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CFI Checkride Notes/Advice

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BoDEAN

Cabo Wabo Express
Joined
May 4, 2002
Posts
1,055
Wondering if anyone has recently taken their initial CFI checkride, and can pass on a debrief, or some tips on a successful/non-stressful outing. It would greatly be appreciated!

Thanks
 
giz-
The best advice I could give is just go into the ride relaxed and at ease- At this point of the ball game their is nothing that should "surprise" you. As long as you are up with all the FAR's, CFI PTS, CFI oral guide, as well as other study material you should do fine. I thought it was a "fun" ride as well as somewhat of a "challenge" if you can even call it that. I enjoyed my CFI ride to the utmost but I have heard a "few" horror stories so guess it all depends on which fsdo you will be doing it at...I would suggest doing a few mock check rides as well as a few mock orals and with that being said then you should be well prepared and be A-OK... I would study as much weather as you can since my Inspector asked quite abit regarding this aspect of aviation as well as many "scenario" type questions-

good luck-
350
 
Be prepared

Study, study, study. Know the material cold. Have your instructor give you a practice oral. Know the FOI cold and be able to speak authoritatively on it. Know your airplane inside and out. If you're just coming off your Commercial-Instrument, a good review should be all you need.

Above all, just answer the question. Don't volunteer information. Come to the point. Don't ramble. Don't be a know-it-all or come across as a know-it-all. Trust me, the examiner knows far more about it than you and there is no way you can snow him/her.
 
One more thing I would do is mark topics in the books you take with you to your ride. I use those little red, yellow, or blue self adhesive tabs that you can right on, they are perfect for quick referencing.

The reason I say this is because on my first CFI ride, I told the examiner what I knew about a tetrahedran, and was right, but when he asked me to prove it to him. I looked in the index of two books before finding the right one. As I was turning to the right page I was handed a pink slip. I know now that he shouldn't have failed me, but I didn't know better then. Now I would protest it. The point is if I had found it quickly we would have continued on and maybe passed. So mark your reference material well.


Also, take many many books and keep in mind that the FAA isn't too hot on books that aren't written by them. I should say some FSDO's aren't too hot on books not written by them.
 
As you have heard, try to be familiar with looking things up and where to find them.

Don't forget simple stuff. IMSAFE..they'll ask.
Know endorsements cold also. One of the most annoying things to any examiner is having a student show up with incorect/incomplete signoff's, 8710 problems etc...so they definately try and stop it at the source. Know part 61 PVT, IFR and Comm Minimums, and endorsememnts. Especially solo.

One more thing is try and look through the far's and be familiar of where things are. Theres a few no brainers....req'd equipment for day night and ifr 91.205. You can bet the ranch they'll ask for them.
But just know what you'll find in part 61, 91, ntsb 830. Etcc.
We can all go on and on....if theres anything you can take away from this, and you'll swear you won't do it but then you're in the hot seat and you just don't want to admit not knowing, so don't don't don't BS the guy. Huge thing. If you really don't know just tell him. "Hey, if you were a student right now I'd suggest we both look it up" Instructors aren't anywhere near perfect ;)

Good luck!
---T-hawk
 
I think the key to a good ride is what others have said be confident and relaxed. One more thing I wanted to mention is when your asked to teach, really teach. Demonstrate for the examiner then make him do the task -- just like a real student. In my ride, I was asked to teach the examiner how to get a compass heading when planning a x/c. I showed him how to measure the course with the plotter on the isogonic line, then said OK mr. examiner, your turn on the line you drew. Then we went through the calculations with me doing an example and letting him work on the real x/c problem. I was told that I was one of the very few that actually tried to teach, not just show. Anyway, hope this helps and good luck on the ride!!

--- Snoopy
 
Question??

When you get your CFI ticket should you move somewhere where you can istruct a lot (florida, california, etc.) or stay where you are? If you get your cfi ticket at your college do they usually let you instruct there even after you have graduated? Thanks for your time.

Tyler
 
I will probably stay in Michigan, or move to Florida.
I know at Western Michigan, they will hire you (but right now, they are back logged due to the aviation industry not hiring).
 
If your coming to Florida, I would'nt count on getting a job......Its hard down here these days with a saturated CFI market....Heck I have 1200 TT and I'm gonna have a hard time finding a job....Its tough, but good luck.
 

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