Universal Design for Learning (UDL): A Contemporary Approach to Professional Flight Instruction.

In the United States, an increasing number of aspiring professional pilots are teaching as Certificated Flight Instructors, presumably to reach the minimum required flight hours and move into airline flight operations. High-quality training is the foundation of a high-quality globalized aviation workforce, yet there has been a persistent lack of systemic in-depth guidance surrounding how instructors are taught how to teach aviation subject matter, justifying the need for incorporating the use of evidence-based and promising practices into flight instruction. In this article, we outline the integral components and the research basis of the universal design for learning (UDL) instructional framework. We then provide recommendations for utilizing universal design for learning during ground and flight instruction. The broader impact of teaching flight instructors how to use the UDL framework includes the potential to improve retention rates, reduce flight training hours, and lead to strong knowledge and skills for both instructors and students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]