FIA Flight Instructor Airplane written exam completed today

mandm said:
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I’m proud that I passed my Flight Instructor Airplane written exam today. Looking forward to providing some flight reviews at future fly-in’s. :cool:
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Outstanding score, congratulations. On the idea of doing flight reviews at fly-ins, remember the minimum time is an hour of ground and an hour in the air, so maybe fly-ins aren't the best time to try a review. I encourage my contacts to do the WINGS program. It saves them time and money and gives them a checklist of maneuvers to do with a CFI.
 
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About 9 years ago, I attended a rusty pilot seminar at sun n fun, it counted as the 1 hour ground for a flight review. Dozens of pilots there, maybe next year I'll be standing nearby with business cards ready to go!
 
That's a great score, hopefully that momentum carries you on to kick butt on the checkride!
 
mandm said:
View attachment 134489

I’m proud that I passed my Flight Instructor Airplane written exam today. Looking forward to providing some flight reviews at future fly-in’s. :cool:
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Nicely done. Any tips for aspiring applicants? I had an easy time with prior knowledge tests but for some reason I am not getting my brain shifted into gear for the FOI and FIA tests.
 
iamtheari said:
Nicely done. Any tips for aspiring applicants? I had an easy time with prior knowledge tests but for some reason I am not getting my brain shifted into gear for the FOI and FIA tests.
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I fought the FOI until it finally “clicked”. And I realized it’s the cheat code for the human mind, it seems.

It’s really dry, until the moment it’s not. And then you can geek on it.

The FIA test is really just the commercial written with 20% bonus material.
 
iamtheari said:
Nicely done. Any tips for aspiring applicants? I had an easy time with prior knowledge tests but for some reason I am not getting my brain shifted into gear for the FOI and FIA tests.
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Thank you, I totally agree that it’s a challenge to get into gear for the written. I just went for it and decided to study and took the exam, it’s a hurdle to jump into but usually once I get started I just keep at it until it’s finished. Remind yourself to do a little work each day and when you get brain fog or tunnel vision, call it quits. The more challenging part is that everything is quite separate, so I have to get into gear for each step along the way. Now I feel the accomplishment but where’s the motivation to do the next step. That’s where I have to push again. I have the new iPad mini delivered today so I’ll set that up and start with a little studying or maybe testing out Foreflight in flight instead.
 
Rgbeard said:
I fought the FOI until it finally “clicked”. And I realized it’s the cheat code for the human mind, it seems.

It’s really dry, until the moment it’s not. And then you can geek on it.

The FIA test is really just the commercial written with 20% bonus material.
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I think that part of my mental hurdle with the FOI is that these two questions summarize the test:

Actual FOI question: What is the worst way to learn anything? Correct answer: Rote memorization.
All FOI questions: What is the only way to pass this test? Correct answer: Rote memorization of what magic words / jargon the FAA wants you to use for the concepts mentioned in the rest of the test.

If you know of a good way to study for it that isn't rote memorization and/or getting a degree in education, please let me know.
 
iamtheari said:
I think that part of my mental hurdle with the FOI is that these two questions summarize the test:

Actual FOI question: What is the worst way to learn anything? Correct answer: Rote memorization.
All FOI questions: What is the only way to pass this test? Correct answer: Rote memorization of what magic words / jargon the FAA wants you to use for the concepts mentioned in the rest of the test.

If you know of a good way to study for it that isn't rote memorization and/or getting a degree in education, please let me know.
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I feel you're taking an unnecessarily dim, self-destructing attitude towards this. You haven't seen the benefit, and the big picture of FOI hasn't come together for you.

The FOI really is a type of equivalency for a teaching certificate, so the "degree in education" sorta rings true.

Are you using Sheppard, or similar, for basic rote memorization, or are you reading the Instructor's Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9B)?
 
Rgbeard said:
I feel you're taking an unnecessarily dim, self-destructing attitude towards this. You haven't seen the benefit, and the big picture of FOI hasn't come together for you.

The FOI really is a type of equivalency for a teaching certificate, so the "degree in education" sorta rings true.

Are you using Sheppard, or similar, for basic rote memorization, or are you reading the Instructor's Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9B)?
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Your stated feeling is probably a fair response to my hyperbolic post, but isn't borne out in reality. My day job involves teaching complicated things to barely-willing students. Understanding how people learn is a very big part of what I do. And I'm reasonably good at my job. What I do lack is formal instruction on the methods and terminology that the FAA wants me to understand and use both with learners and on the FOI written test.

It's been a while since I've had time to study with any regularity due to how quickly life has gone by since late 2021 when I was originally going to make a go at it (I'm trying to rectify that this fall and winter, thus my threadjacking @mandm's timely thread, sorry!) I think that the prep books I have on the shelf are from ASA. I have read the FAA Instructor's Handbook but should definitely do so again now that I'm basically starting over. I'm all ears for additional tools to learn this stuff correctly. Books, videos, ground schools, whatever works.

The FOI is close enough to a teaching license that people with the latter are exempt from the former. I don't recall the exact rule on that, but recall there being one. And as much as I'd like to go back to college to get another degree, I can't afford that much time off work and would probably accidentally get a degree in classical studies or math instead of education. :)
 
iamtheari said:
Your stated feeling is probably a fair response to my hyperbolic post, but isn't borne out in reality. My day job involves teaching complicated things to barely-willing students. Understanding how people learn is a very big part of what I do. And I'm reasonably good at my job. What I do lack is formal instruction on the methods and terminology that the FAA wants me to understand and use both with learners and on the FOI written test.

It's been a while since I've had time to study with any regularity due to how quickly life has gone by since late 2021 when I was originally going to make a go at it (I'm trying to rectify that this fall and winter, thus my threadjacking @mandm's timely thread, sorry!) I think that the prep books I have on the shelf are from ASA. I have read the FAA Instructor's Handbook but should definitely do so again now that I'm basically starting over. I'm all ears for additional tools to learn this stuff correctly. Books, videos, ground schools, whatever works.

The FOI is close enough to a teaching license that people with the latter are exempt from the former. I don't recall the exact rule on that, but recall there being one. And as much as I'd like to go back to college to get another degree, I can't afford that much time off work and would probably accidentally get a degree in classical studies or math instead of education. :)
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I'm sorry that I'm poorly detecting your sarcasm/hyperbole, and instead, I'm taking your words at face-value. I'll know better next time, and presume such with your posts.

That said, without any sarcasm, I found the FAA Instructor's Handbook to be a great resource, and it allowed me to pass the FOI exam with a 98.

Offering honest advice, I would simply recommend that you read this and search for the value. When it clicks, you'll know it, and you'll be test-ready.
 
Rgbeard said:
I fought the FOI until it finally “clicked”. And I realized it’s the cheat code for the human mind, it seems.

It’s really dry, until the moment it’s not. And then you can geek on it.
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Totally agree. But you’re right, all of a sudden it clicked, and it became apparent that it was applicable to a lot more than flying. It could also be called “the psychology of teaching and learning” or numerous other things, but FOI is apt. I just think we tend to pigeon-hole it into Fundamentals of (Flight) Instruction and while it is geared toward that specifically, it has much broader implications and can be a gateway to a lot more.
 
I've been teaching boxing since 2007 and I enjoyed reading most of the Aviation Instructors handbook. I could relate to the material and I know it has filtered into and made my boxing instruction better as a result. Really wish I got to it earlier in my aviation career because I think it would have made me a better student and saved some money.
 
I think if you served in an instructor capacity in the military you should be exempt from the FOI. The U.S. military training, especially the Navy, is second to none. In my experience, a Navy petty officer or USMC sergeant is a more effective teacher than your run of the mill public school teacher or college/university professor who are exempt.
 
mandm said:
One more ;)
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I think it's a bad idea to get 100% on a written test. Now the examiner is going to really try to stump you!
 
Gilbert Buettner said:
Outstanding score, congratulations. On the idea of doing flight reviews at fly-ins, remember the minimum time is an hour of ground and an hour in the air, so maybe fly-ins aren't the best time to try a review. I encourage my contacts to do the WINGS program. It saves them time and money and gives them a checklist of maneuvers to do with a CFI.
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When he said fly-ins, I assumed he’s referring to PoA events like Gaston’s, Rough River, and 6Y9, which are multi-day affairs. More than enough time to accomplish a Flight Review or IPC.
 
Dave Theisen said:
When he said fly-ins, I assumed he’s referring to PoA events like Gaston’s, Rough River, and 6Y9, which are multi-day affairs. More than enough time to accomplish a Flight Review or IPC.
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I need to check the ACS but we definitely talk airplanes more than one hour on those weekends.
 
mandm said:
I need to check the ACS but we definitely talk airplanes more than one hour on those weekends.
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It's more than talking about airplanes for a hour. "The review must include: (1) A review of the current general operating and flight rules of Part 91...."
 
iamtheari said:
Your stated feeling is probably a fair response to my hyperbolic post, but isn't borne out in reality. My day job involves teaching complicated things to barely-willing students. Understanding how people learn is a very big part of what I do. And I'm reasonably good at my job. What I do lack is formal instruction on the methods and terminology that the FAA wants me to understand and use both with learners and on the FOI written test.

It's been a while since I've had time to study with any regularity due to how quickly life has gone by since late 2021 when I was originally going to make a go at it (I'm trying to rectify that this fall and winter, thus my threadjacking @mandm's timely thread, sorry!) I think that the prep books I have on the shelf are from ASA. I have read the FAA Instructor's Handbook but should definitely do so again now that I'm basically starting over. I'm all ears for additional tools to learn this stuff correctly. Books, videos, ground schools, whatever works.

The FOI is close enough to a teaching license that people with the latter are exempt from the former. I don't recall the exact rule on that, but recall there being one. And as much as I'd like to go back to college to get another degree, I can't afford that much time off work and would probably accidentally get a degree in classical studies or math instead of education. :)
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Current flight or ground instructors
Accredited teachers at college or university
Holders of teaching cert at a 7th grade level or higher

I'm in category #2. It's the other reason I have a faculty ID card. The first is to get into the office. Otherwise, the card is great to scrape ice off the car windshield.

Tried to get the AGI over the summer but got waylaid with other time-consuming issues (like my full-time university teaching gig). Maybe over the holidays. Just noticed that as of Sept 1, 2024, even the FOI now requires an endorsement before you can trudge over to the testing center.
 
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