Starting CFI training, advice

[scubabri]

Hi, After flying skydivers for a while, which unfortunatly didn't work out and ate my brain, I'm starting my CFI training monday.

I'm training at Airborne Systems at Ft. Lauderdale Exec, and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with them?

I've got all my lesson plans done, I've created a couple binders with what I consider important information, I've got all of the FAA books that are referenced in the PTS's and I have all of the PTS's. I have the Gleim books as well as the ASA oral exam guides.

I want to keep the time I spend with an instructor down to a minimum since I am short on cash.

Is there anyone can recommend in addition to the study material that I already have? Has anyone taken a checkride in this area recently for CFI? Anyone got any suggestions on remembering stuff? So much blasted information, I have no idea where I am gonna put it all. Maybe I can get a memory upgrade or something

Thanks for the help.

Brian

 

[jdog78]

I recently finished up my instructor ratings up in the Orlando area. A buddy of mine did his CFI ride with a DPE in FLL and said he got ripped off...didn't have a good experience at all. If you're looking to save money, go with the FSDO. I recently went with the ORL FSDO and didn't have a problem passing the checkride.
It sounds like you're off to a great start with your materials. A couple of things I would recommend:
1)Jedi Nein CFi Stuff- pages.prodigy.net/jedinein/cfi.html
Lots of info for future CFIs.
2)Get to know the FAA publications really well, e.g. all PTS, airplane flying handbook, etc. Gleim, Jepp. and ASA are good references, but CFIs are expected to know the FAA publications
3) Over-prepare for your ride...then it will seem like a breeze
4)Use acronyms to remember all the FOI stuff. If you show exceptional knowledge on FOI, your chances of passing are much better in my opinion.
So can I take your drop zone job if you don't want it??

john

 

[scubabri]

Maybe I'll drive up to Orlando to the FSDO there when I am ready for my checkride.

I've checked out Jedi Nein's pages and there is a lot of good information.

I found another pilot to take my place, sorry

Brian

 

[AV1ATRX]

Try watching the King CFI videos. I myself didn't do that (because I was at a structured school), but I know some folks who did and who are currently using them and they seem to like them a lot. They are supplemental, of course, but helpful. You may be able to find a used set for sale on the internet somewhere...

 

[Timebuilder]

I sold my King CFI stuff, otherwise I'd offer mine. One piece of advice: if doing your CFI with a FSDO inspector, bring ONLY the FAA books to the ride, along with a copy of the CFI PTS.

The advice to know the FOI cold is great advice. If you do your II at the FSDO, even with the same inspector, then review that FOI material before you go back. While the PTS says that the FOI is optional for the add-on "II", I learned the hard way that they LOVE to ask about the FOI material. That inspector who got me by the short ones on this issue? He's training DPE's out at Oklahoma these days, so you might see this among recent DPE's.

Spend your ride in the instructor "role" until the inspector says something that obviously indicates that he is speaking as an inspector, and not in his "student" role, such as "that was great, let's head over here a ways and teach an engine out to a landing..."

Good luck.

 

[bobbysamd]

Do it the FAA way

You need to do more than just memorize the FOI (Aviation Instructor's Handbook). You must live, eat, sleep and breathe the FOI. The FOI is a way of life for flight instructors. It's how we do business. To the surprise of many people, including myself, the principles set forth in the book really do work. Read it and learn it.

The same holds true for the FAA publications. You don't have to live, eat, sleep and breathe them, but you must be intimately familiar with them. FAA publications are the agency's final word on what to know, how it works, why it works, and how to teach it. To that end, be absolutely, postively sure that your lesson plans conform to the format set forth in the FOI.

Look at your PTS. It will state which FAA pubs upon which the practical is based.

Be sure that you can explain each manuever and procedures in terms of what it is, its purpose, how it is done, completion standards per the appropriate PTS, and common students errors.

Finally, as Timebuilder said, during the practical you are the instructor. Never stop teaching. Don't stop teaching until the examiner hands you your Temporary. I'm exagerating only slightly.

Good luck with your training and the practical.

 

[troy]

I heard reciently that the FAA wanted to do all CFI rides instead of letting the DE's do it. Any one else heard this?

 

[Timebuilder]

There aren't many DE's who have been granted initial CFI practical test authority. I haven't heard of them taking that authority away from the few that have it, or considering doing so.

 

[cookmg]

As someone who hopes to begin CFI training in the not so distant future, I really appreciate the advice on this thread. I was hoping I could add a couple of questions for the insightful posters:

1) Do you folks think that the initial CFI should be done by a 141 academy that does this training all the time? What about doing it with a freelance instructor out of a club?

2) How important is it that your CFI has taught the inital before? Specifically, should I consider learning from an experienced CFI who has NOT trained an inital candidate before? I flew with a great guy for my instrument. He emphasises safety and he is very patient. However, I learned most of the knowledge through my own studies. Will this situation translate well into the CFI training enviornment? Or, will I need to rely on "picking" my CFI's brain?

Thanks!

Mike

 

[Timebuilder]

1) Do you folks think that the initial CFI should be done by a 141 academy that does this training all the time? What about doing it with a freelance instructor out of a club?
2) How important is it that your CFI has taught the inital before?

I actually did my CFI training with three different people. The first was my instructor with whom I had done all of my previous ratings. He got a charter job, so my training fell to the school's chief flight instructor. He was busy getting ready for a semester as the department head of aviation at the local community college. So, I went down to Philly Northeast and and did most of my right seat familiarization and teaching maneuvers with an old military instructor who had been turning out CFI's for years. I got the signoff back at home with the chief, and aced the ride.

In my opinion, even my original CFI would have done a fine job, although I would have been his first CFI candidate. While it may be a safe assumption to go with a school or individual who does a lot of CFI "creation", it really depends on who you are talking about. Every one of my ratings was done under part 61, and I ended up instructing some part 141 students at my school with no problem. Certainly, if most of the study was done "on your own", you can help yourself a lot by doing the same thing for your CFI. After the private, I discovered the power of teaching myself, and coming in with questions for clarification or in-depth analysis.

I ALWAYS pick brains, whenever I can. When I'm in the jet with my boss as PIC instead of one of the other captains, I make a point of digging for obscure info that only he (or his business partner) might know about the charter business, or flying Lears in general.

One thing I found as a CFI: you will have students who are there to have a good time in an airplane, as opposed to becoming the best pilot they can be. Even my boss said I needed to act more like a tour opertor with some of the students, instead of setting a high standard for student success. You will have to develop this ability to determine why the student is really there. I did a power off stall with one guy who had 25 hours of dual received in his logbook, and he cancelled the next lesson and didn't come back. It was a veeeeery gentle stall, too.

So, when you start work, seek the opinions of experienced people at the school or FBO. Within reason, you are there as a tool of your boss's business.

Good luck.

 

[hydroflyer]

Another recommendation would be to see if you can ride along in the back seat of other instructional flights to observe the whole process. You will be amazed and what you will learn, it is obviously very realistic, and maybe you can even help out with the critique some. Of course this will only work with the students and instructors permission, but we did try this some at my old flight school and it seemed to help out the instructors and students.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I'm curious about where that one guy had a bad experience with the DPE in FLL? I did my initial CFI and my CFII with a DPE that operates out of the Ft. Lauderdale Jet Center. He was very fair and straightfoward. If you came prepared, you had no worries. I've heard nothing but horror stories about some FSDOs, but I don't know a whole lot about Olando. I do know that they do more initial CFI rides than just about any other FSDO due to the high concentration of flight training in the area.
Here is a little advice though if you are going to the FSDO in Orlando: Go to their website and take a look at the Initial CFI "Special Emphisis" program. This has a lot of good gouge on what they frequently issue a pink slip for. Also, I understand that they offer a CFI Special Emphisis class every month. As they say; forewarned is forearmed when it comes to the FAA.
I don't know what is the better route to take; Pt 91 or Pt 141. It all depends on the luck of the draw on who your instructor is. I went through ALL ATPS "Total CFI" program, and I earned all three ratings CFI/CFII/MEI in two weeks. It is a Part 91 program and it is like trying to drink through a firehouse at times, but it can be done. Their track record is proof of this. It really helped that I went right from the Comm-ME add-on training to the CFI program the week before. Also, it's all done in a twin save 5 hours in the C-172 for spin endorsement and a review of Commercial maneuvers.
I read in oyur post that you have aquired all the FAA pubs and the PTS. This is VERY important! The FAA (FSDO types) and DPE's don't care about anything but the publications and Advisory Circulars in the PTS for the rating you seek. In fact, all the stuff that ASA, Sporty's, etc... are basically taken from the FAA publications and re-written in a different format.
One last comment on the FOI. At first glance it seems like a lot of pyscho-babble, but it is quite valid. I discovered that during the first hour of dual given, and even more so over the last couple of months. The Flight Instructor's Handbook is essential reading for aspiring and current instructors. Best of luck in your quest, and I think that you'll find that teaching flight is one of the most rewarding, though-provoking and humbling experiences you'll have in your flying career.

Regards,

ex-Navy rotorhead

 

[El Cid Av8or]

The advice to know the FOI cold is great advice. If you do your II at the FSDO, even with the same inspector, then review that FOI material before you go back.

That's exactly what I have heard from more than one CFI that has gone the FSDO route for the checkrides. I just need to find a way to make the FOI stuff "technical"

 

[Timebuilder]

You might try making some flash cards.

 

[El Cid Av8or]

You might try making some flash cards.

Already in progress. It sure is a lot easier to look at them while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green on the way to and from the airport. I'm one of those people that does really great with the technical stuff but occasionally needs some minor brain surgery to learn the non-technical stuff.

Tailwinds...

 

[tarp]

OK, it's been 14 years, let's see how well rote worked:

PEMA (Pronounced "pee-ma")
Purposeful
Experience
Multi-faceted
Active

REEPIR (pronounced like the grim reaper)
Readiness
Exercise
Effect
Primacy
Intensity
Recency

PIM
Perceptions
Insights
Motivation

RUAC (pronounced "roo-ack")
Rote
Understanding
Application
Correlation

and Maslow was (FSS'es):
Food, Safety, Social, Ego and Self-fulfillment.

Once I had the words, I could conceptually explain all of the first 30 pages of the FOI. It semed sinful to use Rote when I could Correlate so well - but the FAA had to use all those precise Psychological terms.

The stuff all seems like gobbledygook until you actually get in the cockpit with a brand new student and you realize that all your knowledge about systems and aerodynamics and airspace rules aren't worth diddly because the person next to you is worried about personal safety (am I going to die, today?) and the readiness thing is basically thrown out the window. Your job is not to teach anything even remotely close to the workings of the airplane - your job is to show the student that an airplane can be taken off the ground by a mere mortal being, flown around very carefully and returned to earth in some magical way. The only process is "effect". In the second lesson (where they are not worried about dying), you can gently introduce your primary (primacy) lessons - where they may actually watch what you are doing on the preflight, etc. etc. I use FOI every time I fly as a CFI.

Too many folks poo-poo this stuff as hard and a pain in the butt. I find that it is the lifeblood to my side business as a freelance instructor. My customers know I take care of them and I create lesson plans around their personalities - it always amazes me that I have a waiting list of clients who have my name through word of mouth reputation while a lot of CFI's sit around at my home airport looking for customers to walk through the door.

Enjoy

 

[bobbysamd]

FOI

Good post, Tarp. Amen to everything you said.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the lone voice in the wilderness who preaches the importance of the FOI. The FOI is a flight instructor's way of life. Only memorizing it enough to pass your CFI orals is to give it short shrift. It deserves much more study than that.

Be sure to read the sections on "Aviation Instructor as Practical Psychologist."

Good luck with your CFI training.

 

[wxman]

CFI Instruction

I am an experienced CFI/CFII/MEI, and was reading through the posts on this thread. A couple of thoughts that I'd like to offer:

1. By the time you start work on your CFI, you already know how to fly and do the maneuvers. It is the ground instruction that is highly important.

2. An experienced instructor can help a lot in learning good ways to present material and identifying common training problems. This instructor would be very helpful as a mentor once you get your CFI, and would certainly be helpful in getting it.

3. The FAA has always wanted to do most of the initial CFIs. Due to a lack of manpower, they are willing to let some DE's do some initial CFI's. What DE's get to do the checks is highly political. There may be someone in your area who is qualified to the checkride, but, because of politics, you may end up having to travel a couple of hundred miles to someone else. The FSDO will tell you who you can do the checkride with, then you call and make the arrangements with that person.

4. The Initial CFI is a tough and thorough checkride... as it should be. Don't take it too lightly, and get some good ground instruction from a qualified instructor.

Good Luck!

 

[Typhoon1244]

...I'm starting my CFI training monday. Anyone got any suggestions...

Start drinking lots of coffee.

Buy some hair dye in whatever your natural color is. Trust me.

Get some fabric earphone covers for your headset...especially in Florida! Along the same lines, keep a stick of RightGuard in your flight bag.

The most important feature of any lesson plan is flexibility! No two students are alike. (Sometimes, no one student is alike during the week!)

Take all your dreams of being a big airplane pilot, stuff them in a bag, and hide them in the back of your closet. Don't throw them away, just put them where they won't distract you from the most important thing: the student.

Hang in there, and good luck.

 

[scubabri]

Does anyone have FOI flash cards?

Brian