Good Evening, I recently passed my commercial checkride and I’m looking to begin my Cfi training here within the next two weeks. What are some of the pointers or tips from your experience as a cfi you wish you would have known from the start of your cfi training to make you a better pilot?
Cfi training
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RyanShort1
Final Approach
You’ll need to train to pass the CFI oral and practical, but the FAA really doesn’t teach you how to be a really top-notch instructor. Also, you are training to be a good teacher, not a pilot so much. For the CFI, piloting is important, but somewhat secondary. Find the BEST instructor you know and find a way to offer them something in order to learn from their experiences. You’ll have experiences of your own, as you mature as an instructor, but a good mentor can help you be better prepared to deal with the new challenges that each student will bring you.
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Go back and start reading the ACS, PHAK, FAR\AIM that covers everything from day one through now. I have seen a lot of CFIs that manage to get a pass and don’t know squat about a lot. This happens because they had lousy instructors, usually from the pilot mills that teach the bare minimum to pass a checkride. Many times the CFIs will know what a certain DPE covers and only teach that. You will come across pilots coming for their instrument, comm that can’t even answer questions about basic ppl stuff. Be better than the rest, and have high standards to sign students of for solo, checkrides.
Go find your favorite high school or college teacher, one that really motivated you. Talk to them about how they approach teaching, what ideas they have. Also remember that you’re teaching adults but really teaching 4th graders that are better mannered (usually) with more money. Why 4th grade? That’s when kids begin to focus on topics that interest them, not just what the teacher tells them.
Music majors start playing an instrument usually about 9 or 10, so by college, they’ve already had some theory, some performance, maybe even a second instrument, and understand about practicing.
Science majors same thing, earth science in middle school, physics/chem/bio in high school so they’re ready for or advanced stuff in college. Same for math majors. Even language majors. Those continuing to play sports more seriously. All have substantial background in the topic.
But not aviation. This is (usually) an entirely new world that really doesn’t have much in common with day to day life. FAA rules are cures for insomnia but critical to learn. Weather isn’t just checking if they need an umbrella today. If mechanically inclined, the student may love digging into aircraft systems. Or not. Living in a 3D world, not just 1D, sometimes 2D. And realizing you can die. Mortality is an interesting concept that really takes hold in aviation. More people die in traffic accidents but we never consider that when heading to the store or work.
Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to teach aviation or is it a stepping stone?
Music majors start playing an instrument usually about 9 or 10, so by college, they’ve already had some theory, some performance, maybe even a second instrument, and understand about practicing.
Science majors same thing, earth science in middle school, physics/chem/bio in high school so they’re ready for or advanced stuff in college. Same for math majors. Even language majors. Those continuing to play sports more seriously. All have substantial background in the topic.
But not aviation. This is (usually) an entirely new world that really doesn’t have much in common with day to day life. FAA rules are cures for insomnia but critical to learn. Weather isn’t just checking if they need an umbrella today. If mechanically inclined, the student may love digging into aircraft systems. Or not. Living in a 3D world, not just 1D, sometimes 2D. And realizing you can die. Mortality is an interesting concept that really takes hold in aviation. More people die in traffic accidents but we never consider that when heading to the store or work.
Be honest with yourself. Do you really want to teach aviation or is it a stepping stone?
Gilbert Buettner
Cleared for Takeoff
Be vocal. Talk a lot. And then learn when to stop talking.
Daleandee
Final Approach
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Dale Andee
In this sense teaching is a lot like music. The notes are important but so is the silence ...
Gilbert Buettner
Cleared for Takeoff
Not at all like a flight review. No flying involved. You can attend an in-person Flight Instructor Refresher Course, take an on-line course of about eight hours, or have endorsed at least five practical test applicants with 80% passing on the first try to renew for another two years. You can also renew by passing a checkride for one of the ratings you're qualified to train.
You still have the totally separate requirement for a flight review. I prefer WINGS... more educational and more practical.
For the online course, is that a paid private course or is that something through the FAA and free? What’s the time that you can lapse your CFI ticket to do the online course to get freshened up?
Gilbert Buettner
Cleared for Takeoff
Once it has expired, you do not have a grace period. You will need to get reinstated by taking a flight instructor checkride, or completing a practical test for an additional flight instructor rating (MEL add-on, or CFII add-on, for example). The online providers have a list of CFI expirations and start to pester with renewal offers months ahead of time.
The online courses are not free, and neither are the in-person FIRCs.
JScarry
Pre-takeoff checklist
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JScarry
Sporty’s course is free, but it’s not very good. They have a paperless renewal for $49.
AOPAs is much better and $124 including the paperwork.
I haven’t used any others.
BillTIZ
Final Approach
I paid a one-time fee to American Flyers for their online Instructor Refresher course 20yrs ago and have always used it. This weekend will be my first opportunity to actually attend a FIRC in person.
ateamer
Pattern Altitude
American Flyers has an online flight instructor renewal program that is $99 the first time, and then free for life. For an additional fee each time ($25-ish) they handle submitting it to the FAA for your new certificate. In aviation, that’s as close to free as it gets.
ateamer
Pattern Altitude
Some tips:
- Teach to the level your students need. A pre-solo student doesn’t need to know the formula for producing lift. A commercial student needs to be able to solve more complex weight and balance problems. Don’t tell them everything you know; tell them what they need to know.
- Always be the best example of a professional aviator. The way you conduct yourself in the plane and around the airport will make a strong impression on your students and will affect how they do things down the road.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t fake it. “I’m not sure. Let me get back you on that.”
- Be able to tell when a student is getting overwhelmed and needs a break.
- Teach to the level your students need. A pre-solo student doesn’t need to know the formula for producing lift. A commercial student needs to be able to solve more complex weight and balance problems. Don’t tell them everything you know; tell them what they need to know.
- Always be the best example of a professional aviator. The way you conduct yourself in the plane and around the airport will make a strong impression on your students and will affect how they do things down the road.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t fake it. “I’m not sure. Let me get back you on that.”
- Be able to tell when a student is getting overwhelmed and needs a break.
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Ari
Arguably, the silence is more important in both cases. Few people will notice if you play an A when the composer wrote a D. Everyone will notice if you play an A when the composer wrote a rest. And talking when the student is trying to think is a great way to prevent him from learning.
Pinecone
En-Route
You can also renew by adding another CFI rating.
And if you renew via checkride, that should count as your FR
2-Bit Speed
Pattern Altitude
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2-Bit Speed
Not a CFI (or teacher or even pilot...), so maybe don't listen to me.
Not everyone learns the same. Be willing to be flexible and change your analogies/lectures/procedures if a student isn't 'getting it.' Be humble enough to seek the guidance of a better instructor if you're struggling with a student. I also agree with setting the example. It's okay to have fun, but never let fun compromise safety.
Not everyone learns the same. Be willing to be flexible and change your analogies/lectures/procedures if a student isn't 'getting it.' Be humble enough to seek the guidance of a better instructor if you're struggling with a student. I also agree with setting the example. It's okay to have fun, but never let fun compromise safety.
ateamer
Pattern Altitude
This!
I was having trouble with landings as a student, just not quite being able to pull everything together and consistently get it right. My CFI - a good friend and co-worker - had me switch to a different instructor, suspecting that his communication wasn’t getting everything across in a way that I understood. The next CFI did in fact teach it just differently enough that it clicked and it all went all from there.
I was impressed - and this lesson has remained for life - that he was able to see that it might been him, and being humble and secure enough to acknowledge it, and put his students’ performance first.