For pilots, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires a flight review at least every 24 calendar months. The purpose of the review is to evaluate a pilot’s flying skills and understanding of the regulations. The review consists of at least one hour of in-flight time with a qualified flight instructor and one hour of ground instruction. Pilots with minimal experience get anxious before the review and sometimes find it time consuming to study or refresh on FAA regulations, airspace, pilot and aircraft performance, and other areas of aviation. I am an instrument-rated private pilot and recently had my flight review. I look forward to these reviews for many reasons but the primary one is that I enjoy learning. I have been fortunate to fly with some very seasoned pilots, and even with junior pilots I always learn something and pick up tips on flying. The preparation for the review requires flight maneuvers that are not typically practiced during normal flights of traveling from point A to point B. These maneuvers include steep turns, stalls, go arounds on landing, and many others. A flight review is also a good time to study the regulations and to think about scenarios or approaches to problems that are not encountered in normal flying. In my recent review, I had to plan a flight in Alaska. You might think, “what is the big deal?,” but that flight required careful review of the airspace, terrain, and weather conditions. Those terrain and weather conditions are not normal for someone who primarily flies in the southeast U.S.

I mention flight reviews because they are very similar to a manuscript review. Instead of a scheduled flight review every 24 months, you get an email asking you to review a manuscript at any time throughout the year. There is anxiety associated with the time, resources, or the expertise to review the manuscript. A good review requires focused time, some or a lot of research, and an ability to provide constructive feedback to the author. That feedback is critical to the community and the quality of research disseminated. A review process should not be rushed, and, like a flight review, it serves as an opportunity to learn and grow in your own research. Like a flight review, taking the time to understand someone else’s approach to solving a problem helps to make you a better researcher and author. Reviewing papers is an opportunity to improve your own manuscripts because it helps you hone your skills on the characteristics of a good paper. Even a bad paper is a learning opportunity to identify gaps and the importance of clear and complete articulation of your research topic.

Optica Publishing Group provides many excellent resources for new and experienced reviewers. I encourage you to browse through the Reviewer Resource Center for guidance on becoming a reviewer and review criteria for journals in the Optica Publishing Group portfolio, as well as details about the reviewer recognition and rewards that are offered. If you would like step-by-step instructions for providing an effective review, please also look at the Reviewer Certification course.

The next time you receive an email asking you to review a paper, please take a moment to consider the request and if appropriate accept the review. The learning opportunities of being a reviewer are worth the effort. Like a flight review, it is also personally and professionally rewarding.