Should I get my CFI at WMU or some place warmer?!?

[dmac530]

What should I do come January?!?

Here is my situation.....I'm currently a senior at Western Michigan University and will graduate in December with about 200TT, 40 multi, and com. rating. I most likely will get my CFI at WMU, which will take about two months. After that I hope to instruct at WMU.

Are there any good programs out there, down south or out west, that I can get my CFI in roughly the same time as WMU. I do not want "advanced" (2 week or 30 day) programs. I want a program that is structured well and is part 141. Also, I need a program that has a good placement rate.

I like WMU's curriculum, but since it's in Michigan, the winter months can be rough on getting flight time.

Should I stay in Michigan and chance winter weather or should I move where it's warmer year-round, in hopes of getting in more hours at a place that is just as reputable as WMU?

 

[MGXsport]

My previous instructor came from there and he really liked the place. Don't have more information then that but no complaints from him.

 

[flyer172r]

If you're already a student there then just go ahead and do it at WMU if you can get it in before you graduate.

 

[RJP]

Dude, get out of the snow. And out of the way of the hogs coming up for the overhead.

 

[wmuflyguy]

My roomate is waiting to do it at WMU, he said there is a 1.5 month wait for an instructor. I'm sure how that came about, as i know people who are looking for more students and are quaified to teach the CFI. I keep telling him to go somepace else like contrails, american fyers to do it.

Dont get me wrong, I did mine at WMU and it was great, took me about 1.5 months, that was while working on my Multi-Commercial and taking 2 regular history classes. I flew alot from the right seat solo, just to stay proficient over that time, that added some extra cash on it i didnt need to spend. but it was reasonaby priced total i had about 2.5 hrs dual in the sky chicken and 4.5 in the arrow

Just get it done, the big thing is to have all the dumb stuff (writtens, Reg knowledge, FOI, and other ground knowledge) done before you start. If you dont, you will waste time and money haveing it taught to you and then showing you can teach it.
They are still looking for CFI's so just get it done!

 

[Tug Driver]

Airman

Airman Flight School in Norman, OK

you can have your CFI/I in 3 weeks. Half is done part 141, half is part 61. No FSDO checkride, just the check-airman and a DPE. Good staff, good price...$5000 guarenteed.

 

[BoilerUP]

Having learned Part 61 and instructed in both the Part 141 and 61 environment, getting your CFI part 141 will provide little benefit over part 61 other than making it much more expensive, IMO.

I did my CFI part 61 at a local FBO, enrolling in their CFI ground school. I flew a 172RG for 7 hours dual, one hour solo, and had 1.5 dual in a 150 for the spin endorsement. Cost of gound school+instruction+airplane time+checkride = less than $2000. My program was highly structured, but your mileage may vary.

You can do the 30 day course offered by American Flyers or the course offered by ATP. True they are "accelerated", but you can easily learn everything you need in a month for the CFI and CFII. If doing your CFI at WMU will help you get a job there, and thats a route you want to take, by all means do that!

Good luck...

 

[pilotman2105]

If I can get an IR in the cold of a Minnesota winter, you can get your CFI in Michigan. A significant portion of the CFI is ground anyways, which I presume you'll do indoors.

Now then, whether or not you can get in at WMU is another issue.

Seriously though, it's only as cold as you make it. Maybe it'll be an incentive to learn things in the right seat quicker?!?

Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[flyer172r]

Don't go to American Flyers. I did my private there, and I don't think it's worth the extra cost. They were also investigated for record falsification a little over a year ago. Don't know what the final results were.

One other thing that can help you do it quickly is to do it in an airplane you're familiar with. I did my CFI in a plane that was significantly more powerful and a little bit different to fly than the one I did my commercial in. If I hadn't had to learn to fly that airplane while learning to fly from the right seat it would've saved time (aka $$).

 

[wmuflyguy]

Having learned Part 61 and instructed in both the Part 141 and 61 environment, getting your CFI part 141 will provide little benefit over part 61 other than making it much more expensive, IMO.

I think WMU does not have a 141 program for the CFI, it is taken part 61 (I'm 99% positive of this, we dont enroll or get a graduation certificate for it). They do have a syllabi, which my instructor did not follow at all, he made up a training outline he thought made more sense. I think it has since been updated cause of how many people are doing their CFI's at the moment.

My Advice is just get it done, where you do it probably does not have much bearing on how good of a CFI you will become. You still have to pass the practical test. You will learn and acquire your style while giving instruction.