Electronic CFI binder?

atracnitrix

atracnitrix

PODUNK
So I'm currently working on my CFI and I completed my binder this evening (to what I think complete might be). I realize that in this day and age everything is electronic and I couldn't help but wonder... has anyone ever seen/made an electronic CFI binder? Would a collection of lesson plans and whatnot on an iPad even fly during a CFI checkride? No pun intended :D
 
atracnitrix said:
So I'm currently working on my CFI and I completed my binder this evening (to what I think complete might be). I realize that in this day and age everything is electronic and I couldn't help but wonder... has anyone ever seen/made an electronic CFI binder? Would a collection of lesson plans and whatnot on an iPad even fly during a CFI checkride? No pun intended :D
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Nearly all the stuff in my actual physical binder was from PDFs. Someone years ago took my binder for their use and never returned it so now all I have are those same PDFs on thumb drives and that is my binder. Not sure how useful it would be during a checkride but it sure is nice to put it into the computer and send it to a student to read for the next lesson.
 
I do a lot of writing, and I use a piece of software called "Scrivener". It allows me to hierarchically organize sets of related documents and group them and add subdocuments and metadata, and from that build indices, outlines, and a full printable version with relative ease.

Works great for fiction, and even better for my CFI binder -- and I can store PDFs, images, etc, and reprint the whole thing anytime I so choose.

Just what I do, though.

~Fox
 
My impression is that nobody cares about your binder. The inspector/DPE wants to see you teach. The lesson plan binder is there for your own benefit. I had both paper and electronic copies of all my lesson plans. The inspector never looked at them. He wanted to see me teach several lessons, he didn't care what my binder looked like. That said I still believe creating my binder was one of the best things I did in preparing for the exam and for teaching flight students, it made me think through the lessons and have a plan of attack with illustrations and resources right at hand.

The one thing my inspector did say is that he wished more people took advantage of technology. He sees everyone show up with a paper binder and a pile of books. Why? We have computers and tablets and video players all around us but he said he's never had someone show up with some interesting videos to show as illustrations during the checkride. He also wished people were more creative with some other illustrations, he said he'd love it if someone showed up with a big RC airplane and used that during their illustrations. His point was that alot of this stuff really can be boring, but we have so many ways we could make it really fun.
 
rframe said:
My impression is that nobody cares about your binder. The inspector/DPE wants to see you teach. The lesson plan binder is there for your own benefit. I had both paper and electronic copies of all my lesson plans. The inspector never looked at them. He wanted to see me teach several lessons, he didn't care what my binder looked like. That said I still believe creating my binder was one of the best things I did in preparing for the exam and for teaching flight students, it made me think through the lessons and have a plan of attack with illustrations and resources right at hand.

The one thing my inspector did say is that he wished more people took advantage of technology. He sees everyone show up with a paper binder and a pile of books. Why? We have computers and tablets and video players all around us but he said he's never had someone show up with some interesting videos to show as illustrations during the checkride. He also wished people were more creative with some other illustrations, he said he'd love it if someone showed up with a big RC airplane and used that during their illustrations. His point was that alot of this stuff really can be boring, but we have so many ways we could make it really fun.
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This is what I generally hear about the DPE and the oral. I did however have a professor that brought in an RC plane for my private ground school. Really helped keep my attention
 
I don't see why it wouldn't work. All of my binder is in PDF as a back up. You just have to be able to use it in front of the examiner. If you make it, it will be that much easier.

You CFI binder is your reference. It's not only for the exam, its for YOU and your JOB. It makes sense to spend some time on this and not shine it on. The knowledge you gain from organizing it will pay off 10 times over. Your binder will be what you go to to prepare for lessons. This may not seem like much now when everything is fresh in your head, but step away from a particular subject area for a few months and you'll be glad you took the time.
 
An electronic binder is an AWESOME idea. It will save you a ton of time trying to find links, articles, video clips etc that you know you want to show your student but can't find them when you need them. I made one a couple years into instructing with folders full of good stuff, quizzes, powerpoints, and tons of videos. Its great to have clips of spins, crosswind landings when you're teaching people so they can have a clue of what to expect and be that much more prepared for it. Also, get in the airplane and have somebody film you going through your preflight and starting/before takeoff flows and checklists so students can refer to those over and over before they come to their lesson. I also required my students to complete a host of ASF courses and print out there certificates of completion in order to attain my signoff for the written. Was it overkill? I don't think so. You never know what students do and don't pick up from you or the way you say it. Use the tech, you'll be happy you did.
 
rframe said:
My impression is that nobody cares about your binder. The inspector/DPE wants to see you teach. The lesson plan binder is there for your own benefit. I had both paper and electronic copies of all my lesson plans. The inspector never looked at them. He wanted to see me teach several lessons, he didn't care what my binder looked like. That said I still believe creating my binder was one of the best things I did in preparing for the exam and for teaching flight students, it made me think through the lessons and have a plan of attack with illustrations and resources right at hand.
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Agree, the binder is more for your benefit than it will ever help passing a checkride. The act of creating it is a useful tool for getting you familiar with what you need to know.

I personally keep instruction-related things in a flight case in my trunk. Has worked for me so far.
 
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