CFI/II Lesson Plans

[ALIMBO]

Well I started CFI/II school yesterday and I was wondering where I could get some premade lesson plans to help me make up my own? Thanks for the help guys.

 

[regionalcap]

http://www.amazon.com/Aviation-Instructors-Handbook-FAA-Handbooks/dp/1560273828

 

[ALIMBO]

I saw that already I was hoping to find some legit lesson plans already made up.

 

[7574EVER]

Pretty sure Jeppesen makes a spiral bound lesson plan book. I'd say getting the lesson plans themselves pre-made is alright; but, make your own notes! Don't take the easy way out with this certificate.

I made several large 3" binders going while going through all my CFI certs....particularly the initial. I spent many many nights up until 3am just typing away at the computer with a bunch of books in front of me for reference. It was a lot of work; but, it pays off. It impressed the you know what out of my fed examiner for the ride and the oral was relatively painless because of it.

Those binders will be something that I will always have...mainly for sentimental value. Too much work into those things to let anything happen to 'em.

 

[7574EVER]

Also just google "CFI lesson plans". It'll come back with a lot of hits and a lot of free stuff.

Find a template and useful information; but, do most of it yourself. It could take months to get all the information together and make all you're own lesson plans and notes. It did for me.

You said it to me yourself..."cfi sucks". Yes....yes it does. It's a lot of work; but, if you do it right it'll be a very rewarding feeling in the end and make you a much better CFI and pilot in the long run.

 

[JAFI]

ALIMBO,


Keep searching you will find many examples of Lesson Plans.

I am glad to see that you are looking for examples of lesson plans to help you MAKE YOUR OWN. It is silly to re-invent the wheel but lMHO the key to a great Lesson Plan is to have the instructor search for and select what you need to teach for a lesson. Many aviation lesson plans are somewhat “canned” because the information is a building block based on what was previously learned.

A key to lesson plans is deciding “what do you want the student to be able accomplish at the end of the lesson” – then teach toward that goal. Remember that it is a plan - - sometimes it works as planned and sometimes it takes longer. The time doesn’t matter as long as the student “gets it” before moving on to the next lesson.

Work on deciding what your “Teaching Points” are. A teaching point is a specific point/action/trigger for an action or what ever point you want to make to show your student something you think is important. An example is to always have your student check their airspeed prior to selecting flaps (explain why this is Important) not just mid field down wind selecting flaps X (mid field down wind is also a teaching point as a place to do something – the point is the trigger to an action depending on several factors- you should explain this also).

Plan on working at least 4 hours on the lesson plan to complete each hour of a lesson. It will be more time when you first start lesson planning and less for a simple lesson like the first lesson.

Get a three ring binder and a three hole punch and make your Lesson Plan book. Fill your Lesson Plan book with examples, pictures, references or what ever you need to show an example of a point or to double check your memory when teaching. Add to the book as you edit your plans and find better examples or references. I carried my book to each lesson and taught directly from the book.

It is a lot of work but it will pay off when you begin to teach as you will be prepared for each lesson.

 

[The_Russian]

Alimbo,

Get on ebay and look up Lesson Plans. You will find a few guys who sell theirs for around 20 bucks with shipping. These lesson plans are well built and are shipped to you on CD. This way, you can tailor each individual lesson plan to you or your student's needs.

Here is the item number I purchased and was very happy with the product. I made my own years ago and misplaced them over several moves. You will be very happy with TangoJuliet's CD.

180313749744

Good Luck.

 

[ALIMBO]

Thanks for all the help. I just feel so overwhelmed being that I'm doin the CFII in 2 weeks and the CFI 2 weeks after that.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Pretty sure Jeppesen makes a spiral bound lesson plan book. I'd say getting the lesson plans themselves pre-made is alright; but, make your own notes! Don't take the easy way out with this certificate.

I made several large 3" binders going while going through all my CFI certs....particularly the initial. I spent many many nights up until 3am just typing away at the computer with a bunch of books in front of me for reference. It was a lot of work; but, it pays off. It impressed the you know what out of my fed examiner for the ride and the oral was relatively painless because of it.

Those binders will be something that I will always have...mainly for sentimental value. Too much work into those things to let anything happen to 'em.

Holy sheet! ...you too, huh?

When it came time to earn my CFI ratings, I pretty much did the same thing too.

ALIMBO, my advice is to pick up a copy of all the current PTS', the FAR/AIM and ALL of the FAA publications. You should then create a lesson plan for each required maneuver for the various certificates and ratings from what's stated in these guides.

I also took every possible written (FOI, CFI, CFII, AGI, BGI, IGI) before showing up to the CFI program.

You should have all your writtens and lesson plans completed before heading off to any accelerated program. You should also try and get comfortable from the right seat before arriving as well.

In the end, the examiner and other students were quite impressed with my knowledege and preparation.

 

[avbug]

This is a classic example of the me-now generation. Why invest the effort to develop one's own lesson plans, when one can scavenge someone else's work, instead?

You should be able to have a subject given you, and sit down on the spot and write up a lesson plan. This used to be part of the practical test. One is much more familiar with, and naturally inclined to be able to teach from a lesson plan one has personally developed.

Then again, you're a little too busy telling the world how to teach and critiquing what you don't even yet know and aren't qualified to perform, Alimbo...to lift a finger to help yourself. This much we have already seen. We can only pity the students who are subject to this immature mindlessness.

 

[Sig]

My initial CFI oral involved having 9 (niner) books open on the table. I ended up referencing each one. The lesson plans were involved, were written by me, and took all of 6 hours to put together. Well, 6 hours and a 12er of beer afterwards with my friends.

It was well worth it.

 

[7574EVER]

Basically what should you teach first. I was thinking basic aerodynamcis and then flying to reinforce that oral lesson? Thoughts

I think the first thing MY intructor taught me was the four cycles of a piston engine: suck, squeeze, bang, blow.....From that moment on I knew I was destined to be a pilot.

 

[PURPLEHAZE21]

How the times have changed.........

 

[JAFI]

me an him dont get along he gets off to starting crap with ppl

The International Standard Aviation language IS ENGLISH. How do you plan to communicate with your students if you can’t speak ENGLISH? If you want to teach aviation you must know the requirements for certification. I’m not sure you are worth my time yet (since this is free Distance Learning for you) so please answer this question:

Riddle me this: What is the US Aviation English requirement and where do you find it? You must have learned this to have any FAA certificate.

Folks, please let him do this on his own. If he can’t find a simple requirement, how will he ever ensure that his students are prepared?

 

[Amish RakeFight]

My biggest concern is where to start with a new ppl student. Basically what should you teach first. I was thinking basic aerodynamcis and then flying to reinforce that oral lesson? Thoughts

When I was first hired on as a green instructor, the only flights I did were covering for other instructors with students who were either close to solo, had already soloed or were certificated and needed a checkout. This made the teaching transition easier as the student already had some of the basics down. You just needed to point out this or that without being insecure about how well you're teaching this student from scratch.

Starting out, I also did a lot of intro flights as well. The school would set up instructors with the intro students and you'd take them up for 30 minutes or so and show them some basics. If the student continued the training, they were your student. It was up to you to keep up with them, making sure they flew and help secure financing if necessary.

Avbug may come across a little cantankerous, but he's fairly wise and experienced. You'll learn more by listening, rather than insulting him. Call it tough love. Understand that you come across a little arrogant around here and thats only natural. A lot of young aspiring pilots fit this mould. Some of what you get from Avbug or anyone else is a form of hazing of sorts. Most of what he says is for your own good though.

 

[ALIMBO]

The International Standard Aviation language IS ENGLISH. How do you plan to communicate with your students if you can’t speak ENGLISH? If you want to teach aviation you must know the requirements for certification. I’m not sure you are worth my time yet (since this is free Distance Learning for you) so please answer this question:

Riddle me this: What is the US Aviation English requirement and where do you find it? You must have learned this to have any FAA certificate.

Folks, please let him do this on his own. If he can’t find a simple requirement, how will he ever ensure that his students are prepared?

We are on a forum chill out. As for your question I have no clue. It's obviously not a big deal if the 6 or so instructors I've had never told me about it. On top of it if you don't wana give me advice thats fine you won't see me cry about it. Speaking english and writing on a forum are 2 different things. But if it makes you feel better to point out miniscule grammer mistakes then by all means go for it.

 

[ALIMBO]

When I was first hired on as a green instructor, the only flights I did were covering for other instructors with students who were either close to solo, had already soloed or were certificated and needed a checkout. This made the teaching transition easier as the student already had some of the basics down. You just needed to point out this or that without being insecure about how well you're teaching this student from scratch.

Starting out, I also did a lot of intro flights as well. The school would set up instructors with the intro students and you'd take them up for 30 minutes or so and show them some basics. If the student continued the training, they were your student. It was up to you to keep up with them, making sure they flew and help secure financing if necessary.

Avbug may come across a little cantankerous, but he's fairly wise and experienced. You'll learn more by listening, rather than insulting him. Call it tough love. Understand that you come across a little arrogant around here and thats only natural. A lot of young aspiring pilots fit this mould. Some of what you get from Avbug or anyone else is a form of hazing of sorts. Most of what he says is for your own good though.

Thanks amish ya that would be so nice if I got to instruct the same way you did. The way my luck runs I wont have that. I'm going to get stuck with some poor PPL student that deserves better instruction than I can give. This is how I look at it. Today I landed from the right seat for pretty much the first time. I did decent the plane is still in one piece it was just a tad bit of a flat landing. But the intructor let me take it down all they way and guess what? I learned alot from that landing. But as a new CFI I know there is going to be a new PPL person that will scare me and I will take control because I'm not comfortable with how its lookin. But when you learn how to land you need that rough one or two landings to see what not to do. Ugh I'm so stressed.

 

[avbug]

I'm going to get stuck with some poor PPL student that deserves better instruction than I can give.

No, some poor student may be stuck with you, and yes, the poor student does deserve better. You're right about that.

Ugh I'm so stressed.

Clearly. An admirable trait in a pilot.

As for your question I have no clue.

Again, this much is obvious.

It's obviously not a big deal if the 6 or so instructors I've had never told me about it.

Ah, well then. You've already learned everything, haven't you? If your six instructors didn't tell you, then you'll never need to know it. You've already been told everything you need to know, and if it hasn't been spoon-fed to you by these icons of aviation, then you really don't need to know it.

God help you if you ever fly anything more complex than a Cessna.

The learning process doesn't end with your six instructors. You're going to find yourself, if you last long enough, a student 20 years from now. I flew a 9 hour leg last night and learned before we started engines, and learned after we shut them down. If you think you know all you need to know based on what your six instructors told you, then you have a loud, very rude awakening coming. Get ready.

So far you've professed your knowledge of what's right or wrong with others instructing techniques (even started a thread about it, criticizing others), rambled about not needing to know anything your instructors haven't already told you, and in my case, wished I'd die and that my friends would die in airplane crashes...and you've managed to get one landing in from the right seat as a novice. How expert of you.

If you're seriously looking at becoming a flight instructor, where you lead by example, it's time to grow up, act a little more mature than a pissed off 14 year old, learn to behave professionally, and realize that you've got a LOT to learn.

People in this thread have taken the time to help you, and like most of your posts so far, you're too busy arguing to take what's given you and use it for your benefit. It's sometimes true that one can't give a drowning child a rope or a glass of water.

In the event you are not aware: you're the drowning child. Grow up, get out of the water and dry off. You're not in grade school any more.

 

[undpilot]

I have used this site in the past.

http://home.san.rr.com/seanwoodard/cfistuff.html

 

[regionalcap]

Avbug,

You are the one that started the bashing here. This guy came on here looking for advice and you started beating him down. We have all been in his shoes. I know that I was nervous starting my CFI. Offer some good advice instead of bashing someone. These new CFI's might listen to you more. You seem to have a lot of knowledge that could be helpful to a new guy if it was presented better.