it more technical. If you want to really challenge the AI platform, ask it to explain a specific aerodynamic concept to you as if you are a 5th grader.
By Matt Johnson
FROM SPELL-CHECK TO CHECKRIDES
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been using artificial intelligence for years without realizing it. Every time Microsoft Word underlines a misspelled word with that familiar red line, you’re interacting with a form of AI. And let’s be honest—more than a few of us have survived writing reports and college papers by simply right-clicking that red line until it “made it more gooder.” (Yes! I have a special vocabulary I often use to calm applicants’ nerves and elicit a few laughs along the way.)
While today’s AI tools are admittedly far more sophisticated than spell-check, the basic idea isn’t new. Computers have been helping us recognize patterns, suggesting corrections, and organizing information for decades. The difference today is that these tools have become remarkably good at understanding language, analyzing large amounts of information, and helping us learn. Like every technological advancement
in
aviation, AI isn’t something that’s coming someday—it’s already here!
Whenever a new technology finds its way into aviation, it tends to spark two very different reactions. Some people believe it will solve every problem, while others are convinced it will be the downfall of civilization as we know it. History has shown us that the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. GPS didn’t replace pilotage. Electronic flight bags didn’t make
80 July/Aug 2026
paper charts obsolete overnight. They simply became valuable tools and artificial intelligence deserves to be viewed the same way.
One area where AI is already proving incredibly useful is checkride preparation. As a designated pilot examiner, I routinely see applicants who have invested countless hours studying, but struggle to organize the information in a way that allows them to recall it efficiently during an oral examination. AI can become an outstanding study partner—not because it knows everything, but because it can present information in ways that match how you learn best. A simple internet search will return numerous hits for “study-buddy” checkride preparation platforms.
Imagine opening your favorite AI program and typing, “Create a 20-question quiz from Chapter 12 of the “Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge,” or “Explain retreating blade stall as if I were a brand-new private pilot student.” Within seconds, you have a personalized study guide or practice quiz tailored to your request. You can even ask AI to create flash cards, summarize FAA handbook chapters, etc.
Even better, AI never gets tired of answering questions. If the explanation doesn’t make sense the first time, simply ask it to explain the concept differently. Ask for more examples. Ask it to simplify the explanation or make
Of course, there’s an important disclaimer. Artificial intelligence should never become your primary source of aeronautical information. AI occasionally gets things wrong, misunderstands regulations, or confidently presents outdated information. That’s why every answer should be verified against current FAA references. Think of AI as an exceptionally patient tutor—not your flight instructor, not your examiner, and certainly not a replacement for the FAA’s publications. Used correctly, it helps you study smarter, but if used carelessly it can reinforce mistakes.
Another recent observation is that AI is quietly entering aviation in the way of weather analysis. We study fronts, pressure systems, radar imagery, satellite pictures, winds aloft, and forecast models in an effort to predict what the atmosphere is likely to do next. Fortunately, recognizing patterns happens to be one of AI’s greatest strengths!
Radar interpretation is another exciting area where I have personally played around with AI. Instead of simply seeing a collection of green, yellow, and red echoes, AI can help identify: storm movement, intensification, embedded convection, outflow boundaries, and other hazardous weather signatures. That’s valuable information, particularly for helicopter pilots who often operate in the lower atmosphere where weather changes quickly and where local conditions can differ dramatically over relatively short distances.
None of this changes one fundamental truth—the pilot in command still makes the go/
no-go decision. AI can process data, identify
cannot see the
trends, and even
make recommendations, but it
complete
operational picture. It doesn’t know your experience level, your aircraft’s capabilities, your passengers’ expectations, or the pressure you may be feeling to complete a flight. Those decisions still require human judgment, experience, and discipline, which are the three core tenets of a professional pilot.
Every generation of pilots has witnessed remarkable technological change. Paper charts evolved into electronic flight bags. Weather briefings moved from telephone calls to sophisticated
graphical displays
available in the palm of our hands. Artificial intelligence is simply the next tool to find a permanent place in our cockpit—and in our flight bag.
Like any new thing in aviation, learn how it works, understand its limitations, and use it to make yourself better prepared and better informed. Artificial intelligence won’t replace good instructors, sound aeronautical decision-making, or quality flight training. It certainly won’t pass your checkride for you. Yet, if used wisely, AI just might help you earn the knowledge, confidence, and judgment that every safe helicopter pilot strives to achieve. Unlike that little red line in Microsoft Word, AI can do a lot more than simply make things “more gooder.”
Matt Johnson
has been an FAA
designated
pilot examiner for over a decade, conducting
exams
ranging from Private to ATP and CFI. Additionally, he is a single-pilot IFR air medical
captain,
Part 135 instructor, and check airman.
He can be reached at HelicopterDPE@
gmail.com and via Twitter @HelicopterDPE
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