Learning to Teaching

[FL530]

What is it like going from learnig to fly to getting your CFI and teaching people to fly? Is it a hard transition?

 

[Cardinal]

Hehe, you have no idea Teaching professionally was a shock to the system in my case. It is simply difficult for quite a while, and I now have a great deal more respect for the good teachers I've run into. The tricky part is that you still have to fly the airplane. Eg, after takeoff, even while droning "more right rudder, step on the ball" and wondering what part of that simple phrase they aren't understanding, you still have to make sure the airplane is climbing on profile (easier to do when you don't have a yoke in your hands and an ASI infron of you), maintain your situational awareness of other traffic, and communicate. It's plenty doable, but a student is the best distraction ever put in the cockpit. One can get wrapped up in pertinent technical discussion and completely blank required radio calls. Especially when you're first training for the CFI, it'll crack you up the stupid stuff you'll do while teaching your way through everything. Even though I hated to talk, it took me a long while to figure out when silence was appropriate - the student just had to wrangle with something for a bit, and there just wasn't anything helpful I could add. I found it abundantly frustrating, mostly fun, frequently frightening, and sometimes rewarding. You can take nothing for granted. Oilcaps - check it yourself. Leaving it on yet loose is a student favorite. Fuelcaps, ditto. It's kinda embarassing when Airport Maintenance delivers you one they found. If you aren't feeling comfortable with a student, you just can't let them make whatever solo flight they're planning, no matter how much you want to get out of the airplane. Our flight school got lax on this, and suffered three incidents of aircraft damage in in about as many months, as well as a call from the FSDO regarding a student pilot buzzing houses - documented with pictures, no less. It is a very trying position, indeed. But you learn an amazing amount. I really value that experience, it's shaped me as a pilot but also as a person.

 

[350DRIVER]

It is nothing more than normal progression in most cases. By the time you are a CFI you should be pretty well versed with regards to aviation in general and "capable" of teaching others what you have been taught. Aviation is always a learning experience even for seasoned guys who have been in this game for years. Try and learn as much as possible on every level and ask as many questions as possible to make sure you understand everything that will/should be expected of you. Time goes by quickly and before you know it you will be a "teacher" aka CFI.

I do not think it will be a "hard transition" for you since you will be put to the test on different levels before you obtain the cfi, if anything it should be a rather "smooth transition" if you put the work and effort into it.

good luck

3 5 0

 

[Cardinal]

350 brings up a good point, and he didn't have to strap dynamite to his chest in order to be heard. Know just about everything as it relates to piston flying. Just passing the writtens is not nearly enough, you need a broad base of knowledge and a broad perspeective, just start reading now and don't stop. Read anything, really, from Flying Mag to Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators. It will all build that knowledge base. Studenst ask the darndest questions.

 

[bigD]

I think that being a capable teacher is independent of being a capable pilot. Obviously you need to be a capable pilot to be a good CFI, but just knowing the material doesn't automatically give you the ability to teach it properly.

I've seen the teaching side of things come more easily to some than others. You'll learn a lot about teaching in the process of getting your CFI - but I'll bet the majority of the learning will be done when you're actually out there with students. I see it this way - when I was out getting all my various ratings/certificates, my CFI was adjusting his/her methods to suit my learning style. As a CFI, it'd be my responsibilty to be the one that has to adjust. That adds another layer of complexity that didn't exist as a student.

For some, like 350driver, the transition is pretty much transparent. But others might have to work at it a bit more. Just work hard either way, and you'll be fine regardless of which category you fall into.

 

[bobbysamd]

From student to instructor

CFI students frequently have trouble putting their actions into verbiage. Aside from flying the airplane out of the right seat you have to learn how explain what you're doing while you're doing it. A common error among CFI students is to be talking and go silent gradually as they concentrate on flying. Talking while flying is a transition for many people because they must learn how to express their knowlege in a monologue.

By the time you get your CFI Temporary you should be able to teach the material adequately. Teaching it confidently will come with experience. I remember how it took my first fifty hours or so of instructing to really develop my primary student shtik. You also must keep studying to broaden your knowlege base. Much of your studying will be driven by actual work. You will find yourself looking up things in response to student questions and/or because something came up that you had not thought of for a while. That's where you'll really start learning, because you had a reason to do the research (learning is purposeful). As you put into words what you're teaching everything you learned while you were a student will be driven home in depth.

Finally, your confidence level will increase a thousandfold after you get your first "pass" and for every "pass" thereafter. Each "pass" will be positive feedback that you are training your students properly. The icing on the cake will be when new students ask you to be their instructor.

Good luck with your CFI.

 

[100LL... Again!]

Quick checklist for success:

#1
A thorough ground briefing focusing on the main points that the
student needs to achieve.

#2
Make 'em repeat it back to you to prove they heard you and understood. NEVER as 'do you understand'. Ask questions that test understanding.

#3
If you really care about being a good CFI, you likely will be one.
Glad you are taking it seriously - many have a cavalier attitude to the job. Guess they don't respect the fact that poor instruction can cost lives.