Post-Flight Debrief Mode
A structured CFI-led debrief after every flight. Walks through what went well, ADM review, study considerations, and three actionable takeaways tied to PHAK/AFH/AIM.
Post-Flight Debrief Mode
A CFI conducts a structured debrief — what went well, areas to reflect on, ADM review, study considerations, and three actionable takeaways. It connects what happened on your flight to specific PHAK, AFH, and AIM references so the lesson sticks.
Best For
- Post-flight learning capture
- Incident or near-miss reflection
- Cross-country debrief
- Checkride debrief
- Self-directed training
Coverage
- PHAK + AFH + IFH chapters
- AIM paragraphs
- IMSAFE and DECIDE checklists
- ADM framework integration
- Pattern analysis vs prior flights
Sample Conversation
Pilot: Just got back. The crosswind landing was rough.
Debrief: Walk me through the approach. What was the wind reported when you crossed the threshold? What was your touchdown attitude — were you fully aligned with the runway centerline, or were you crabbing through touchdown?
The debrief does not lecture. It asks the questions a thoughtful CFI would ask on the ramp after the flight, then ties what you describe to specific FAA references and three actions you can take next time.
The Three Debrief Tools
Post-Flight Debrief mode is backed by three dedicated AI tools that work together:
analyzeManeuver
Analyzes a flight track segment for maneuver quality — steep turns, stalls, landings.
Pilot: Analyze the steep turns I flew today.
Debrief: Steep turn 1: bank 42° (target 45°), altitude loss 80 ft. Steep turn 2: 47°, altitude loss 30 ft. Improvement vs last month.
This compares your performance against ACS standards and against your own historical baseline so you can see trends, not just snapshots.
getDebriefGuidance
Surfaces AIM and AFH study references based on what happened during the flight.
Pilot: Debrief: encountered moderate turbulence in mountain wave near KTRK.
Debrief: Study: AFH Chapter 10 Mountain Flying. Review AIM 7-1-23 (Mountain Wave). Consider mountain-flying course.
Pilots know after a hard flight that they need to study something. This tool tells you exactly which chapter to open.
extractStructuredFacts
Extracts structured facts — departure, route, conditions, surprises — from a free-form debrief narrative.
Pilot: I flew KSQL to KAUN, ran into headwind, diverted KCCR. Done.
Debrief: Departure: KSQL. Destination (intended): KAUN. Diversion: KCCR. Surprise: stronger headwind than forecast.
This converts your verbal ramble into searchable, structured data. Months later you can find every flight where you diverted, every flight with stronger-than-forecast wind, every flight where weather drove a decision.
The Structured Debrief
A full Post-Flight Debrief follows a consistent pattern that mirrors what a CFI does after a training flight:
- What went well. Specific moments worth reinforcing — a stable approach, a smart go-around, a good radio call.
- Areas to reflect on. Moments that did not go to plan, framed as questions, not judgments.
- ADM review. Walk back through the decisions you made using the DECIDE model or IMSAFE personal checklist. Where did human factors, fatigue, get-there-itis, or anchoring show up?
- Study considerations. Which PHAK / AFH / IFH chapter or AIM paragraph would have changed today's decision?
- Three actionable takeaways. Not "be more careful" — three concrete things to do differently or practice next time.
When to Use Post-Flight Debrief
Use this mode after:
- Any flight that surprised you
- Any flight with a near-miss, unstabilized approach, or hard landing
- Cross-country flights with weather decisions
- Checkride flights — pass or fail
- Training flights where you want the lesson to stick