Suggested books for new CFI student?

[JSky26]

I will be starting my CFI training within a few weeks and I was wondering what some of you reccomend besides the FOI. I've heard the Jepp book is pretty decent...any other suggestions? Thanks

 

[knewhigher]

The Flight Instructor PTS always references FAA publications. They are a bit blander than Jepp or Gleim, but they are officially referenced and usually cheaper. For the most part other books are just fancy mock ups of the FAA books. From what I can remember some of the main publications the PTS references are:

FAR/AIM
Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Airplane Flying Handbook
Aviation Instructor’s Handbook
Aviation Weather Services
Aviation Weather
Advisory Circulars
Commercial PTS
Private PTS
Assorted Advisory Circulars

The best part is, almost all of these are available on FAA.GOV for FREE (or at least the cost of printer paper and ink). For the written tests you can always go with the Gleim answer key books. If you are a visual learner you can always get some Sportys DVDs to tie everything together. Good luck!

 

[Peanut gallery]

Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators

Good stuff!!!!!

 

[Way2Broke]

After you get your CFI buy "The Savvy Flight Instructor" by Brown. It will teach you everything that you really need to know. I have the Jepp book and have found it to be useless. For the instructor ratings your best bet is to learn the FAA publications in and out. Afterall you will be testing with the folks that wrote them.

 

[woutlaw]

I'm doing my CFI now and give a hearty second to the above advice.

I bought the Jepp book initially and, while it's a fine book, wound up using the FAA publications. The FAA pubs are suprisingly well written.

Everything in the Jepp book is in the FAA books, almost verbatim. (That being said, if you'd like the Jepp book I'll gladly sell you mine. Never been used and only dropped once. )

Grab the Private and Commercial PTS (print 'em off our just buy the little ASA version, which is handy) because you'll be referring to them for every lesson plan.

I'd also recommend H.C. "Skip" Smith's "The Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics".

"The Savvy Flight Instructor" is excellent. It's mainly about how to actually handle the business side of flight instructing and the weird situations that crop up anytime you're dealing with people.

For the FOI written I just did a bunch of practice tests using the test-prep software from Dauntless (http://www.dauntless-soft.com/PRODUCTS/GroundSchool/cfi.asp)

Virtually everything I've done for the CFI to date has come from:

+ Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
+ Airplane Flying Handbook
+ Aviation Instructor's Handbook
+ Instrument Flying Handbook
+ FAR/AIM
+ Private and Commercial PTS
+ Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics

I think you can buy all of 'em for about the cost of the Jepp book. (Or, as has been pointed out, just print them off for free.)

I have found the Jepp Private Pilot book handy when creating lesson plans. I bought a copy off of Ebay for 20 bucks.

Good luck! Doing the CFI has been more work than I expected and significantly more fun than I expected.

 

[greedypilot]

"The Flight Instructor's Manual"
by: William K. Kershner

 

[JohnE]

I agree about the government publications. Very well written and thought out.

On a related note. What format do you guys follow when writing lesson plans?

Also, is the cost of training for the CFI (books, instruction, etc) tax deductible?

 

[Goose Egg]

In addition to those already listed, I found the Gliem CFI Maneuvers Manual almost indispensable for creating my lesson plans.

As far as what format to use, I think I just used one of the examples in the Gliem book (if memory serves me--it's been a little while.)

-Goose

 

[JohnE]

In addition to those already listed, I found the Gliem CFI Maneuvers Manual almost indispensable for creating my lesson plans.

As far as what format to use, I think I just used one of the examples in the Gliem book (if memory serves me--it's been a little while.)

-Goose

Does the DPE or FAA examiner expect to see complete lesson plans for private and commerical instruction? Or just a couple of samples.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Ditto on all the FAA pubs. I used them for my CFI, CFII.

 

[woutlaw]

...

On a related note. What format do you guys follow when writing lesson plans?

Also, is the cost of training for the CFI (books, instruction, etc) tax deductible?

I used Greg Gordon's lesson plan format as a starting point (http://greggordon.org/flying/privatePilot.htm) then modified mine to fit the way my brain works.

An example of my slow-flight lesson plan is here.

The lesson outlines in the Gliem books are very good as well. The important thing is that you're able to actually teach the lesson (duh, I suppose) so I don't believe the exact format really matters as long as it makes sense to you as an instructor.

I started out using existing lesson plans and quickly switched to creating my own because it worked out better for me that way.

Dunno about the tax deductions. I have kept reciepts for everything, but my initial understanding is that the training costs to obtain the CFI aren't tax deductible. However, once you are a CFI you can deduct things related to your business (headsets, charts, flights to maintain proficiency, etc...)

Of course, I'm not an accountant so don't take it as gospel.

There's also the philosophy that everything is deductible until an audit. Personally, I'm a little more conservative than that.

 

[Goose Egg]

Does the DPE or FAA examiner expect to see complete lesson plans for private and commerical instruction? Or just a couple of samples.

Good question. Basically, a couple of samples. The CFI PTS calls for the applicant to teach two lessons during the oral examination, one from a "technical subject area" and one from the list of maneuvers. My two were flight controls and Lazy 8's. If I remember right, there isn't a requirement that there be an actual "lesson plan," but it is at least highly advisable to have one, if for no other reason than it will help you stay organized, thourough, and on topic during a stressful situation. And memory serves, the examiner did ask to see my plans for those two subjects. I did not know what lessons I was to teach ahead of time, and I did not want to be caught unprepared, so I made sure that I had a lesson plan for every technical subject area or maneuver that the examiner could ask me about. It was a lot of work getting all those together, but then again, I did pass first try.

Hope this helps,

-Goose

 

[Sppedmode]

I'll second "The Savy Instructor". It's been 6-7 years, but I still remember that book being one of my favorites.

 

[JSky26]

Thanks for the insight guys!

 

[Burt Reynolds]

For when you start getting tired of turns around a point in the 100° heat and are thinking of moving on to bigger and better things... :

Hard Landing : The Epic Contest for Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos by Thomas Jr Petzinger

For remembering why you got into this business in the first place:

Fate is the Hunter by Ernest Gann

Good luck with the CFI! You're definitely doing the right thing.

 

[AWACO]

What ever your college instructor recommends as a text for the business degree you should be getting.

 

[NuGuy]

I would personally recommend the "Gaining Public Assistance" series from whatever state you live in. There are great tips in there about housing, food, child care, etc.

There is also the very sucessful "How to Live Off Your Parents for Years and Not Feel Guilt" line of books.

Beyond that, I can also recommend "Filing Bankruptcy for Dummies"

Nu

 

[Flic1]

"Careers Outside of Aviation for Dummies"

 

[ReverseSensing]

Suggested books for new CFI student?

Checkbook.

 

[JSky26]

Haha, thanks for the humor guys. You know, maybe I am making a mistake getting into this field, but I know that I am the one that has to experience it in order to make that decision myself...its just the way I work. It's all in perspective, I know what I am getting into.... I mean just browsing through FI for an hour and anyone can paint the picture of this industry... It's just something that I've always wanted to do.

Guess thats it..thanks for the suggestions otherwise