Cfi....

[Almerick07]

I am about to start my CFI and am looking to finish it no more than a month from today. I was wondering if yall had any tips or know of any good resources I should use to help prepare for the checkride, thanks.

almerick

 

[moxiepilot]

if you're looking for it to take a month, study you butt off....now.

focus on what is required of the examiner to test you on (endorsements & the like) then concentrate on your weak areas (class E airspace, regs, are whatever)

The flying is the easy part.

My biggest suggestion is to study study study.

 

[viper548]

Re-read your private and commercial books. They are really big on the basics.

 

[Almerick07]

Good news, the program manager of my 141 school gave the ok to do my training part 61. Looking to save some money since 141 requires 25 flying hours. Any books in particular or computer programs that may help me prepare of the oral....besides the ASA yellow book, airplane flying handbook and the gleims?

 

[NYCPilot]

From an earlier post of mine on Airman (cut and pasted)

My suggestion is to read from cover to cover the FAA's "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge," "Instrument Flying Handbook" and the "Aviation Instructor Handbook." All three are great sources of information and stuff that WILL be asked during your oral. The better prepared you are, the quicker and easier your time there will be, especially if you intend on getting out of there on schedule.

Definitely know the FOI stuff inside and out. YOU WILL be asked everything from that reference material. Agreeably, the book seems like a lot to digest, but a helpful resource guide to understanding this material in a more concise way would be to supplement it with Gleim’s “Flight Instructor Flight Manual.”

You might also want to go through the FAA "Airplane Flying Handbook."

 

[Junior2]

DONT FORGET PART 61!!!

The one thing applicants are really shakey on is part 61. If you read this part from page one to the end about three times, and truely disect it...it will really help out....

...read what everyone else said, the flying is the easiest....remember on this checkride you need to convey to the examiner that you can TEACH SOMEONE TO FLY TO PTS...not necessarily fly maneuvers.

95% of your time should be spent STUDYING...the other 5% flying

ALSO...if you make lesson plans, TEACH THEM before you use them, EVERY LESSON TEACH TO A CFI, and then be critiqued (not just evaluated)

 

[viper548]

From an earlier post of mine on Airman (cut and pasted)

My suggestion is to read from cover to cover the FAA's "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge," "Instrument Flying Handbook" and the "Aviation Instructor Handbook." All three are great sources of information and stuff that WILL be asked during your oral. The better prepared you are, the quicker and easier your time there will be, especially if you intend on getting out of there on schedule.

Definitely know the FOI stuff inside and out. YOU WILL be asked everything from that reference material. Agreeably, the book seems like a lot to digest, but a helpful resource guide to understanding this material in a more concise way would be to supplement it with Gleim’s “Flight Instructor Flight Manual.”

You might also want to go through the FAA "Airplane Flying Handbook."

Definatly read all the books put out by the FAA

 

[NYCPilot]

Make up lesson plans from the sources I mentioned above for everything covered in the PTS. This way, as you type away, you're learning the maneuvers and instruments, etc.

 

[viper548]

I'd also suggest going to the faa website and taking a look at advisory circulars.

 

[Goose Egg]

Any books in particular or computer programs that may help me prepare of the oral....besides the ASA yellow book, airplane flying handbook and the gleims?

Like some of the other guys have said the Aviation Instructor Handbook is a pretty good reference to have (it contains the FOI stuff.) I found the CFI Manevuers Manual from Gliem to be pretty helpful.

The one suggestion that I would make would be not to put such a strict time limitation on yourself. The CFI, like many things in flying, takes however long it takes--either you are ready or you aren't. Don't assume unnecessary pressure. You'll have enough as it is. Freaking because you aren't done "in time" will only shortchange the learning process. I know whereof I speak.

-Goose

 

[Doc Holiday]

In addition to have having the knowledge, come up with as many different ways of explaining/teaching concepts and maneuvers as you can think of. Your way of first understanding something will not always work with student, but another method (even one you find less desirable) will probably work as long as it gets the concept accross.

Also think of scenario based questions and how you would answer them. For example, a student constantly tries to land the airplane in a crab, how would you correct this? Hint: A short lesson about visual cues and how the human eye works.

Good luck.

 

[Almerick07]

Lesson planning it is; I feel confident that it is the best way to go about getting ready for the oral...on the other hand, FOI sucks a$$....dang does it suck. I think a month is plenty of time to get this all together, considering I got my private a year ago to date I really feel all the material is still current.

 

[blueraider]

LP's, this is the one checkride you can go into with the "cheat sheet" in hand... and read and be able to teach the FI PTS book, each area is typed out to what the examiner will and can choose...Good Luck

 

[hindsight2020]

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[Goose Egg]

Ugghhh... shortboarders....

I think a month is plenty of time to get this all together, considering I got my private a year ago to date I really feel all the material is still current.

Uh huh. Are you saying this before or after you've tried to fly to Commercial PTS from the right seat? And speaking of lesson plans, how are those going?

Seriously, I don't see what the big rush is. Say you did actually get it done in a month vs. three (which is how long it took for me.) That's two months earlier that you can start instructing, which means that's two months earlier that you can take a pay cut to commute to sit reserve. Yay.

My point is that I think that you are doing yourself a disservice by rushing the CFI. It is a difficult rating to obtain, and it will stretch you in ways that you have not even considered and cannot be planned for. Allow yourself the time, whether that be two months or six, to get it down and be prepared for real students. The LAST thing that you want to do is get your ego all tied up in the obtaining of some rating. It takes you how long it takes. It ain't a race.

-Goose

 

[JediNein]

www.slantgolf.com, scroll to the bottom, click on Jedi Nein's CFI page.

Fly SAFE!
Jedi Nein

 

[NYCPilot]

Here's some useful stuff you can use with your students when you become a CFI. Use it in putting together your CFI study material too.

www.whittsflying.com

 

[Almerick07]

hey thanks guys for the links, ill be using them....on the other hand I am a student who has one year left of school, If I have any chance of building enough hours by the time I graduate I CAN NOT wait 2 more months (and get hired in Jan.) I was asking for resources to help me obtain a rating....And when I graduate I have differnet plans than sitting reserve for an airline.

But seriously those links are awesome

 

[Goose Egg]

...I am a student who has one year left of school, If I have any chance of building enough hours by the time I graduate I CAN NOT wait 2 more months (and get hired in Jan.)....And when I graduate I have differnet plans than sitting reserve for an airline.

Enough hours for what, if you aren't sittin' reserve? Seriously, dude, your CFI is gonna take however long it takes, whether it fits your timetable or not. Don't believe me? Wait and see.

And what happens if you don't get hired in Jan? Do you turn into a pumpkin or something?

And I'm willing to bet you a whole dollar that two months won't make or break your plans.

-Goose

 

[Almerick07]

with the exception to a few helpful individuals I want to say some of you are the least motivational pilots around....make it my goal to never jade or present doubt in a students mind that something cant be done. I have goals; a month to get my CFI done is MY goal, so why dont you go worry about yourself goose and stop bringing the rest of us down.