access the quiz and earn immediate WINGS Credit

CLICK HERE to go to the WINGS Quiz

Step 1 - Login to your FAASafety WINGS account

Step 2- Take Quiz - Receive Immediate WINGS Credit

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HARTZELL PROPELLER

This NAFI Summit Series is made possible through a generous donation by Hartzell Propeller Inc.

Hartzell has been the leader in aircraft propeller systems for nearly a century. We have over 400 different blade designs available which can be configured in hubs with 2- through 6-blades to provide optimal performance for the aircraft designer modifier. To find a propeller specific to your aircraft, use our Application Guide or contact us.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS SUMMIT