CFI-Initial

[Trcpilot]

Good morning,

I have completed my written exams and cfi spin endorsement and looking to begin my cfi initial training. The issue I have ran into is finding a 2 year cfi that can train for cfi initial. I live in the southeast and in a perfect world I would like to train with an independent cfi that can train for cfi initial but I’m struggling to find a location in my area that offers cfi initial training. I live in Georgia.

1. What is the best thing I can do in the meantime to prepare for the cfi initial? (Read acs, PHAK, afm, aih)

2. Any recommendations on flight training in the southeast for accelerated cfi , regular paced cfi initial training or flight schools that offer cfi training?

3. If you could go back to start cfi training all over again, what advice would you give to a new cfi initial student?

 

[jackparrish]

Hi! I teach CFI school in Dallas.

I would recommend to take the CFI ACS and start building lesson plans for each task.
The reality is you are already to exposed to most of the technical subject areas and have what you need to prepare those lessons.
The FOI's, endorsements, drag demo, and cross-controlled stall are the main new topics.

A tip too is to write a note in each lesson topic for an example or personal story, this will help a lot with showing you can provide effective instruction on the topics.

Some good places to start studying:
1. Missed FOI/FIA questions
2. The 4 explicitly required ground lessons of the CFI ACS:
- Task 1.E. Elements of Effective Teaching in a Professional Environment
- Task 1.F. Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention
- Task 2.C. Runway Incursion Avoidance
- Task 2.K. Endorsements and Logbook Entries
3. Read through all of the referenced materials in the ACS (do not skip a material/chapter/topic until you could teach it)
4. Read the appendices of the ACS, the DPE will be very familiar with these and should follow this guidance on the check ride.
5. Practice teaching to people who are not pilots, you may find it challenging to explain the ACS topics without using lingo that means nothing to a new student. Also, some schools will let you practice teaching real students under supervision.

I don't know any schools in your area but if I could start over again, I would have treated my lesson plans like a resource for myself instead of something to get through a check ride.

Jack

 

[Walboy]

Buy the Backseat Pilot lesson plans.

Go through each and every lesson, line by line. Print it out and make handwritten notes/drawings/amplifications. Read the source material which is referenced in each lesson and is generally FAA material downloadable for free. Most of the materials are reprinted by ASA in paperback versions at reasonable prices. It's a fantastic study outline at a reasonable price.

Practice verbally explaining concepts like lift, stalls, why we do lazy 8s, altimetry, weather, etc. Even if you verbally explain those things to yourself while you're driving. You have to get comfortable explaining things in a simple, easy to understand way. My suggestion is to develop a conversational style of explaining things, not a lecture style. Reading is not enough. You need to be able to explain what you're reading, verbally.

My advice: don't waste time creating lesson plans from scratch but a lot of people will disagree with that notion.

My $.02

 

[Lindberg]

Hopefully you already know all the "stuff." Focus on perfecting your flying skills, and give rides to everyone you know. On the ground and in the airplane, talk to them like an instructor. Without turning it into a lesson, explain to them what's going on rather than treating them as passive passengers. Familiarize yourself with all the regs that apply to a CFI and students.

 

[Clip4]

Good morning,

I have completed my written exams and cfi spin endorsement and looking to begin my cfi initial training. The issue I have ran into is finding a 2 year cfi that can train for cfi initial. I live in the southeast and in a perfect world I would like to train with an independent cfi that can train for cfi initial but I’m struggling to find a location in my area that offers cfi initial training. I live in Georgia.

1. What is the best thing I can do in the meantime to prepare for the cfi initial? (Read acs, PHAK, afm, aih)

2. Any recommendations on flight training in the southeast for accelerated cfi , regular paced cfi initial training or flight schools that offer cfi training?

3. If you could go back to start cfi training all over again, what advice would you give to a new cfi initial student?

1. Compile your library of FAA Handbooks, ACs, ACSs, FAR/AIM. Then study these in detail with a highlighter for in depth learning.
2. I don’t recommend accelerated CFI training. Ideally, you want a CFI with lots of experience .
3. The only thing I would have changed from my initial CFI training would be to include aerodynamics to each lesson plan I prepared.
4. Don’t forget being a good ground instructor is part of being a good flight instructor.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I have completed my written exams and cfi spin endorsement and looking to begin my cfi initial training. The issue I have ran into is finding a 2 year cfi that can train for cfi initial.

Silly question…who did your spin training?

 

[MacFlier]

I'm also interested in this topic. Can anyone recommend a good book to read? I'm looking for something easier to read than the FAA stuff.
This is to prepare for the written exams (CFI).

 

[MauleSkinner]

I'm also interested in this topic. Can anyone recommend a good book to read? I'm looking for something easier to read than the FAA stuff.
This is to prepare for the written exams (CFI).

Unfortunately the “FAA stuff” is the textbook. Based on what I see when people paraphrase FAA stuff, annything else would probably paraphrase to the point of losing accuracy.

 

[Trcpilot]

Silly question…who did your spin training?

I went and completed spin training with a cfi pilot in N.GA . If you’re looking to complete spin training dm me I can pass along his information. Great experience and learned a lot in the ground session as well.

 

[Trcpilot]

Hi! I teach CFI school in Dallas.

I would recommend to take the CFI ACS and start building lesson plans for each task.
The reality is you are already to exposed to most of the technical subject areas and have what you need to prepare those lessons.
The FOI's, endorsements, drag demo, and cross-controlled stall are the main new topics.

A tip too is to write a note in each lesson topic for an example or personal story, this will help a lot with showing you can provide effective instruction on the topics.

Some good places to start studying:
1. Missed FOI/FIA questions
2. The 4 explicitly required ground lessons of the CFI ACS:
- Task 1.E. Elements of Effective Teaching in a Professional Environment
- Task 1.F. Elements of Effective Teaching that Include Risk Management and Accident Prevention
- Task 2.C. Runway Incursion Avoidance
- Task 2.K. Endorsements and Logbook Entries
3. Read through all of the referenced materials in the ACS (do not skip a material/chapter/topic until you could teach it)
4. Read the appendices of the ACS, the DPE will be very familiar with these and should follow this guidance on the check ride.
5. Practice teaching to people who are not pilots, you may find it challenging to explain the ACS topics without using lingo that means nothing to a new student. Also, some schools will let you practice teaching real students under supervision.

I don't know any schools in your area but if I could start over again, I would have treated my lesson plans like a resource for myself instead of something to get through a check ride.

Jack

Man, you’re the GOAT in my book. I appreciate you. I work for the airline and always in the Dallas area. This information was very much needed because I had no clue where to start. I did go through the Ava and highlighted the 4 areas on the top of the Ava and made note of those to definitely know and study. Do me a favor, drop your flight school name in a pm . I have a buddy in Dallas looking to train just for the private license.

 

[MauleSkinner]

I went and completed spin training with a cfi pilot in N.GA . If you’re looking to complete spin training dm me I can pass along his information. Great experience and learned a lot in the ground session as well.

My question was more about having gotten spin instruction for an initial CFI from a qualified CFI, does that CFI not do the rest of the initial CFI training?

 

[Gilbert Buettner]

If you could go back to start cfi training all over again, what advice would you give to a new cfi initial student?

I would give the same advice I got when I asked a local DPE that question 24 years ago. He said, "Go to (name of local CFI), her students pass the checkride." I did, and I did.

 

[MacFlier]

Unfortunately the “FAA stuff” is the textbook. Based on what I see when people paraphrase FAA stuff, annything else would probably paraphrase to the point of losing accuracy.

I know the FAA books are the "Bible" for the CGI training, but I was thinking of getting a book that's easy to read to get me started and then use the FAA handbooks as reference.

 

[Clip4]

I'm also interested in this topic. Can anyone recommend a good book to read? I'm looking for something easier to read than the FAA stuff.
This is to prepare for the written exams (CFI).

Your thought process is incorrect. You are not learning for tests, you are learning to gain instructional knowledge and referencing the FAA stuff is part of instructional knowledge.

 

[MacFlier]

Your thought process is incorrect. You are not learning for tests, you are learning to gain instructional knowledge and referencing the FAA stuff is part of instructional knowledge.

That's a good point

 

[Trcpilot]

Buy the Backseat Pilot lesson plans.

Go through each and every lesson, line by line. Print it out and make handwritten notes/drawings/amplifications. Read the source material which is referenced in each lesson and is generally FAA material downloadable for free. Most of the materials are reprinted by ASA in paperback versions at reasonable prices. It's a fantastic study outline at a reasonable price.

Practice verbally explaining concepts like lift, stalls, why we do lazy 8s, altimetry, weather, etc. Even if you verbally explain those things to yourself while you're driving. You have to get comfortable explaining things in a simple, easy to understand way. My suggestion is to develop a conversational style of explaining things, not a lecture style. Reading is not enough. You need to be able to explain what you're reading, verbally.

My advice: don't waste time creating lesson plans from scratch but a lot of people will disagree with that notion.

My $.02

I appreciate this here. You guys have given such great tips and feedback it’s greatly appreciated!

 

[Trcpilot]

1. Compile your library of FAA Handbooks, ACs, ACSs, FAR/AIM. Then study these in detail with a highlighter for in depth learning.
2. I don’t recommend accelerated CFI training. Ideally, you want a CFI with lots of experience .
3. The only thing I would have changed from my initial CFI training would be to include aerodynamics to each lesson plan I prepared.
4. Don’t forget being a good ground instructor is part of being a good flight instructor.

So for the ACs I’ve printed them out and put them in individual binders already.

Good tip on 2. I will forget about doing an accelerated cfi course.

3 yes I will definitely incorporate more aerodynamics into the lesson plans for sure.

On topic 4 do you think if I go a take the agi its a good thing to have under my belt?

I really appreciate you for giving feedback and tips on the topic. Thank you!!

 

[Trcpilot]

My question was more about having gotten spin instruction for an initial CFI from a qualified CFI, does that CFI not do the rest of the initial CFI training?

Sorry, I read it in a different matter. He is an airline pilot that commutes and at the bottom of the seniority list that doesn’t have the availability to teach cfi initial students at the moment.

 

[Clip4]

So for the ACs I’ve printed them out and put them in individual binders already.

Good tip on 2. I will forget about doing an accelerated cfi course.

3 yes I will definitely incorporate more aerodynamics into the lesson plans for sure.

On topic 4 do you think if I go a take the agi its a good thing to have under my belt?

I really appreciate you for giving feedback and tips on the topic. Thank you!!

On topic 4, you have know and be able to teach ground topics because your students will have questions and you have to be able to explain topics. You also have to provide ground instruction on the topic codes your students miss on the written tests.

 

[jackparrish]

So for the ACs I’ve printed them out and put them in individual binders already.

Good tip on 2. I will forget about doing an accelerated cfi course.

3 yes I will definitely incorporate more aerodynamics into the lesson plans for sure.

On topic 4 do you think if I go a take the agi its a good thing to have under my belt?

I really appreciate you for giving feedback and tips on the topic. Thank you!!

I think the AGI is worth it, especially in the current market it can help to set you apart. Most CFI's applying places don't have it that I've seen.

 

[Sierra_Hotel]

My question was more about having gotten spin instruction for an initial CFI from a qualified CFI, does that CFI not do the rest of the initial CFI training?

Mine didn't. Well, that is to say, I didn't use them for the rest of CFI, I just went for their spin flight.