Hey guys good info. Im into my CFI training now and about halfway done. I was wondering what you can take with you into the checkride, like is it ok to.....
Oral
-have notes out or handy in a binder and ready for things he might ask? Like if he says "lets talk about the four fundimentals of flight" can I take notes out or open my binder and talk from a outline? If yes, Can I do this for each topic he asks about?
or
-Make a powerpoint or some sorta presentation on the computer for different topics?
Flight
-Make a little booklet of each maneuver to have handy and glance at now and again to make sure Im not forgetting anything while teaching?
Thanks guys!
i think to a certain extent you can look up some things, but DO NOT rely on your notes! There is a certain level of knowledge you must poses without "looking up the answer"
Saying that, bring as many books to the checkride as possible. With my CFI binder, i carted in the private, commercial, and CFI PTS, FAR AIM, PHAK, AFH, aviation instructors handbook, and several AC's. All of the pubs had important pages tabbed for quick reference. I actually verified several things during the oral and it was OK.
Cant answer about the powerpoint. it sounds good if you have the facilities to do it AND if the examiner is cool with it. Try and get the gouge on that before you depend on it for the checkride.
Memorize your lesson plans as much as possible. I did. I had to teach several ground lessons and didnt refer to my notes at all during the "lesson" I did do a quick review of each lesson plan during our breaks. The examiner would tell me what to teach next and then take a 10 minute break. I am sure that it would be OK to review the lesson plan prior, but reading straight off the lesson plan or out of the applicable pub wouldnt look too good DURING the lesson. I know as a student, I wouldnt want my CFI reading to me... so thats how I approached the checkride. Would you expect YOUR instructor to simply read a lesson plan to you as a student pilot?
In the aircraft, the ONLY thing you should have out is charts and checklists. At least that was the vibe I got during my training and checkride. If you need "cheat sheets" prior to teaching a maneuver in the airplane, you need to spend more time "chair flying" or going through each maneuver in your head. i spent several hours just sitting in the airplane on the ground doing this.
This was my approach to the CFI ride and it worked out pretty good! Good luck, and like everyone said, you dont really know how to be a CFI until you gain some real experience.