Is AI Your Student’s Shadow CFI? w/ Kauai Mansur | More Right Rudder Ep. 154

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Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of everyday life, and many student pilots are already using tools like ChatGPT to study, ask aviation questions, and even help plan flights. The question isn't whether they're using AI. It's whether they're using it safely.

In this episode of the More Right Rudder Podcast, host Sarah Staudt sits down with Kauai Mansur, a private pilot, cybersecurity professional, and AI developer specializing in high-risk industries, to explore the growing role of AI in flight training.

Together they discuss:

• Why today's students are already relying on AI as a "shadow CFI"
• The biggest risks of trusting AI without instructor oversight
• How AI can confidently provide incorrect or fabricated information
• Why flight instructors should establish "AI personal minimums" with their students
• Practical ways AI can improve studying, flashcards, and knowledge retention
• How to use FAA publications as trusted sources instead of relying on general internet responses
• Why AI should remain a learning tool, not a decision-making tool for flight operations
• The FAA's approach to AI and personification
• How CFIs can embrace AI without compromising safety

AI isn't going away, and neither are the students using it. This conversation offers practical guidance for flight instructors, student pilots, and aviation educators who want to understand both the opportunities and the limitations of today's AI tools.

Guest Resources

AI Study Guide & Handout from Kauai Mansur: https://nafimentor.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AI_Study_Tool_Guide_for_CFIs.pdf

Watch Next

Interested in another perspective on AI in flight training?

Watch our previous episode on how flight instructors can use AI to create lesson plans, training scenarios, and educational materials while understanding the technology's limitations: https://youtu.be/BlGd5TolzgM