CFI training material

dean21

New Member
Just passed my commercial and need to take the next step. Any experience or recommendation on Written study materials? I used King school for my private and Instrument and supplemented both with the Gleim's test prep books. For the Commercial I just used the Gleim study book. Although I feel I can study the Gleim book and pass the CFI and FOI test I'm wondering if there are any opinions on other study materials: King Schools, Jeppesen, Sporty's, other?

On a related question, I used the King Schools for checkride prep, (oral and flight portion), for my Private and Instrument and feel both helped. For the commercial I just prepped with my CFI. Has anyone used this for the CFI and was it helpful?

thanks
 
For study materials I like the Practical Guide to the CFI Checkride from ASA, along with all the books needed to study and develop your lesson plans from; Airplane Flying Handbook, Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Aviation Instructor's Handbook, the PTS for flight instructor, along with the FAR/AIM. Start writing your lesson plans using the PTS that will help you study as well. I haven't done my checkride yet but I should be there in a couple weeks. I took the FOI and FIA using the Sheppard Air software, after purchasing the ASA test prep and Dauntless test prep programs, Sheppard Air had the fewest questions to study but there weren't any questions I got on the written that I hadn't seen in the Sheppard Air test prep software.
 
I used Gleim for the FOI and FIA. Didn't have any issues with them.

As to checkride prep. READ EVERYTHING. Seriously, all the FAA books are a good start. The Airplane flying handbook, Pilot's Handbook of Aero Knowledge, Instructors Handbook, PTS, Advisory Circulars, PTS, FAR/AIM. Then supplement that with reading all your old notes, handbooks, manuals, guides, syllabuses, etc that you used to study for your Private and Commercial rides. Remember that you not only have to know what everything is, but you have to be able to explain it. To add more complexity you have to be able to explain it to a student at a level that they will understand.

The lady I did my CFI ride with told me that she had failed several students for not being able to teach straight and level flight. They could teach a chandelle or expound on why Va changes with weight, but they couldn't put themselves into the shoes of a brand new private pilot wannabe and teach them how to keep the aircraft straight and level.

Good luck, you will learn more in your first 50 hours of flight instruction than you did in the 250 hours it took you to get your CFI!
 
The Flight Instructor Practical Test Standard Pages 3-4 list the FAA references for the checkride.

I can guarantee you that no matter how good you did/do with memorizing the knowledge exam, the FAA Inspector that administers your checkride will know these references inside and out and will certainly use them to ask you questions on the Oral and flight portions of the checkride.

I would also know the Private and Commercial PTS and listed references as well as they are also a significant part of the checkride. The Special Emphasis Areas are a major area that is fair game for questioning and discussion.

There are no short-cuts on this. Try short cut the studying and the Inspector will notice this immediately and you will have a very bad day.

Study hard. Take this very serious and you will have a successful checkride.
 
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