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This page introduces Old Way New Way^® flight instruction, including the basic theory underpinning the method, and training programs in this unique approach to flight instruction and conversion training.

Old Way New Way Learning^®

• Why don't they learn?
• What's in it for me?
• Negative transfer
• Conversion training
• Landing technique
• Rotor stall
• Flight training
• Habit patterns
• New model
• Proof of concept
• Case studies

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Glass cockpit conversion training

Golf swing improvement

Tennis stroke correction

Lawn bowls technique improvement

Swimming stroke correction

Glass cockpit conversion

Flight training

Safety training and work habit correction

Manual handling

Driver education & training

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Management training

This conversion training program, when properly applied:

• will speed up transition and conversion training
• will greatly improve transfer of learning and eliminate negative transfer
• makes more efficient use of ground school and flight simulator time, freeing up resources
• increases student flexibility and adaptability to change
• uses a learning method proven in workplace trials and backed by published research
• is readily adopted by instructors as part of their professional toolkit
• can be learned in customised workshops.

 

Negative transfer disables conversion training

As an experienced flight instructor once said, "The problem isn't learning the new: it's forgetting [unlearning] the old."

The well-documented mental mechanism of negative transfer interferes with the learning process during conversion training, creates mental confusion, increases the error rate and slows down skill acquisition.

Because the disruptive effects of negative transfer often do not show up during simulator or aircraft training, instructors and their students can be misled into believing that the training program has been effective and that the understanding and skills that were taught have transferred fully to the “real world”.

Unfortunately, the transfer of training problem is a “sleeper” in that it only shows up under certain conditions. During normal flying conditions the problem does not surface because the pilot has enough spare capacity to be able to concentrate fully on the task at hand. Under such controlled conditions the pilot is able to apply his training and consequently the training program appears to have worked.

However, during stressful periods of high activity in the cockpit the pilot is working at or near the limits of his or her mental capacity such that active concentration is disabled in favour of operation at an automated instinctive reflex level. This is when the pilot typically falls back to mental models and skills learned with previous aircraft.

These consistent errors are referred to in the aviation research literature as habit pattern errors and they are notoriously hard to eradicate. At such potentially critical moments negative transfer suddenly surfaces and training failure becomes evident.

Apart from stressful operating conditions, negative transfer also shows up during periods of prolonged inactivity when concentration lapses and pilots fall back to old ways of thinking and acting. The valuable skills acquired during situational awareness training and CRM training fail to be implemented.

The transfer of training problem makes flight training less cost- and time-effective and wastes valuable training resources. Sub-optimal transfer of training also exposes pilots, other crew members, passengers and the public to increased risk.

Until now, there was no known method of dealing with the transfer problem that meets industry requirements, i.e., is cost- and time-effective, user-friendly and above all, practical for flight instructors to use.

Old Way New Way^®’s record of published research and successful workplace trials show that this novel training method can quickly and permanently overcome negative transfer, accelerate learning and reduce risk.

 

Old Way New Way^®

Old Way New Way^® is the first and still the only systematic approach to applying differences training to aircraft conversion training and transition training.

Old Way New Way^® is a generic teaching method that has been applied successfully to a wide range of skill correction and skill development situations and to the correction of incorrect or incomplete mental models, i.e., the correction of misconceptions and the improvement of understanding.

Published experimental studies and aviation workplace trials show that when individuals undergo conversion or transition training that incorporates Old Way New Way^®, they typically experience:

• 80% improvement in skill and understanding after one training session, i.e., trainees improve a lot faster
• no reversion or falling back to old ways, even during stressful performance, i.e., trainees remember what they were taught.

Since 1986, Personal Best Academy has been the supplier of customised Old Way New Way^® training to government and industry trainers worldwide.

Let's explore a specific instance of negative transfer, namely landing technique.

 

Landing technique

Landings are a key competency in conversion training.

Key aspects of landing technique that typically show negative transfer effects are throttle control, attitude control and flare technique.

For example, during the initial stages of converting from the Beechcraft Baron to the Learjet, students often incorrectly apply the landing technique they learned in the Baron to the Learjet.

When placed under pressure to perform or during periods of intense cockpit activity, even experienced pilots can inadvertently revert to their previous training, i.e., they apply the techniques and knowledge acquired during training in previous aircraft. Old habits die hard.

Habit pattern errors have been implicated in many aircraft incidents and disasters over the years, yet habit pattern errors are notoriously difficult to eradicate.

Experience indicates that habit pattern errors like these respond well to Old Way New Way^® intervention. Published research and workplace trials show that Old Way New Way^® consistently outperforms conventional transition training methods, delivering 80% or better improvement after one session, with a greatly reduced adaptation period and no reversion to old ways, i.e., no negative transfer.

A one-month workplace trial by a large commercial airline demonstrated these training benefits with flight training. Using a Learjet 45 flight simulator, flight instructors' ratings of cadets’ landing technique following technique correction with Old Way New Way^® showed that, for the three target skills (throttle control, attitude control and flare technique):

• all cadets achieved a rating of 3 or 4 (out of 5) immediately after their training session
• this improvement was sustained
• there was no falling back to old ways (negative transfer) during subsequent simulator training
• there was no falling back to old ways (negative transfer) in subsequent aircraft training.

Instructor feedback indicated that instructors found the method practical, effective and quick to show results.

Cadets' feedback about their Old Way New Way^® training experience was also positive. Cadets commented on how this way of teaching helped them clarify the differences in landing technique and therefore enabled them to more quickly adopt and become comfortable with the new way of landing that the instructor had taught them.

Cadets also found Old Way New Way^® very user friendly. Similarly, instructors commented on how suitable the method was for flight instruction.

Old Way New Way^® was shown to be a very flexible and adaptable teaching tool. During one simulator session the error initially targeted for correction had to be changed to a different technique problem that suddenly became apparent, namely cross-wind landing technique. This shift of focus was effortlessly achieved and a suitable and effective correction protocol was quickly devised and implemented, on the spot.

The workplace trial results confirmed the benefits of Old Way New Way^® reported in other, non-aviation, skill development settings, namely that:

• Old Way New Way^® is a practical and highly effective teaching tool that extends the capability of instructors to eliminate negative transfer effects, accelerate learning and improve retention
• the Old Way New Way^® learning method is very flexible and adaptable and can be readily adapted to flight instruction.

Old Way New Way^® Learning is a very practical and a cost- and time-effective generic teaching method that is readily incorporated into a flight instructor’s professional toolkit. It complements existing teaching methods and magnifies the impact of conversion training.

Flight instruction becomes more cost- and time-effective, students achieve better and faster, students remember what they have been taught, and risk management due to training failure and consequent negative transfer is improved.

All this makes Old Way New Way^® a valuable teaching tool for all flight instructors.

Many habit pattern errors in skilled performance and mental models can benefit from Old Way New Way^® intervention, for example:

• glass cockpit CRM skills, e.g., not cross-checking, not calling out cockpit actions, lack of assertiveness, poor communication skills
• situational awareness, e.g., poor instrument scanning
• adherence to SOPs, e.g., not adhering to checklist procedure
• monitoring and vigilance, e.g., failing to detect and announce incorrect settings in flight systems.

The potential application of Old Way New Way^® to flight training is therefore extremely broad, reinforcing the claim that this training method is a very useful generic teaching tool in the hands of experienced flight instructors.

 

Training for rotor stall recovery

Accident avoidance using Old Way New Way^® was one of the learning innovations introduced in the three-day Robinson R22 helicopter pilot safety awareness course conducted at the Ant Hill Hotel in Mareeba, North Queensland, during January 1998.

Over 30 mustering pilots learnt how to use Old Way New Way^® to correct a potentially fatal emergency situation known in the trade as "rotor stall."

The Robinson R22 helicopter has an excellent safety record. However, like any aircraft, if it is allowed to stray outside its safe flight envelope and immediate and appropriate corrective action is not applied, a situation can develop that can have serious and even fatal consequences.

In 1994 the Board of Air Safety Investigation Asia-Pacific Air Safety Journal stated that the R22 is subject to main rotor blade stall resulting from an initial state of low indicated air speed combined with low rotor rpm. A pilot who is aware of this danger can take steps to prevent it and, even if it starts to develop, can take immediate action to prevent the rapid onset of rotor stall with its potentially fatal results. Theoretically, any rotor can stall but the lightweight, low energy rotor fitted to the R22 reacts very quickly to changes in power or angle of attack, rendering the R22 more susceptible to this problem than other small piston-engined helicopters.

The sequence of events leading to rotor stall is described graphically in this example from the International Aviation Safety College Robinson Helicopter Safety Course Manual.

1. The aircraft is cruising at 80 kts indicated air speed (IAS) at 500 ft above ground level.
2. The pilot decides to slow the aircraft to permit better observation of a ground feature. The pilot applies aft cyclic to reduce IAS. As the aircraft flares, rotor rpm increases. The pilot therefore decides not to increase power. IAS reduces to 53 kts, the speed for minimum power in level flight but the pilot decides to continue to slow the aircraft.
3. As IAS reduces below 53 kts, more power is required to maintain level flight. As the pilot has not increased collective, the aircraft begins to descend. At this point the rpm may also have reduced, depending upon the circumstances.
4. The pilot notices the reduced rpm and lowers the collective lever in an attempt to restore rpm. However, the very effective mechanical link between the collective and throttle system responds to the lowered collective and operates to also reduce throttle setting. This reduces engine power output while not increasing rotor rpm. IAS remains low, the descent steepens, thereby increasing the angle of attack of the main rotor blades and further increasing the stalled areas that exist on the innermost sections of the main rotor. The rate of descent increases even further as rotor efficiency is reduced.
5. IAS continues to reduce, requiring even more engine power. As power is unchanged, the descent continues to steepen and, as the stall progresses outward along the rotor blades, the rate of descent increases. Due to the increased drag on the stalled sections of the rotor, rotor rpm further reduces to a dangerous level, often in a matter of seconds.
6. The pilot becomes alarmed and again lowers collective in an attempt to restore rotor rpm. Again the collective throttle mechanical link operates to reduce throttle setting. The descent steepens again, rotor rpm does not increase, rotor angle of attack further increases and the stall moves rapidly outwards along the rotor blades.
7. The pilot observes the ground rushing upowards, panics, opens the throttle fully and raises the collective. The main rotor angle of attack increases in response to the raised collective and drag on the already stalled rotor increases substantially. The engine cannot overcome the rapid increase in load and becomes ineffective. The rotor stops. The engine has now stalled. The aircraft pitches to a vertical nose-down attitude and impacts the ground.
8. The sequence of events from 3 onwards can take place in less that five seconds.

The remedy is to prevent engine power reducing and rotor angle of attack increasing to the point at which it is impossible to recover rotor rpm. That is, if rotor rpm is low at low IAS (as indicated by the low rotor rpm warning horn), lower the collective while simultaneously increasing throttle.

Even if rotor rpm is further reducing, power will be available to recover rotor rpm as collective is lowered. Clearly, the pilot must carefully monitor the rotor rpm recovery to ensure that the rotor is not oversped. At the higher power setting, the collective throttle mechanical link will operate to maintain rotor rpm as the pilot raises the collective to stop any descent that may be developed.

Robinson Helicopter Company has been aware of this risk for some time and describes it fully to all students on safety courses. U.S. experience has shown that the pilots who are most vulnerable to this danger are:

• students in early solo, especially if sent solo with less than 20 hours R22 experience
• middle-aged pilots (those who had problems in training are most at risk)
• pilots with significant fixed-wing experience but limited helicopter experience
• pilots carrying out their first flight with a passenger, and
• pilots distracted by events outside the aircraft

To reduce the risk of the low IAS low rotor rpm situation developing, the aircraft manufacturer recommends a minimum speed of 60 kts for normal flight and to avoid unecessary flying at low level, especially under 500 ft AGL.

The third high-risk group, fixed wing pilots, when faced with a low IAS low rotor rpm situation, are very likely to experience interference that can arise from old automated skill routines when they interfere with the learning of a new skill ("old habits die hard"). This "habit interference" (sometimes called "negative transfer") is one of the major causes of technique problems in experienced operators as well as novices.

Low IAS/low RRPM accidents in fixed wing pilots are caused by the automatic application of an incorrect recovery attempt (the learned skill and automatic reaction that is transferred from a previous and different ship where it may have been appropriate). As stated in Robinson Safety Notice SN-29:

• the ingrained reactions of an experienced airplane pilot can be deadly when flying a helicopter
• the airplane pilot may fly the helicopter well when doing normal maneuvers under ordinary conditions when there is time to think about the proper control response. But when required to react suddenly under unexpected circumstances, he may revert to his airplane reactions and commit a fatal error
• under those conditions his hands and feet move purely by reaction without conscious thought. Those reactions may well be based on his greater experience, i.e., the reactions developed flying airplanes

Conventional wisdom says that it takes time to overcome old habits and change established skills. To continue the above example, the safety notice correctly recommends that:

• the experienced airplane pilot must devote considerable time and effort to developing safe helicopter reactions
• the helicopter reactions must be stronger and take precedence over the pilot's airplane reactions because everything happens faster in a helicopter. The pilot does not have time to realise he made the wrong move, think about it and then correct it
• to develop safe helicopter reactions, the airplane pilot must practice each procedure over and over again with a competent instructor until his hands and feet will always make the right move without requiring conscious thought

It is generally accepted that emergency procedures in airplanes require that a pilot has instilled in him certain automatic reactions. Learning these reactions can take a considerable time, especially when what is required to be learned is different from or conflicts with a previously learned reaction or response to a particular situation. Changes in routine or in equipment or control configuration can present persistent obstacles to learning progress. Research studies of skill development indicate that under conventional instruction and re-training it can take up to 2,000 repetitions of the correct reaction before a skilled operator really learns (to automatic or instinctive response stage) a new skill that conflicts with a previously learned skill.

In an ideal world a pilot would undertake such extended training until it had the desired effect but all too often the pressures of earning a living preclude completion of all but the bare minimum training requirements.

A common reaction of experienced pilots and instructors to this habit interference problem that so often occurs with conventional skill training methods is to say that this is not a "training problem', in other words, that re-training will not fix it. This mistaken belief is based on the fact that:

• the pilot has already been re-trained (using conventional methods)
• he knows what he is doing that is incorrect
• he knows what he should be doing
• he is highly motivated to change because his livelihood and reputation depend on it
• during training and when under supervision he can do it; and
• so, its now up to him to put in the required effort.

Old Way-New Way offers a new way of looking at pilot training and re-training. Instead of blaming lack of learning progress on the instructor or on the pilot undergoing instruction, or on both, this methodology instead attributes poor learning performance and poor transfer to proactive inhibition, a well-researched brain mechanism that has been substantiated in the psychological literature for some 80 years. "Proactive inhibition" takes place whenever old learning interferes or conflicts with new learning.

For example, explaining to a helicopter pilot that his reaction to the low rpm warning horn is incorrect and hazardous, then showing him what he should be doing and then getting him to practice that over and over does little to help him change - it simply arouses proactive inhibition in his brain which then interferes with (i.e., causes a high rate of forgettingof ) the new technique the pilot is trying to learn. Under conventional methods of technique correction the pilot may even appear to improve during training sessions and can perform satisfactorily under the watchful eye of the instructor, but he typically reverts to his old incorrect technique (the previously learned automated skill routine) in the absence of supervision and in the stress of unexpected or emergency situations.

The use of proactive inhibition, a fully-researched and validated brain mechanism, as an alternative explanation of such learning difficulties takes a lot of the "heat" out of the re-training situation and is one of the reasons for the high acceptance of the method with both instructors and trainees.

Old Way / New Way is the only skill correction method that effectively deals with such interference problems and offers quick and permanent correction and transfer of skills.

The method respects the pilot's existing skills, even though some of these may cause problems, and takes him through a systematic comparison and differentiation of his "old" (incorrect) and the "new" (correct) way.

The method is based on the premise that in order to reach the future you have to first revisit the past. Notably, because it is a metacognitive approach that makes the pilot able to self-detect and self-correct errors, the method is able to achieve the rapid transfer of learning that is so elusive under more conventional skill correction techniques. At the same time, it is user friendly and easily incorporated into what pilots and instructors normally do. Old Way-New Way is ideally suited to training using flight simulators.

Unlike other skill correction methods, with Old Way-New Way there is no temporary drop in performance while the pilot is adjusting to the new technique - improvement is almost immediate. And unlike behaviour modification or operant approaches to training, Old Way-New Way does not involve cumbersome manipulation of behavioural consequences nor does it require intensive monitoring.

All this makes Old Way New Way^® very cost-effective.

 

Integrating Old Way New Way^® into the flight training program

Although Old Way New Way^® training requires that flight instructors learn to do some things differently, basically the methodology complements good teaching practice.

Old Way New Way^® is not just another quick fix; it is an intelligent fix. The strong theoretical underpinnings (see below) illustrate how it works with the brain to accelerate learning, change and improvement. It does this by overcoming the powerful interference effects of prior learning, i.e., it eliminates negative transfer and shortens the typically prolonged adaptation period to change.

The Old Way New Way^® learning method is meant to be used as part of a comprehensive flight training program. It is not a replacement for quality classroom instruction, simulator training and aircraft training but is an integral part of the total training program. It is a generic teaching tool that extends the capability of flight instructors to overcome negative transfer and truly accelerate learning.

In the hands of an expert flight instructor trained in Old Way New Way^® this approach to conversion training can be expected to produce rapid and substantial learning gains normally not possible with traditional teaching methods.

Consequently, this accelerated learning means more material can be covered within the available training time. Furthermore, some components of training courses may be covered more quickly because competence is achieved faster. Given the ever-increasing pressure placed on available training time and resources, these potential savings become very important.

To the extent that the cadet follows the Old Way New Way^® learning process faithfully, and implements the prescribed follow-up activities to reinforce learning, his progress towards competence will be accelerated, the adaptation period will be reduced and negative transfer will be greatly reduced or eliminated.

Like all quality learning activities, the Old Way New Way^® learning process is a demanding and intensely personal activity that is solely the individual’s responsibility and is under the individual’s own control. With well-motivated individuals this is usually not a problem.

To this point, experience indicates that cadets are more likely to accept and permanently adopt Old Way New Way^® from an instructor if they are properly informed about the method prior to its use. Briefing and debriefing cadets on Old Way New Way^® is therefore highly recommended.

The Old Way New Way^® Learning System is a complete instructor development package. Not only does it offer a fresh and highly plausible explanation for commonly observed negative transfer effects in flight training; it also offers a practical and time- and cost-effective solution that is easily integrated into a flight instructor’s or ground school instructor’s professional toolkit.

The potential savings in training time and the more effective use of training resources that arise from Old Way New Way^® are additional benefits.

The Old Way New Way^® Learning System offers an entirely new model (see below) for flight and ground school instruction and conversion training.

These and other Old Way New Way^® implementation issues are covered in-depth in an Old Way New Way^® training workshop.

Training workshops are especially structured to facilitate the transition to this new approach to flight instruction and to ensure the continued long-term use of the methodology by participants.

 

Habit pattern interference: An in-depth explanation of negative transfer

To fully understand and appreciate how old knowledge and skills can interfere with and slow down the learning of new knowledge and skills, you should now do the colour chart activity which demonstrates this powerful, universal and involuntary obstacle to learning. When you have completed the demonstration proceed to the explanation of your scores and then return to this page.

By doing the activity you experienced proactive habit interference, also known as the proactive inhibition (PI) effect and therefore better understand the powerful effects of prior learning on new learning.

From the point of view of the pilot who is trying to convert to another type, the explanation of how proactive habit interference blocks or slows down learning and adaptation is like this:

• The new technique, concept or attitude feels strange having done it the other way for so long
• Because the new technique differs from the old familiar accustomed way there is a conflict or tension between them
• The brain detects this conflict and instantly activates proactive inhibition (PI for short) or proactive habit interference, a well researched knowledge protection mechanism
• PI protects all learned knowledge and skills, right and wrong, and strongly resists and slows down any attempt to change or improve prior knowledge and skills
• We all have this knowledge protection mechanism but it is stronger in some people. It is an unconscious mechanism and we have little or no control over it
• The level of PI a person has is not associated with their intellectual ability or "IQ"
• PI is why old knowledge, skills, habits and techniques die hard and why self-improvement is so difficult, slow and frustrating under conventional training methods
• PI causes accelerated forgetting (within minutes or hours) of the new way and this is why you revert to your old incorrect technique when you are placed under stress
• You know what you're doing wrong and what you should do and you're highly motivated to improve but your brain (force of habit, i.e., PI) won't let you change
• Forget about "muscle memory" and such things because there is no real research support for these explanations - the real cause of your technique problems is PI
• Negative transfer, then, is caused by what you already know, not by what you don't know
• It is a sobering fact that with conventional methods it can take you up to 2,000 repetitions of the new way before you are comfortable and competent with the new technique and it replaces your "old" way.

Proactive habit interference is a major cause of a wide range of negative transfer and other flight training problems including:

• glass cockpit CRM skills, e.g., not cross-checking, no callouts, not calling out cockpit actions, lack of assertiveness, poor communication skills
• situational awareness, e.g., poor instrument scanning behaviour
• adherence to SOPs, e.g., not adhering to checklist procedure
• monitoring and vigilance, e.g., failing to detect and announce incorrect settings in flight systems.

Now you know what the problem is and what it feels like, you are ready for the solution. Being aware of PI and it's effects, however, is not enough to overcome it. Simply re-teaching a skill or action, even when supported by specific videotaped feedback to improve awareness, is unlikely to work quickly, if at all. You need an alternative training method that bypasses habit interference altogether in order to accelerate learning and skill development. This training method is called Old Way New Way^®.

Old Way New Way^® can overcome flight instruction difficulties permanently and more quickly than conventional, i.e., currently available, flight training methods.

 

A new model for conversion and transition training

Old Way New Way^® offers an entirely new approach to skill development, technique correction, conceptual change, attitude change and other flight training difficulties, whether these be physical or mental. Although highly innovative, this methodology is readily integrated into what instructors and pilots normally do in their quest for skill development and continuous improvement.

1. Old Way New Way^® is a unique example of successful collaboration between researchers and practitioners to design the most effective training protocols.
2. Old Way New Way^® is basically a Neo-Constructivist model - the pilot is the one who is responsible for learning, understanding and changing.
3. The instructor's ability to identify and diagnose the error or technique problem is critical, as is his or her ability to identify, explain and demonstrate to the pilot the "correct" technique. This befits the instructor's role as the expert.
4. The pilot can be empowered through Old Way New Way^® to take on personal responsibility for improving.
5. The pilot's prior knowledge and skills (incorrect as well as correct) must be incorporated into any instruction strategy.
6. If no conflict is likely between new and pre-existing knowledge and skills, then a conventional instruction strategy is OK and new knowledge and skills will consolidate and build on old.
7. However, when prior knowledge and skills are likely to conflict with the new, the pilot needs to follow prescribed Old Way New Way^® procedures and not just attempt to practise the new while ignoring pre-existing knowledge and skills.

 

Research

Read the published research reports, workplace trials and evaluations.

For a more recent and complete list of all Old Way New Way^® research, peruse the bibliography which contains many links to full text articles.

 

Case studies in skill correction and development in another skill development field (sports coaching)

All kinds of technique difficulties can be corrected, including physical skills as well as mental skills. These examples are drawn from elite sports coaching.

To read these case studies click on the hyperlink. After reading them, click the "Back " button on your browser to return to this page.

We have successfully corrected errors and faulty technique, unlearned habits and developed skills in a wide range of sports, for example:

Olympic javelin and sprinting

Abstract of a paper accepted for publication in The Sport Psychologist, 2002, 16, 79-99.
"Exploratory studies examine the effectiveness of Old Way New Way, an innovative meta-cognitive learning strategy initially developed in education settings, in the rapid and permanent correction of established technique difficulties experienced by two Olympic athletes in javelin and sprinting. Individualized interventions included video-assisted error analysis, step-wise enhancement of kinesthetic awareness, re-activation of the error memory, discrimination and generalization of the correct movement pattern. Self-reports, coach's ratings and video recordings were used as measures of technique improvement. A single learning trial produced immediate and permanent technique improvement (80% or higher correct action) and full transfer of learning, without the need for the customary adaptation period. Findings are consistent with the performance enhancement effects of Old Way New Way^® demonstrated experimentally in non-sport settings."
Yuri Hanin, Research Institute for Olympic Sports, Finland. Tapio Korjus and Petteri Jouste, Finnish Sports Association, Finland; Paul Baxter, personalbest.com.au, Brisbane.

Sheffield Shield Cricket

Jason Gillespie's early return to pace bowling as described in The Advertiser, Adelaide, 13 November 1997.

Rugby League

Ball passing technique; team communication; kicking skills; tackling skills

Swimming

Stroke correction and tumble turns.

Track and Field

Correcting poor starting technique.

Golf

Golf grip, stance, head and arm position and swing; controlling anger and refocusing after a bad shot (mental skills)

Australian Football

Goal kicking technique of players in the Queensland Rail State Under 18 Australian Football Team; hand ball and marking technique in the Palm Beach Currumbin High School Sports Excellence - Australian Football Program.

Martial Arts

Defensive and offensive techniques in Aikido

Mental Skills

Controlling anger in golf and learning to re-focus on the game after a bad shot.

Why don't they learn?

Trainers, teachers, instructors and sports coaches try to get it right the first time with their students, trainees and athletes but invariably end up spending a lot of time trying to correct errors, misconceptions, non-compliance, technique faults and bad habits that somehow develop.

Because these errors were not corrected early, and were inadvertently repeated over and over (i.e., practised), many error patterns are actually learned, habitual and automatic and therefore much harder to eradicate.

For example, John always writes "recieve" instead of "receive"; Mike always has to be reminded to wear his safety goggles; Mary always slices her golf swing; Susan always follow cars too closely when driving; and Geoff is mentally still following the previous aircraft’s pre-flight checklist even though he's converted to another aircraft.

We all know that old habits die hard and many habit patterns are resistant to conventional change methods.

These limitations of traditional teaching and training programs are apparent in all settings including sport, workplace training, education, therapy and personal development.

Re-training or re-education, the typical solution to these problems, improves things only slowly, if at all.

Although learners may appear to pay attention during instruction and practice their new, correct, skills and knowledge over and over, the next day when placed under pressure or when unsupervised and left to their own devices, they seem to have forgotten what they’ve learned and the same habit pattern errors (old entrenched attitudes, beliefs, misunderstandings, work practices and routines, faulty procedures, poor techniques and unsafe behaviours) resurface.

A prolonged adjustment period and poor transfer of learning are the two most typical outcomes of education, training and coaching efforts worldwide.

All this wastes talent and resources and makes change and transition programs so much less cost-effective. There’s got to be a better way.

Fortunately, a cognitive science discovery called Old Way New Way Learning offers:

1. A new perspective on the transfer of training problem.

2. A fast and practical method of transition training.

3. A cost-effective and user-friendly method for rapid skill and technique correction, and habit eradication.

This page introduces Old Way New Way^® flight instruction, including the basic theory underpinning the method, and training programs in this unique approach to flight instruction and conversion training.