Becoming a CFI/CFII

[Thunderbird83]

Greetings all!

I am a 900 hour instrument rated private pilot. For a while, I have considered becoming a CFI/CFII as a side job/hobby. I have a fine career (non-aviation), and have no intention of becoming a professional pilot. I've been kicking the idea around more as a way to give back a little of what I know, meet and inspire some new pilots, and have a little fun teaching and hanging out at the airport in the process.

Can somebody tell me what might be involved in getting the appropriate ratings? How long might it take? I don't have a commercial license, so I suppose I'd need that too, right? Would an "American Flyers" type program be better than training at my local flight school?

Any other tips/tidbits/bad advice? If it's a bad idea, tell me. I'm still in the "kicking the idea around" phase, so I'm looking for input (especially from folks who have done what I'm thinking of doing.)

Thanks!

 

[LDJones]

I did my commercial in about three weeks, then practiced all the same maneuvers from the right seat while learning to "teach" them to my instructor. That was another three or four weeks. Double-I took a month or so.

All flight training is valuable...you can never know too much, or practice too much. Go for it.

But knock out the writtens early on so that isn't a hold-up.

 

[rbridges]

I'm not a CFI, but I know it's a pretty challenging road. I've heard people say the instrument rating is the hardest one except for the CFI/CFII.

There are a lot of CFIs on this board, so I expect you to get some good info shortly.

 

[davidm767]

Greetings all!

I am a 900 hour instrument rated private pilot. For a while, I have considered becoming a CFI/CFII as a side job/hobby. I have a fine career (non-aviation), and have no intention of becoming a professional pilot. I've been kicking the idea around more as a way to give back a little of what I know, meet and inspire some new pilots, and have a little fun teaching and hanging out at the airport in the process.

Can somebody tell me what might be involved in getting the appropriate ratings? How long might it take? I don't have a commercial license, so I suppose I'd need that too, right? Would an "American Flyers" type program be better than training at my local flight school?

Any other tips/tidbits/bad advice? If it's a bad idea, tell me. I'm still in the "kicking the idea around" phase, so I'm looking for input (especially from folks who have done what I'm thinking of doing.)

Thanks!

I am a part time CFI that has been teaching as a "side job" more or less for the fun of it. I enjoy instructing, but I have ZERO desire to fly a large aircraft for a carrier...Zippo. With that said, I approached the CFI certificate seriously, as a passionate hobby as opposed to a method to build hours. What does this mean? it means I put a lot of time to develop material not for my check ride, but for the days, weeks, years after the check ride.

I got my CFI/I-MEI cert. at a part 141 school, I got my C-ASMEL at a university. I would highly suggest staying away from the American Flyers or ATP routes. Why? Unless you plan on flying a carrier, these institutions focus on passing the ride rather than the finer details of instruction.

I would look at a smaller accelerated flight school that focuses on a mentor/mentee relationship rather than the cookie cutter customer/CFI method.

CFI is not hard, despite what people say. Seriously its not. It is however VERY challenging because you have to combine all of your consolidated experience, knowledge, and skill and then teach it. So in theory...you are actually not really learning new material, but rather applying your material on a higher order of learning.

For example Your check ride is not a check ride It is a "technical interview" that involves teaching the material to the "student" the DPE. That takes hundreds...yes hundreds...of hours studying your material, develop lesson plans, and above all else practicing in front of a mirror or on a video tape.

I LOVE being an instructor...its worth it! Especially if you approach it as a way to share your love of flying! Its going to pay you back in dividends beyond just monetary compensation.

 

[poadeleted20]

Being a CFI is all about being a good teacher. More than anything else, you need dedication to the craft of teaching. If that's what you want to do, it's worth the effort (and there is considerable effort to achieving the goal).

And yes, you need your Commercial Pilot certificate to be eligible to be a CFI. As a 900-hour PP-ASEL-IA, assuming you're proficient, it shouldn't take more than 20-30 hours to achieve the CP. After that, expect to spend a lot of time on the ground working on the teaching side, and maybe 20 hours or so in the air to be ready for the CFI-ASE practical test. Another 15 hours or so (depending on your instrument knowledge and skills) should have you ready to add the IA rating to your CFI ticket.

 

[CaptLabrador]

I would also add to what DavidM767 said about the 141 or american flyers route. It is true they teach just to pass and I dont agree with this, I know of many very poor cfi's and when I ask them about what happened at their checkrides the answer is "oh I dunno, it was like, an hour and a half ground..kinda hard but I dont remember" A real CFI checkride will be 5-6 hours ground.
I do plan of flying for a living and have still avoided that route. That said I am at a smaller 141 school and the benefit is I can go to other students and under supervision of a CFI teach some of the students which really helps if you are not good in front of people/groups etc... However, they dont have many cfi applicants and thus are not as good on the prep work which has costed me in money...and lots and lots of time prepping myself.

My honest advice is to find a local CFI for one on one sessions that is experienced with training other cfi students. They can relay personal experience and insights which will come in handy on the Practical test. Like Ron says, its all how you teach and an experienced CFI will have more examples of ways you can teach, not just providing Rote style question and answer sessions, much like previous checkrides, or inexperienced CFIs give.

My Check Ride is on Monday

 

[dmspilot]

it shouldn't take more than 20-30 hours to achieve the CP. After that, expect to spend a lot of time on the ground working on the teaching side, and maybe 20 hours or so in the air to be ready for the CFI-ASE practical test.

Your air times sound high. If OP is a decent pilot already it might take half that.

But as you and the others have said, the ground is where the real work is done. For my CFI prep, I think I spent about 25 hours ground with my instructor and innumerable hours of self-study, prep, and practice. A guess would be around 200.

 

[SinkorSwim]

Just took and passed my CFI @ KSTL FSDO... (first attempt)

I have 3 degrees from college and I studied harder for my CFI then I ever did in college.

I have no plans on using the cfi for other than a little part time free lance instruction. I will admit I am already studying for cfii...

If you would like to contact me off of the boards... shoot me a message. I took a lot of notes through out the 2 day session.

 

[ja_user]

For me,
Commercial 15-20 hrs including checkride (complex aircraft), about the same number of hours self-studying.
CFI maybe 80-100 hrs of self-study/ground. 10-15 hrs of flying.
CFII 5-7 hours including checkride probably 20 hrs self study to refresh on IFR knowledge.

I would highly recommend taking all of the written quickly together. IFR, IGI and CFII are basically the same. As are Commercial, CFIA and AGI. FOI is a beast of its own.

 

[dmspilot]

I have 3 degrees from college and I studied harder for my CFI then I ever did in college.

I feel that it is like trying to take one big comprehensive final exam for every college class you've ever taken, all in one day.

 

[frfly172]

Took the written for CFI and passed them then gave up on going for the cert.have my ATP and have flown for a charter company for about a year got some turbo prop time which was fun .have decided to pass on the CFI as I probably wouldn't use it.Did some teaching at a community college for years so I'm pretty well done.just enjoying the flying now.