What happens when a generation raised on seamless tech steps into the cockpit?

In this episode of More Right Rudder, host Sarah Staudt sits down with Mary Bender, a PhD candidate in human factors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, to explore how Gen Z pilots are learning, using, and sometimes misunderstanding automation in modern flight decks.

Bender shares insights from her research on Gen Z student pilots and CFIs navigating advanced systems like the G1000. The conversation reveals a fascinating tension: some students overestimate what automation can do, while others feel undertrained on how to use it effectively.

This is where effective training becomes critical. Understanding how students learn plays a large role in training outcomes. Bender’s study revealed that Gen Z learners prefer to learn by observing a demonstration followed by hands-on practice - and that early experiences matter. Students who have positive interactions with automation are more likely to trust and use it, while negative experiences can have the opposite effect.

As automation becomes more integrated and accessible earlier in training, the role of the pilot continues to evolve from operator to manager of systems. Instructors and learners alike must be ready to adapt.

You can read Mary’s study here: https://nafimentor.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Bender-et-al.-2025.pdf

If you aren't already a NAFI member, join us today! Use code PODSAVE5 to save $5 on your new NAFI membership at https://nafimentor.org.

Thank you to Avemco for sponsoring this episode.

In this episode of the More Right Rudder podcast: More to the Story series, host Beth Stanton, NAFI’s director of publications and editor, sits down with flight instructor and author Maclyn Stringers to discuss his Mentor magazine article Flight of Understanding.

The conversation explores how Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can reshape the way instructors approach flight training. Instead of focusing only on stick-and-rudder technique, Stringers suggests that great instruction begins with meeting a student’s human needs: safety, belonging, confidence, and purpose.

From hydration in the cockpit to building confidence in hesitant students, this episode dives into the psychology behind effective flight instruction and why understanding people may be just as important as understanding aerodynamics.

Learn more about Stringers and his stories at his website: https://maclynstringer.com/

If you aren't already a NAFI member, join us today at https://nafimentor.org. Use code PODSAVE5 to save $5 on your NAFI membership.

Transitioning into high-performance aircraft is more than a horsepower upgrade. It’s a fundamental shift in planning, energy management, and mindset.

In this episode of More Right Rudder, host Sarah Staudt is joined by Matt Speare, CFI/CFII (airplane and helicopter), two-time Master Flight Instructor, and President of the Lancair Owners and Builders Organization. Together, they explore the challenges pilots and instructors face when moving from trainer-style aircraft into faster, cleaner, and less forgiving machines.

Many modern instructors never encounter high-performance aircraft during their own training. As a result, the first exposure often comes later in a pilot’s career, sometimes without the structured transition training these airplanes demand. Speare and Staudt break down why speed changes everything and how being “five miles behind the airplane” can quickly become a safety issue.

Whether you’re an instructor preparing to teach in high-performance aircraft or a pilot considering your next step up the performance ladder, this episode highlights why standardized training, disciplined planning, and deep aircraft knowledge are critical to safe operations.

If you aren't already a NAFI member, join us today at https://nafimentor.org. Use code PODSAVE5 to save $5 on your NAFI membership.