CFI checkride

[sqwkvfr]

Hey fellas, I've been stressing about an upcoming CFI checkride and I'm hoping to hear from other CFIs about what subjects they got hung up on during their checkrides.

Is there any area that you wish you would have hit a little harder before the checkride?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Crimson03]

Best thing is if you know or can find someone who did a recent cfi ride with the same examiner and ask the guy what the examiner asked, what he was picky about etc.

 

[Kream926]

bump..

 

[mattpilot]

I hear that literally everyone gets asked about the weights on the ailerons and what their purpose is.

 

[labbats]

I didn't.

My best advice would be to make flashcards of the outline of the book. Have someone quiz you and have you expand on the outline, card for card, question for question. If you can do that, you ace the oral.

 

[sqwkvfr]

The Gleim's book?

 

[labbats]

Yeah, sorry it's been a while for me. Go through the gleim book. It has an outline of everything you could be asked. Create flashcards with each of the individual parts of that outline. Where I went to school we had to have those memorized and the chief pilot would sit us down and ask us each part, then have us describe some of various ones. I think they had a 98% first time pass rate. When you have the questions memorized, it's hard to say too much or too little on your checkride and get yourself into a bind. Because that is all they are legally allowed to ask you. The outline from the book.

 

[sqwkvfr]

Yeah, sorry it's been a while for me. Go through the gleim book. It has an outline of everything you could be asked. Create flashcards with each of the individual parts of that outline. Where I went to school we had to have those memorized and the chief pilot would sit us down and ask us each part, then have us describe some of various ones. I think they had a 98% first time pass rate. When you have the questions memorized, it's hard to say too much or too little on your checkride and get yourself into a bind. Because that is all they are legally allowed to ask you. The outline from the book.

Beautiful.

I've got the Gleim's in front of me right now...a trip to Target in the morning and I'll be set.

Thank you very much.

 

[JetSpeed219]

I'm about to take my CFI ride and all of the recent applicants at my FBO have said make sure to know aerodynamics and weight and balance very well......

 

[minitour]

Because that is all they are legally allowed to ask you. The outline from the book.

I disagree. They can ask you anything from the PTS legally. That includes all references in the PTS (Airplane Flying Handbook, ACs, PHAK, etc). The Gliem is good....but it isn't referenced in the PTS.

I'd start at the front of the PTS.

Become very familiar with the special emphasis areas (specifically - Runway incursions & checklist usage) and why they are there. Read up (and perhaps have with you for your oral) the ACs on Wake Turbulence, preflight, weight & balance, etc.

I like the flash card idea. You do a flash card for each task in the PTS and have someone quiz you on it and you should do fine in the oral. The flight is just a commercial checkride from the other seat with more talking. The way I do it is just *say* what I'm *thinking* when I do the maneuvers. What, why, how, when, why again, what to look for, what to do if I d!ck it up...that kinda stuff.

Also, know the endorsement requirements for students, the 61.31 endorsements, know your 91 regs and how they apply. You should have a really strong foundation on basic aerodynamics and weather (my worst subject). The better you know and understand the basics, the easier everything else will be for you.

Oh yeah...one more thing.


RELAX and HAVE FUN!

Good luck with it!

-mini

 

[blueraider]

well this is my first post but have the commercial pts as well as the cfi pts, you should be able to teach TO the cfi pts as well as perform to the commercial standards, the cfi pts lays out on what tasks the examiner shall choose just remember when you get to the flight portion of your ride never shut up and don't use the word actually, had my CFI ride bout two weeks ago and it was the best ride I had, didn't bust my chops to bad just wanted to see if I could teach what he wanted to know, remember "building blocks if learning" start small these guys know you can give them every detail of the airplane they want to know but can you give that information to someone who does not, study up on the FOI stuff and be able to go over the maneuvers like the back of the hand. Good Luck man you'll be fine

 

[labbats]

Isn't Gleim the PTS? If it isn't the PTS outline is what I was referring to all along.

Shoot, it's been too long since I instructed. I need to stop giving advice on here.

 

[blueraider]

pts you need...

The faa title for the practical test standards you seek are (FAA-S-8081-12B and FAA-S-8081-6BS) if you go the the faa web site you should be able to type these codes in and get the info you need. Your local fbo should carry these as well. The ones that I have are published by ASA..hope this helps

 

[chriskcmo]

The FAA loves to see you plagarize their stuff (Airplane Flying Handbook, Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, etc.). Use their images, use quotes from them, etc. in your lesson plans and student handouts.

 

[moxiepilot]

the PTS has everythig they can ask you lined out from the FOI to W&B. That's your bible. Didn't your instructor point this out? By now you should know; you're no longer a student, you're an instructor!

i also disagree with blurider, the airplane is not the place to be yapping incessantly. the examiner wants to see if you can TEACH the maneuvers in the airplane as if you were teaching a student. if you give a discourse you risk loosing the student to boredom. the long explinations are left for the ground portion where you teach the examiner the maneuver during your ORAL.

 

[blueraider]

...

Maybe my examiner was a little different but if I was not comunicating to him on what and why I was doing throughout the flight duration (if I was flying or he was flying) than that was a bust there should never be idle time for your student. you can preach collision avoidance aircraft monitoring of systems if it comes to your mind and its about the flight speak it, holding short mention rwy incursion avoidance and to back up a previous poster Pilots Handbook of Aero Knowledge and Airplane flying Handbook are both FAA pubs and I'm sure the examiner would not mind if you ref. them in your lesson plan, area IV FAA-S-8081-6B, good luck

 

[Fly_Chick]

Go into the CFI Oral with a cross-country lesson planned, and take the lead. Having a cross-country planned ahead of time gives you the upper-hand. You will be in a position to explain cross-counrty planning, navigation, pilotage, aircraft weight and balance, airworthiness, aircraft performance, aerodynamics. weather services and interpretation, sectional and TAC interpretation, navigation logs, use of E6B, alternates, diversions, fuel consumption.

I approached this checkride completely different from my other check-rides. No longer was I being asked the questions, yet I was guiding the discussion and asking the questions.

If you go into the CFI checkride taking the lead, that seems to help, as you are being evaluated on your ability to teach, and gives the examiner insight as to how you will guide your students.

Good Luck.

 

[Tarzan]

I'll second the PTS stuff. I had a question, What requirements for a private pilot." One of the requirements is to speak, read and understand English. "How do I know if this student meets the criteria?" If you know your PTS very well, you'll find a reference to an advisory circular for English. Know about the marix in the front of the PTS because your going to get plenty of the, A guy wants to get Private Single and already has his Multi Private, what does he have to do for the checkride and how would you endorse?"

I would also have a small model airplane to help demonstarte how manuevers are accomplished. Remember, most people learn best when it's visual and verbalized. I think the number 92% fall into one of those catagories or both. Make sure you have dry erase markers that work. If you get a chance, get your AGI and teach a private ground school class, it'll do wonders for your confidence to get in front of people.

Finally, know Part 61 that covers Student, Private and Commercial. Know Part 61 that covers Student, Private and Commercial. Know Part 61 that covers Student, Private and Commercial. And if he asks what you need to train a student on before you solo that person, you shouldn't be there in the first place. My examiner wouldn't let me look but if you think about it, you'll them. Just don't forget go-arounds and foward slips.

And 80% bust their first time. Lots of this FSDO examiners seem to have an agenda. Go in humble but confident. Almost oxymoronish.

Good luck!

 

[Rogue5]

I wish I'd spent more time practicing maneuvers with someone in the plane rather than solo.

My FAA examiner was about 6'6" and pushing 280lbs... I remember the plane flying totally different, especially the power-off simulated emergency landing.

 

[Catbert]

The Orlando FSDO became concerned enough about poorly performing CFIs that they created the Flight Instructor Special Emphasis Program. Here are some common weak areas they found.

I found this stuff very helpful while studying for my checkride.

 

[labbats]

My apologies to the new CFIs. I may have been a major reason the FAA created that Special Emphasis Program.

 

[sqwkvfr]

Yeah, sorry it's been a while for me. Go through the gleim book. It has an outline of everything you could be asked. Create flashcards with each of the individual parts of that outline. Where I went to school we had to have those memorized and the chief pilot would sit us down and ask us each part, then have us describe some of various ones. I think they had a 98% first time pass rate. When you have the questions memorized, it's hard to say too much or too little on your checkride and get yourself into a bind. Because that is all they are legally allowed to ask you. The outline from the book.

OK, don't get me wrong here, and I appreciate this advice...

BUT,

I've spent the last two days doing this and I realized that if I continue at my present rate, I'll be done outlining the entire 570 page Gleim's book sometime in December.

Could you help me out and be a little more specific about how this is supposed to be done? Do you do it only w/problem areas? Do you just write down the points as a memory aid?

 

[ePilot22]

I just finished my CFI two weeks ago. The real trick is not knowing everything, that's what the commercial ticket was for. The trick is the ability to explain what you already know to someone that doesn't have a clue. I had an FAA observer for my CFI checkride and when I failed, he said the knowledge was there but not the ability to teach it. Two pieces of advice:

1.) Go to your nearest IHOP (or whatever) and practice on the waitress. Teach her how to fly!

2.) This is also what I got from the FAA guy; pretend you're trying to teach someone how to eat a bag of cookies for the first time.......remember you can't just tell them to open the bag.......they don't know how!

It's kind of like a reverse correlation or dumbing it down. Terminology is also key.

Good Luck!

Tom

 

[moxiepilot]

OK, don't get me wrong here, and I appreciate this advice...

BUT,

I've spent the last two days doing this and I realized that if I continue at my present rate, I'll be done outlining the entire 570 page Gleim's book sometime in December.

Could you help me out and be a little more specific about how this is supposed to be done? Do you do it only w/problem areas? Do you just write down the points as a memory aid?

to me it seems like you're just trying to get the answers so that you can pass the checkride. no one can tell you how to study or what you need to brush up on. you need to by now know your own weaknesses and how you study. if you haven't figured this out then you're definitely not ready to be an instructor - you'll never understand your students.

instead of worrying that it might actually take some time and effort to put the work into studying, stop your whining and do it.

 

[mattpilot]

i like your avatar moxie

 

[sqwkvfr]

to me it seems like you're just trying to get the answers so that you can pass the checkride. no one can tell you how to study or what you need to brush up on. you need to by now know your own weaknesses and how you study. if you haven't figured this out then you're definitely not ready to be an instructor - you'll never understand your students.

instead of worrying that it might actually take some time and effort to put the work into studying, stop your whining and do it.

First of all, your interpretation of the effort that I've put into this matter thus far is completely incorrect. I've put more time into studying for and preparing for this deal than you obviously have any idea.

I think I have good reason to be worried about this particular checkride because of the 80% fail rate.

What I'm trying to do here is seek advice on what others wish they had done--also not unreasonable.

Labbats seems to have a good suggestion, but I'm finding it difficult to do what he suggested without getting too specific and detailed. Regardless, it's hard to put an outline on flashcards and maintain any sort of continuity regarding the depth or specificity of the information....so I was hoping to find out if I was doing something wrong.

I wanted advice that would helpful, not a lecture from some unformed twit that has no idea how much time or effort that I've put into this.

I also question the wisdom of advice offered by someone who, instead of being encouraging and offering useful information, stoops to the level of insulting another's work ethic, perceptiveness, and intelligence.

In the future, you can keep your comments to yourself.

 

[huncowboy]

Well before I have started preparing, luckily someone mentioned that I should already start working on my brief for the CFI oral while in Multi Comm training since multi was not very difficult. Several hours and days of preparation went into each lesson plan. I was able to prepare and present all the subject areas for the CFI oral within 3 months, thanks to my security job at the time. Nothing got stolen btw.

Look into the PTS and make sure you can teach (have a lesson plan for) every subject area they can ask. Questions toward you should start with: Teach me... this and that. If they start asking rote level, you are not doing something right. Don't bust primacy when you teach! CFI ride is a bad place to take a guess. Following your lesson plan will help you stay organized. There is nothing worse than jumping back and forth between subsections. Maintain a logical flow, for this you will need to practice teach your lessons.

Despite all the advices, the CFI ride IMHO is a big crapshot. You can study all you want, but if you get unlucky you can bust on something you have not looked over for a long while, or on something that has never been explained properly to you as a student. I guess I did not help by writing this.

I thought I was ready for my CFI, and I did pass. Looking back now, I could have easily failed it. After instructing a couple of hundred hours I know a lot more now, yet I am still light years from people like the Orlando FISDO's regional inspector who I have had a chance to sit down with for several hours to talk about, among other things, examination of CFI candidates. You just can't learn "experience" from books. Having said that, I was another less than 300h TT factory new CFI not so long ago.

Good luck!

 

[nosehair]

I wanted advice that would helpful, not a lecture from some unformed twit that has no idea how much time or effort that I've put into this.

...get a thicker skin...

 

[sqwkvfr]

...get a thicker skin...

...as I was saying...

Geeze, I hope you guys aren't such pricks to your students.