Got my CFI today

FLYGUYRY

FLYGUYRY

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Messages
173
Location
Baltimore
Display Name
Display name:
Ryan_M
After 2 years of training while going to school full time and working full time, countless hours studying, sitting in traffic, being frustrated with Maryland weather, I did it! Finally took a huge step towards the ultimate goal of airline pilot.

Had my checkride Tuesday and was able to get all of the ground portion done (all 10 hours worth) but thunderstorms prevented my flight portion, and me being able to fly to my home airport. Had to rent a car and drive the 2 hour drive and the total day from time I left my house till I got home was about 15 hours, I was absolutely exhausted. The only day I could compare it to was perhaps my first day of basic training, or one of the two trips I made to Afghanistan. Beyond that can't remember when I was that tired.

Was able to knock out the flight portion today and all went very smoothly. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done, but super excited now to get to it!

Next up is commercial multi, MEI and then probably CFI-I
 
Congratulations. I still don’t understand why 10 hour orals are necessary. Any decent evaluator should be able to determine if you are competent in much less time than that.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Congratulations. I still don’t understand why 10 hour orals are necessary. Any decent evaluator should be able to determine if you are competent in much less time than that.
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It does make for a long day, but that includes a lunch break and some other breaks in there too, it wasn't 10 hours of straight grilling. I would say if you compressed actual question and answer time it would be maybe 5 hours or so. You are ready to veg out after it nonetheless lol

My DPE makes for long check rides but, he's great because he really takes great effort to make you comfortable and not nervous (as can be done anyways) I'd rather be there for 10 hours of that than 3 hours of intense back to back questioning, but maybe that's just because I've done all my rides with him
 
FLYGUYRY said:
After 2 years of training while going to school full time and working full time, countless hours studying, sitting in traffic, being frustrated with Maryland weather, I did it! Finally took a huge step towards the ultimate goal of airline pilot.

Had my checkride Tuesday and was able to get all of the ground portion done (all 10 hours worth) but thunderstorms prevented my flight portion, and me being able to fly to my home airport. Had to rent a car and drive the 2 hour drive and the total day from time I left my house till I got home was about 15 hours, I was absolutely exhausted. The only day I could compare it to was perhaps my first day of basic training, or one of the two trips I made to Afghanistan. Beyond that can't remember when I was that tired.

Was able to knock out the flight portion today and all went very smoothly. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done, but super excited now to get to it!

Next up is commercial multi, MEI and then probably CFI-I
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Congrats!
 
Dave Theisen said:
Congratulations. I still don’t understand why 10 hour orals are necessary. Any decent evaluator should be able to determine if you are competent in much less time than that.
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I agree. I even hear of long orals on PPC rides. 2-3 hours more than adequate IMO.
 
Dave Theisen said:
Congratulations. I still don’t understand why 10 hour orals are necessary. Any decent evaluator should be able to determine if you are competent in much less time than that.
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Agree. 10 hours is brutal and for not much reason.

Congrats! It’s a big one.
 
FLYGUYRY said:
After 2 years of training while going to school full time and working full time, countless hours studying, sitting in traffic, being frustrated with Maryland weather, I did it! Finally took a huge step towards the ultimate goal of airline pilot.

Had my checkride Tuesday and was able to get all of the ground portion done (all 10 hours worth) but thunderstorms prevented my flight portion, and me being able to fly to my home airport. Had to rent a car and drive the 2 hour drive and the total day from time I left my house till I got home was about 15 hours, I was absolutely exhausted. The only day I could compare it to was perhaps my first day of basic training, or one of the two trips I made to Afghanistan. Beyond that can't remember when I was that tired.

Was able to knock out the flight portion today and all went very smoothly. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done, but super excited now to get to it!

Next up is commercial multi, MEI and then probably CFI-I
Click to expand...

Congrats!
 
Dave Theisen said:
Congratulations. I still don’t understand why 10 hour orals are necessary. Any decent evaluator should be able to determine if you are competent in much less time than that.
Click to expand...
Was thinking the same thing. Back in the day, I think I had the whole thing done in half a day.
 
FLYGUYRY said:
After 2 years of training while going to school full time and working full time, countless hours studying, sitting in traffic, being frustrated with Maryland weather, I did it! Finally took a huge step towards the ultimate goal of airline pilot.

Had my checkride Tuesday and was able to get all of the ground portion done (all 10 hours worth) but thunderstorms prevented my flight portion, and me being able to fly to my home airport. Had to rent a car and drive the 2 hour drive and the total day from time I left my house till I got home was about 15 hours, I was absolutely exhausted. The only day I could compare it to was perhaps my first day of basic training, or one of the two trips I made to Afghanistan. Beyond that can't remember when I was that tired.

Was able to knock out the flight portion today and all went very smoothly. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done, but super excited now to get to it!

Next up is commercial multi, MEI and then probably CFI-I
Click to expand...
Congrats.
 
Congrats!!
In 1990 or so (when the Feds first implemented initial CFIs must be done with the FAA), I did my oral and ride within four hours. Apparently things have changed.
 
Kritchlow said:
Congrats!!
In 1990 or so (when the Feds first implemented initial CFIs must be done with the FAA), I did my oral and ride within four hours. Apparently things have changed.
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I think it was '87...I did my initial in '88 and had to get waivered because there were no Feds qualified in gliders.

I won't tell you how long the oral was. :D
 
mscard88 said:
I agree. I even hear of long orals on PPC rides. 2-3 hours more than adequate IMO.
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Both my PP and instrument oral were no more than an hour, and my instrument oral was done with a fellow pilot, so there were two of us answering questions.
 
BrianNC said:
Both my PP and instrument oral were no more than an hour, and my instrument oral was done with a fellow pilot, so there were two of us answering questions.
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I can't recall an oral I experienced that went more than 2 hours. Even my ATP in a C310 was an hour or two. Examiners, FAA and DPEs, know when an examinee knows his shet. Even at the airline orals on initial type ratings were no more than 2 hours, recurrent check rides about the same.
 
FLYGUYRY said:
After 2 years of training while going to school full time and working full time, countless hours studying, sitting in traffic, being frustrated with Maryland weather, I did it! Finally took a huge step towards the ultimate goal of airline pilot.

Had my checkride Tuesday and was able to get all of the ground portion done (all 10 hours worth) but thunderstorms prevented my flight portion, and me being able to fly to my home airport. Had to rent a car and drive the 2 hour drive and the total day from time I left my house till I got home was about 15 hours, I was absolutely exhausted. The only day I could compare it to was perhaps my first day of basic training, or one of the two trips I made to Afghanistan. Beyond that can't remember when I was that tired.

Was able to knock out the flight portion today and all went very smoothly. Definitely one of the hardest things I've done, but super excited now to get to it!

Next up is commercial multi, MEI and then probably CFI-I
Click to expand...
CONGRATS!!!!
 
mscard88 said:
I can't recall an oral I experienced that went more than 2 hours. Even my ATP in a C310 was an hour or two. Examiners, FAA and DPEs, know when an examinee knows his shet. Even at the airline orals on initial type ratings were no more than 2 hours, recurrent check rides about the same.
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I think a lot of the long orals are more about giving applicants a chance to climb out of the hole they've dug and allow them to pass than about making a pass/fail determination.
 
Can't remember how long my oral was (I did my MEI first with the FSDO), but it was definitely the longest ride I've done. Examiner was really cool, though.

Congrats to the OP! Instructing is some of the most fun I've had in my career.
 
MauleSkinner said:
I think a lot of the long orals are more about giving applicants a chance to climb out of the hole they've dug and allow them to pass than about making a pass/fail determination.
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You're a DPE correct? Do you think orals for a PPC should be 3-6 hours long? I'd think a DPE could make a determination if the applicant knew the material in an hour or two, I know I can as a CFI.
 
mscard88 said:
Do you think orals for a PPC should be 3-6 hours long? I'd think a DPE could make a determination if the applicant knew the material in an hour or two, I know I can as a CFI.
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I'd imagine that more time is taken because it's not enough to simply know the material, but also how well you teach it. Of course I don't think it justifies a 6 hour oral, but I can see how an initial instructor oral would be longer than normal.
 
kayoh190 said:
I'd imagine that more time is taken because it's not enough to simply know the material, but also how well you teach it. Of course I don't think it justifies a 6 hour oral, but I can see how an initial instructor oral would be longer than normal.
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I can't, even for an initial CFI. After a couple hours an examiner should know enough to continue for the ride or send them home. IMO.

Took all 3 of my CFIs with FAA (required then) and none of the orals lasted more than two hours.
 
mscard88 said:
You're a DPE correct? Do you think orals for a PPC should be 3-6 hours long? I'd think a DPE could make a determination if the applicant knew the material in an hour or two, I know I can as a CFI.
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No, I don't think they should be that long, but my experience is that examiners want to pass applicants rather than fail them, and some examiners take that a little too far.

In fact, many of the complaints I hear about examiners I know personally pretty much revolve around how the examiner tries to make a weak applicant successful. Applicants don't like that, apparently, and would rather fail quickly and cleanly than barely pass.
 
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MauleSkinner said:
No, I don't think they should be that long, but my experience is that examiners want to pass applicants rather than fail them, and some examiners take that a little too far.

In fact, many of the complaints I hear about examiners I know personally pretty much revolve around how the examiner tries to make a weak applicant successful. Applicants don't like that, apparently, and would rather fail quickly and cleanly than barely pass.
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I can see your point, but how long until you send them home? We have one here who has failed two orals and hasn't even got to the plane yet.
 
mscard88 said:
I can see your point, but how long until you send them home? We have one here who has failed two orals and hasn't even got to the plane yet.
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That's another good question...do they prefer to know how many areas they're actually weak in, or do I just send them home when their weight and balance shows a CG in the airplane behind theirs and they don't recognize the problem?
 
My CFI oral was 2.5 hours. My ATP/initial type was about 20 minutes
 
MauleSkinner said:
That's another good question...do they prefer to know how many areas they're actually weak in, or do I just send them home when their weight and balance shows a CG in the airplane behind theirs and they don't recognize the problem?
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I know you have a very tough job in that regard. I don't have an answer for you. I hope to prepare them as best I can. But definitely they should know W&B and how loads affect it. If they don't they shouldn't be given a pass IMO. And weak areas the same. This poor man I reference earlier has flown an hour plus each way to take his ride, and sent home twice not getting thru the oral. And paying twice I imagine. I don't understand why his CFI can't sit him down and identify and correct where he's weak. But he's still at it and not giving up. I admire him for that.
 
jordane93 said:
My CFI oral was 2.5 hours. My ATP/initial type was about 20 minutes
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Yikes.
My initial ATP oral was about 30 min, but that wasn’t tied to a type.
Every type oral I’ve done (five) has been 1-2 hours.
 
mscard88 said:
I don't understand why his CFI can't sit him down and identify and correct where he's weak. But he's still at it and not giving up. I admire him for that.
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Sometimes the CFI is as weak as the candidate. The DPEs know it, too. That’s not all on him, but you’re right, sometimes someone can persist through that or does, when they really should be finding another CFI to assist in their oral prep.
 
Kritchlow said:
Yikes.
My initial ATP oral was about 30 min, but that wasn’t tied to a type.
Every type oral I’ve done (five) has been 1-2 hours.
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Yea with AQP everything is pretty benign. We don’t have to build the plane like some of the guys who have been at airline longer used to be able to do. It was maybe a max of 30 minutes. Pre flight pictorial and about 20 systems questions. Upgrade oral was the same.
 
Thanks all! it still feels a little weird, I guess it will really feel weird once I start teaching.
 
Congrats!

I wonder if the extra long oral is to find out how patient you are, as I believe you will need a whole lot of that as a CFI. I’m sure it’s not, but just a theory.
 
eman1200 said:
Congrats!

I wonder if the extra long oral is to find out how patient you are, as I believe you will need a whole lot of that as a CFI. I’m sure it’s not, but just a theory.
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Haha would make sense! My DPE definitely has long exams but, like I said thankfully not back to back questioning. I think he feels like since you are paying $800 you should get your money's worth and have him all day :D
 
FLYGUYRY said:
Haha would make sense! My DPE definitely has long exams but, like I said thankfully not back to back questioning. I think he feels like since you are paying $800 you should get your money's worth and have him all day :D
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Tell him we’re paying $900 here for half of that and no complaints yet. Hahaha.
 
denverpilot said:
Tell him we’re paying $900 here for half of that and no complaints yet. Hahaha.
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haha, I will pass that along when I see him for my CFII ! I always joke with him anyways and tell him I'm quite happy to pay full price for half a day, never takes me up on it though
 
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