Flying 1 day a week.. CFI .. how long to earn?

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SinkorSwim

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Sep 17, 2008
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St. Charles MO or WDW Fla
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HFC1969
I plan on hitting it hard...

but it will be winter weather...

How long flying 1 day a week,,, will it take me to earn a CFI?

I am studying already...

Just curious... :dunno:
 
As much as it takes. You have your commercial and instrument already I assume?
 
If you're commercial/instrument rated and comfortable with the airplane already, I'd expect somewhere around 10-15 hours flying at the most. Most of the work for the CFI is done on the ground. You have both the FIA and FOI written exams finished?
 
Believe it or not.....for most folks, it ain't about the flying, it is the ground/oral that requires the most prep.

If all you can is fly once a week, then go up and practice flying the maneuvers from the right seat talking through them as you do it. In the meantime study the ground materials, work on the lesson plans..etc and when you feel like you are ready to pass the oral, then go fly for 2-3 days straight to prep for the ride.

Basically, what I am saying is that how long it will take depends more on how much time you have and how long it takes you to get ready for the oral rather than how much flying you need.
 
...and remember, some people just aren't good at teaching/instructing.
 
SinkorSwim said:
Studying for exams now... About 3 hours a day.. :mad2:

Hope to do spins first weekend in Nov...

Would love to do checkride in Jan.:idea:
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Given all the aeronautical experience prereqs like CPL/IR and being comfortable in the plane and proficient in the maneuvers, it shouldn't take long. When I've looked into it it's always been mostly ground.
 
Very little flying with the CFI. At least it was for me. I did mine right on the heels of getting my commercial license, so I was familar with the maneuvers, the only difference was flying from the right seat. I think all total, I flew with my instructor maybe a total of 6 times while I was training for the CFI, and several of those trips were ferry flights, a trip to Florida to pick up another plane and a test flight in a cirrus after installing of a G1000. With the CFI, you have already proved you can fly to commercial standards, now it is all about teaching what you know. That is what they are judging you on. Like for me, I have always had a hard time with Lazy 8's. Almost busted my commercial ride for them. I was told on my CFI ride to demonstrate how to teach one to a student, and started messing up, but pointed out to the examiner what I did wrong and how to correct it. Good luck with it, it is a tough ride, but you have great deal of resources here from other instructors and pilots here.
 
Depends on a lot of factors you haven't addressed, including proficiency in the required maneuvers and right seat flying, past teaching experience, etc. Might happen in a couple-three months, might take a year or more.
 
Good thing you can do is sit in while your (any) CFI teaches some lessons. Ground AND flight. Sit back and watch the interaction.

Even better yet, is to have your CFI "supervise" you while YOU teach a ground subject to an actual student (with everyone's prior approval).

When you are "teaching" your CFI something (practicing), the forced scenario (and knowing that you both already know the subject material) are no where near as helpful as actually teaching someone who doesn't know the material yet.
 
SinkorSwim said:
I plan on hitting it hard...

but it will be winter weather...

How long flying 1 day a week,,, will it take me to earn a CFI?

I am studying already...

Just curious... :dunno:
Click to expand...
I did my commercial, CFI, and CFII in 3 months total. I always had a new certificate "in the mail", using temporaries. By the time I got the plastic one it was already invalid.

It took 3 weeks to get my commercial which totaled 5 lessons.
It took 2.5 weeks to get my CFI which totaled 5 lessons.
It took 1 week to get my CFII which totaled 1 lesson.

The "length of time" was from the first lesson to the checkride for each. I also had a full-time job so I wasn't studying the entire time. I had the money for all of this already, which helps.

It took me 7 months to get my private pilot certificate and 3 months to get my instrument rating, I was limited by available money.
 
jesse said:
It took 3 weeks to get my commercial which totaled 5 lessons.
It took 2.5 weeks to get my CFI which totaled 5 lessons.
It took 1 week to get my CFII which totaled 1 lesson.
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Good...

I know winter weather might be a factor... but at least it appears it can be accomplished... Hope to take FAI & FOI first week in Nov...
 
Keep in mind that Jesse is to flying what Uma Thurman is to striking good looks - a freak of nature.

or, as they say in the weight-loss ads....

"Results Not Typical"
 
TMetzinger said:
Keep in mind that Jesse is to flying what Uma Thurman is to striking good looks - a freak of nature.

or, as they say in the weight-loss ads....

"Results Not Typical"
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Uma Thurman? :no:

How about Rosie Huntington-Whitley. :yesnod:

Even if I quadruple his times Im good with that. I am seriously studying 3 hours a day to keep the process moving along. I fly every week to keep up.
 
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TMetzinger said:
Keep in mind that Jesse is to flying what Uma Thurman is to striking good looks - a freak of nature.

or, as they say in the weight-loss ads....

"Results Not Typical"
Click to expand...

:idea:Might be because the "typical" person is as stupid as they are ugly....:rofl:
 
SinkorSwim said:
Uma Thurman? :no:

How about Rosie Huntington-Whitley. :yesnod:

Even if I quadruple his times Im good with that. I am seriously studying 3 hours a day to keep the process moving along. I fly every week to keep up.
Click to expand...

Nope... I've been within two feet of Uma and had a chat. She goes into the "famous but incredibly nice and real" category, along with a few others.

Keep in mind I'm 45, so Uma's a little younger than I am. I fully understand that "beauty/hot/whatever" is relative. Rosie is pleasant to look at but too young for me to find sexy. Diane Lane or Andi MacDowell are both older and very sexy.

And Jesse is younger, and not at all sexy (to me anyway), but from all accounts is truly "gifted".

I am probably closer to "average" as far as actual flying skills go, and I had about 20 hours in the Arrow from the right seat when I took my CFI ride. It's a big difference between flying the manuevers yourself and teaching them effectively.
 
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