CFI Checkride

flounder757

New Member
Hey there. Was just wondering if anyone could give me the low down on the CFI checkride? preferably recent ones with in the past year or so? Just want to see how long it is and mabe some of the major things to study and be ready for. Thanks.:)
 
Study anything and everything possible. To the point that you think you are over prepared, then study some more. Basically know everything the examiner could ask you based on the PTS.
As to the length, mine was about 4 hours total. More recently, a friend had a CFI ride about a month ago. His ground portion was close to 5 hours long, then a 2 hour flight.
 
Beech driver said:
Study anything and everything possible. To the point that you think you are over prepared, then study some more. Basically know everything the examiner could ask you based on the PTS.

:yeahthat:

If you want a more detailed gouge, try talking to people who took the test with the same examiner you're assigned. Even then, anything in the PTS is fair game.
 
Study anything and everything possible. To the point that you think you are over prepared, then study some more. Basically know everything the examiner could ask you based on the PTS.
As to the length, mine was about 4 hours total. More recently, a friend had a CFI ride about a month ago. His ground portion was close to 5 hours long, then a 2 hour flight.

:yeahthat:
The one thing that is somewhat frustrating with the CFI ride is what the examiner wants to quiz you on. My examiner spent about 40 minutes on FOI (it didn't take that long because I couldn't answer the questions, he was very "by the book" and covered just about every portion of the FOI) whereas a fellow CFI did a checkride the same day with a different examiner and that guy said "I hate that stupid s**t" and that was his the sum of his FOI portion. That be it said, you need to study everything. Be prepared to be able to teach every section of the PTS and/or talk your way through it. Going back to my checkride, I could use no books or lesson plans as referrence, I had to teach him through a basic conversation. My friend CFI was told to teach his stuff as formal as possible, he was given time to prepare the lesson, referrence books, and use his lesson plans. If I were you I would figure out what examiner you would be going with and the just figure out what likes.

As far as time goes, my oral was about 2 1/2hrs with a 1.5hr flight whereas my buddy's oral was almost 6 hours with a 1.1hr flight. It all varies. Be prepared and you will be fine.

P.S. Both checkrides were conducted in August of 2008 with the DPE's out of the LAX FSDO
 
I did my with the FAA, my took about 3 hours and could of been done in less, but the guy had over 25 years of experience and had type rating in a lot of airplanes, so I asked him a lot of questions. I think my FOI was about 10 minutes and quizzed me on who I can teach as a CFI. FAR regs, he was able to tell me where to look, without looking in the book. I taught eight on pylons, and the Jepp book is wrong, just to let you know.
 
I just did my oral in September (got a discontinuance due to MX issues that have held up the flight until next Wednesday) with the FAA. Oral was 5 1/2 hours, only about 20 minutes on the FOI. He hit me heavy with the aerodynamics and systems, along with airworthiness and a bit on regulations. I had to teach traffic patterns and cross-controlled stalls, as well as showing a weight and balance. Surprisingly, nothing on meteorology or aeromedical factors, although he also explained that the oral continues on the flight so we shall see what happens then. I was allowed to use my lesson plans and was free to reference my books, but only to the extent that the inspector felt that I should be using them. It was definitely by the book and he had a detailed Plan of Action which he went through line by line. However, with my experience, if I could show that I knew the subject well he would move on, but if I started having difficulty, he would focus on that subject and go deeper into it. I 100% agree on the comment to study everything and try to get a gouge on your inspector or DPE. I also want to add that, just like on any flight, you need to make sure that the logbook entries (inspections, ADs, etc.) are all current and organized and that your aircraft is airworthy, with any and all INOP equipment deactivated and placarded or removed, because you don't want to get through the oral and have to cancel the flight because of a logbook issue or a missing baggage net. Hope this helps and good luck!
 
Ask jhugz.





(kidding, kidding ; )

not cool man not cool...lol

My total time with a FSDO examiner was about 11 hours of oral...and about 2.5 in the airplane. Aim me and I will gouge you to the best of my ability.
 
I did my with the FAA, my took about 3 hours and could of been done in less, but the guy had over 25 years of experience and had type rating in a lot of airplanes, so I asked him a lot of questions. I think my FOI was about 10 minutes and quizzed me on who I can teach as a CFI. FAR regs, he was able to tell me where to look, without looking in the book. I taught eight on pylons, and the Jepp book is wrong, just to let you know.

Are you by any chance referencing to the formula that the Jepp gives you to find out the pivotal altitude for eights on pylons?
 
no it has to do with the distance and height from the pylon. I think other VFR maneuvering books say that you are at the highest and closest, when you are in fact further and lowest. If you draw a 8 on a piece of paper and squeeze them together, so that the middle is the highest. That what the FAA told me to teach.
 
There is an entire subforum called "Checkride Central." There is also a PTS that describes everything you will be asked.

Hope this doesn't start another, "People out there are too bitter" thread, but seriously...
 
no it has to do with the distance and height from the pylon. I think other VFR maneuvering books say that you are at the highest and closest, when you are in fact further and lowest. If you draw a 8 on a piece of paper and squeeze them together, so that the middle is the highest. That what the FAA told me to teach.
That is incorrect

Check the Airplane Flying Handbook

In eights-on-pylons, the distance from the pylons varies if there is any wind. Instead, the airplane is flown at such a precise altitude and airspeed that a line parallel to the airplane’s lateral axis, and extending from the pilot’s eye, appears to pivot on each of the pylons. [Figure 6-10] Also, unlike eights around pylons, in the performance of eights-on-pylons the degree of bank increases as the distance from the pylon decreases.

The altitude that is appropriate for the airplane being flown is called the pivotal altitude and is governed by the groundspeed. While not truly a ground track maneuver as were the preceding maneuvers, the objective
is similar—to develop the ability to maneuver the airplane accurately while dividing one’s attention between the flightpath and the selected points on the ground.

.....

An explanation of the pivotal altitude is also essential. There is a specific altitude at which, when the airplane turns at a given groundspeed, a projection of the sighting reference line to the selected point on the ground will appear to pivot on that point. Since different airplanes
fly at different airspeeds, the groundspeed will be different. Therefore, each airplane will have its own pivotal altitude. [Figure 6-12] The pivotal altitude does not vary with the angle of bank being used unless the
bank is steep enough to affect the groundspeed.

A rule of thumb for estimating pivotal altitude in calm wind is to square the true airspeed and divide by 15 for miles per hour (m.p.h.) or 11.3 for knots.

Pivotalaltitude.jpg
Copy and pasted from FAA-H-8083 Airplane Flying Handbook Chapter 4
 
What I said is true and I didn't say it was from the flying handbook, it was the Jepp and some other VFR maneuvering books. The FAA showed me why it was incorrect and he was right. See also look up recovery from unusual altitude, why does the Jepp want you to add full power first in a nose high attitude?
 
What you said that is incorrect
no it has to do with the distance and height from the pylon.

Pivotal altitude is entirely dependent on Ground speed; as the AFH (what the PTS is based on) clearly explains.

The bent piece of paper thing would not apply in a calm wind.
With a wind the highest pivotal altitude would be at the ends of the downwind legs, not the middle.
The points should not be so far apart as to allow the speed to stabilize; or as the AFH states:
should be adequately spaced to provide time for planning the turns and yet not cause unnecessary straight-and-level flight between the pylons
You would not climb to the highest altitude in the middle of the leg, then begin descending prior to the turn, as the groundspeed would not be decreasing until entering the turn.

I think the paper thing would confuse a student as to what the maneuver is trying to accomplish in that they would think that there is a specified altitude they should be at at certain points in the maneuver.
 
Are you by any chance referencing to the formula that the Jepp gives you to find out the pivotal altitude for eights on pylons?

My examiner told me the same thing...or something like "How does the Airplane Flying Handbook teach it?"

Basically, he didn't like the mathematical formula for computing pivotal altitude.
 
You serious? Because you should add full power from an unusual attitude with a nose high attitude!

I would say that is an area of personal technique and disagreement. Some will say add full power, then decrease pitch. Others will say lower the nose, then add power. Most will say you must both add power and lower the nose simultaneously.
 
You serious? Because you should add full power from an unusual attitude with a nose high attitude!

Tell that to a student or private pilot who have no actual time and get them all disorientated and watch them be in a nose high attitude and add full power. If you want to add full power you get more thrust and more thrust you pitch up. So if you are close to stalling without lowering the nose, they will stall and if they are in the clouds and uncoordinated, you get the idea. It a scary place in the clouds for your very first time.
 
Tell that to a student or private pilot who have no actual time and get them all disorientated and watch them be in a nose high attitude and add full power.
This can be eliminated early in training just by teaching them what happens and why during the basic attitude instruction. The best way to do that is your basic power on stall, pitch for airspeed power for altitude.
 
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