CFI Books

C

cypilot77

Well-Known Member
Hey guys,
i was just wondering what books should i read for my CFI initial training. I got my Commercial license 3 years ago but due to some financial problems i had to stay away from flying.Basically i was just flying for currency and right seat.(Thinking ahead :) Now that i saved a few $$$ for the training im going to start training any time soon. I know i was away from books for a long time, thats why i need some opinions and recommendations about reading materials. I already got the two FAA books (Pilots operating handbook and aviation instructors handbook). Do you think if i learn these two books i will be fine? Or its better to read different ones. I personally beleive that reading one or two books very well, instead of 5-6 i will be fine. But i again i need your opinion since most of you have your licenses already.

Thank you
ps. I will take the checkride with Farmingdale FSDO. 90% first time failure.So i have to be really good for the second one at least. :) Help pls
 
There have been a few threads on what to study for your CFI checkride.

As for the 90% failure rate - that's an urban legend.
 
Airplane Flying Handbook
Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators
Jepp Private/Instrument/Commercial Manuals
 
Crockrocket94 said:
Airplane Flying Handbook
Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators
Jepp Private/Instrument/Commercial Manuals
Click to expand...


Thanks guys. I will buy all of them and start reading. But im still wondering if there is any other book that has everything inside.Meaning, instead of studying 5-6 books at once, maybe there is a single book that covers all the materials the other books have. In this case i can focus only in a single book and learn each word of it. thanks again!!
 
cypilot77 said:
Thanks guys. I will buy all of them and start reading. But im still wondering if there is any other book that has everything inside.Meaning, instead of studying 5-6 books at once, maybe there is a single book that covers all the materials the other books have. In this case i can focus only in a single book and learn each word of it. thanks again!!
Click to expand...
There is no one book that covers all of it. The FAA publications are by far the best since that is what you are being tested on and you can get them for free from the FAA in PDF format. I printed some at school at $.02 per page double sided color, ended up being $8 or something and I put it in a 3 ring binder.
 
cypilot77 said:
Thanks guys. I will buy all of them and start reading. But im still wondering if there is any other book that has everything inside.Meaning, instead of studying 5-6 books at once, maybe there is a single book that covers all the materials the other books have. In this case i can focus only in a single book and learn each word of it. thanks again!!
Click to expand...

I knew one guy who only studied the Jepp PPL Textbook and passed. I bet if you knew everything in there really well, you'd do fine, as long as you supplemented it with the CFI-specific stuff, such as endorsements. The PTS doesn't require FAA material as the source, but specifically allows anything that conveys essentially the same material. Jepp probably hold close to the FAA guidance.
 
tgrayson said:
I knew one guy who only studied the Jepp PPL Textbook and passed. I bet if you knew everything in there really well, you'd do fine, as long as you supplemented it with the CFI-specific stuff, such as endorsements. The PTS doesn't require FAA material as the source, but specifically allows anything that conveys essentially the same material. Jepp probably hold close to the FAA guidance.
Click to expand...

thanks for the info guys!!.. i just wanted to focus on only one book and know everything instead of reading 6-7 and get more comfused..thanks again
 
Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics by Skip Smith (I'm sure Tgrayson will concur).

I've also decided the FAA weather books are lacking. They'll get you the info you need to pass the checkride for sure, though. My meteorology prof recommended the Jepp weather book, but I haven't forked over the $50 for it just yet.

I liked a lot of Kershner's methods too.

Aside from those, just look at the task in the PTS and see what it references.
 
6 or 7 is definitely too much, but my previous CFI recommended at least three different sources. I would also add the following suggestions:

Rod Machado (corny humor, kind of like the printed equivalent of the Kings, but he explains things well and has some good ideas)

The Instrument Flight Training Manual (the one made by PIC) (for CFII of course)
 
bdhill1979 said:
There is no one book that covers all of it. The FAA publications are by far the best since that is what you are being tested on and you can get them for free from the FAA in PDF format. I printed some at school at $.02 per page double sided color, ended up being $8 or something and I put it in a 3 ring binder.
Click to expand...

[SIZE=-1]Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge - http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/pilot_handbook/

Aviation Instructor's Handbook - http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aviation/media/FAA-H-8083-9.pdf

FAR - http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgFAR.nsf/3276afbe72d00920852566c700670189!OpenView

AIM - http://www.faa.gov/airports_airtraffic/air_traffic/publications/ATpubs/AIM/

Practical Test Standards - http://www.faa.gov/education_research/testing/airmen/test_standards/pilot/

Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook - http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/media/FAA-H-8083-1A.pdf

[/SIZE]Airplane Flying Handbook - http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/airplane_handbook/

AC 00-6A Aviation Weather For Pilots... - http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/6044a5c61fa9349585256a35006d56b2/c2df8d9d7471617786256a020078083a!OpenDocument&Highlight=2,00-45#_Section1

Did I miss anything?
 
If you are interested in using videos to help you along; i.e King and/or Sporty's, there's an on-line outfit, www.justplanevideos.com. For between 7-$36.- (per video for 7 days at a time), you can rent just about anything-King CFI/FOI (instructor) DVD is $36.- for 7 days. The King CFI checkride DVD is $20.-. Using these DVD's in addition to the books definitely helps refresh quickly, eventhough they can be a bit cheezy, and breaks up the reading side of things. Good Luck!:)
 
kflyer said:
If you are interested in using videos to help you along; i.e King and/or Sporty's, there's an on-line outfit, www.justplanevideos.com. For between 7-$36.- (per video for 7 days at a time), you can rent just about anything-King CFI/FOI (instructor) DVD is $36.- for 7 days. The King CFI checkride DVD is $20.-. Using these DVD's in addition to the books definitely helps refresh quickly, eventhough they can be a bit cheezy, and breaks up the reading side of things. Good Luck!:)
Click to expand...

Thank you guys! i appreciate all the info. Im actually studying the Gleim's Flight Instructor flight maneuvers and practical test prep. It looks ok. At the introduction Gleim claims that if you know this book well, you will be fine for the oral test. I dont know how true is it but i will let you know after i read it. Anybody read the book????
 
Just a little FYI.

Don't try to just "get by", learn as much as possible! You have to come at things from different points of views. Therefore, using just "one book" is not the best idea.

Read as many as possible. If you are just "reading to pass" you are in the wrong profession.
 
Know the CFI Oral guide book, inside and out.
especially the FOI chapter.
This isn't a certificate that they will pass you and expect you to land on your feet. They only pass people who walk in the door and make them think that you should already be teaching students.
 
cypilot77 said:
Hey guys,
i was just wondering what books should i read for my CFI initial training. I got my Commercial license 3 years ago but due to some financial problems i had to stay away from flying.
Click to expand...
I'm in the same boat. I haven't flown much in the past two years, but now I'm starting to work on my CFI/II/MEI. So here's what I did: I downloaded the Private, Instrument, Commercial, CFI, and CFII practical test standards from the FAA website. In the beginning of each PTS there's a list of reference material for all the required tasks. So I compiled all the lists, weeded out the duplicates, and this is what I ended up with:
14 CFR part 1 Definitions and Abbreviations
14 CFR part 23 Airworthiness Standards: Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter Category Airplanes
14 CFR part 39 Airworthiness Directives
14 CFR part 43 Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance,Rebuilding, and Alteration
14 CFR part 61 Certification: Pilots, Flight Instructors, and Ground Instructors
14 CFR part 67 Medical Standards and Certification
14 CFR part 71 Designation of Class A, B, C, D, and E Airspace Areas; Air Traffic Service Routes, and
14 CFR part 91 General Operating and Flight Rules
14 CFR part 95 IFR Altitudes
14 CFR part 97 Standard Instrument Approach Procedures
NTSB part 830 Notification and Reporting of Aircraft Accidents and Incidents
Order 8080.6 Conduct of Airman Knowledge Tests
FAA-S-8081-4 Instrument Rating Practical Test Standards
FAA-S-8081-12 Commercial Pilot Practical Test Standards
FAA-S-8081-14 Private Pilot Practical Test Standards
FAA-H-8083-1 Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook
FAA-H-8083-3 Airplane Flying Handbook
FAA-H-8083-9 Aviation Instructor’s Handbook
FAA-H-8083-15 Instrument Flying Handbook
FAA-H-8083-21 Rotorcraft Flying Handbook
FAA-H-8083-23 Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook
FAA-H-8083-25 Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
FAA-H-8261-1 Instrument Procedures Handbook
AC 00-6 Aviation Weather
AC 00-45 Aviation Weather Services
AC 60-22 Aeronautical Decision Making
AC 60-28 English Language Skill Standards Required by 14 CFR parts 61, 63, and 65
AC 61-65 Certification: Pilots and Flight Instructors
AC 61-67 Stall and Spin Awareness Training.
AC 61-84 Role of Preflight Preparation
AC 61-94 Pilot Transition Course for Self-Launching or Powered Sailplanes (Motorgliders)
AC 61-98 Currency and Additional Qualification Requirements for Certificated Pilots
AC 61-107 Operations of Aircraft at Altitude Above 25,000 feet MSL and/or Mach Numbers (Mmo) Greater than .75
AC 61-134 General Aviation Controlled Flight into Terrain
AC 90-42 Traffic Advisory Practices at Airport Without Operating Control Towers
AC 90-48 Pilots’ Role in Collision Avoidance
AC 90-66 Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns and Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers
AC 90-94 Guidelines for Using Global Positioning System Equipment for IFR En Route and Terminal Operations and for Nonprecision Instrument Approaches in the U.S. National Airspace System
AC 91-13 Cold Weather Operation of Aircraft
AC 91-55 Reduction of Electrical System Failures Following Aircraft Engine Starting
AC 91-69 Seaplane Safety for FAR Part 91 Operation
AC 120-51 Crew Resource Management Training
AC 150/5340-1 Standards for Airport Markings
AC 150/5340-18 Standards for Airport Sign Systems
AC 150/5340-30 Design and Installation Details for Airport Visual Aids
AIM Aeronautical Information Manual
Airport Facility Directory
NOTAMs
Navigation Charts
Seaplane Supplement
POH/AFM Pilot Operating Handbooks and FAA-Approved Airplane Flight Manuals
USCG Navigation Rule: International - Inland
DPs Instrument Departure Procedures
STARs Standard Terminal Arrivals
IAP Instrument Approach Procedures
En Route Low Altitude Charts
Click to expand...
The seaplane/rotorcraft/glider material is grayed out because I assume I don't need to know it (I hope). Everything is available for free on the FAA website. Some of the pubs that are too big to print, like the handbooks and a few ACs, are available from bookstores. The rest I'm just going to take to Kinko's and have printed.

There are a few more books that people recommend, but as far as I know, this list from the PTSs is officially what's considered "fair game" on the CFI/II/MEI checkrides. Can anyone comment on if I'm correct in assuming that?
 
Berkut said:
So I compiled all the lists, weeded out the duplicates, and this is what I ended up with
Click to expand...

Way, way, overkill, IMO. In some of the references, only a handful of paragraphs are relevant and are available in general references such as the AIM. Some entire publications are also summarized in other documents. If you spread your studying too thin, you will have a harder time mastering the material you do read.

I'd remove these:

14 CFR part 23 Airworthiness Standards: Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, and Commuter Category Airplanes
14 CFR part 39 Airworthiness Directives
14 CFR part 71 Designation of Class A, B, C, D, and E Airspace Areas; Air Traffic Service Routes, and
14 CFR part 95 IFR Altitudes
14 CFR part 97 Standard Instrument Approach Procedures
Order 8080.6 Conduct of Airman Knowledge Tests
FAA-H-8083-1 Aircraft Weight and Balance Handbook
FAA-H-8261-1 Instrument Procedures Handbook
AC 00-45 Aviation Weather Services
AC 61-65 Certification: Pilots and Flight Instructors
AC 61-67 Stall and Spin Awareness Training.
AC 61-84 Role of Preflight Preparation
AC 61-98 Currency and Additional Qualification Requirements for Certificated Pilots
AC 61-107 Operations of Aircraft at Altitude Above 25,000 feet MSL and/or Mach Numbers (Mmo) Greater than .75
AC 61-134 General Aviation Controlled Flight into Terrain
AC 90-42 Traffic Advisory Practices at Airport Without Operating Control Towers
AC 90-48 Pilots’ Role in Collision Avoidance
AC 90-66 Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns and Practices for Aeronautical Operations At Airports Without Operating Control Towers
AC 90-94 Guidelines for Using Global Positioning System Equipment for IFR En Route and Terminal Operations and for Nonprecision Instrument Approaches in the U.S. National Airspace System
AC 91-13 Cold Weather Operation of Aircraft
AC 91-55 Reduction of Electrical System Failures Following Aircraft Engine Starting
AC 120-51 Crew Resource Management Training
AC 150/5340-1 Standards for Airport Markings
AC 150/5340-18 Standards for Airport Sign Systems
AC 150/5340-30 Design and Installation Details for Airport Visual Aids
 
Ah, thanks, that narrows it down quite a bit. I figured there was some overlap, but didn't realize it was that much.

Now I just have to find a school.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top