thevideographer
Well-Known Member
Gahhh I just started American Flyers and it is so slow. I can take my time, read the entire page, click the links, and it STILL won't let me continue for 5 minutes.
FIRC'n painful
- Thread starter TexasFlyer
- Start date
Soku39
Well-Known Member
I am honestly shocked, how can anyone have time to complete this? For a 16 page lesson you're looking at an hour and ten minutes with this system. One paged I timed at over 8 minutes until it would let me go on.
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Soku39
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly it's only for 121 check airmen.
Also I am avoiding a reinstatement ride at all costs, but this isn't making it any easier.
Same for me, up until I started this tonight.
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skypilot6
Well-Known Member
You can do the FIRC upto 3 months early. get started early and do a module or 2 a week and it will be done in no time.
I did AF in February, let me click right through and it was done by lunch. However a buddy of mine did it in March and it was timed. I believe the course was changed in March and now requires the timer.
I did AF in February, let me click right through and it was done by lunch. However a buddy of mine did it in March and it was timed. I believe the course was changed in March and now requires the timer.
Hiboglossi
The Most Depressing Person
I used AceCFI last year and highly recommend them. Quick and easy, no minimum times on each subject unless they've changed it, and $79 for a lifetime membership.
Flightnerd
Well-Known Member
I just finished my American Flyers FIRC a few weeks ago. Just like the other guys are saying, there's some sort of hidden timer that won't let you advance to the next page until X minutes are elapsed. Some were 5 minutes, some were 10. Couldn't figure out rhyme or reason. Managed to schedule a FSDO meeting ON the day my CFI expired. Never letting it get that close again.
D
Deleted member 27505
Guest
Thankfully, I usually teach enough to not have to endure the pain of the FIRC.
I've had to FIRC twice now. The first was one of those "traveling freak show" numbers in which the "students" are compelled to sit for 9 hours a day for two weekend days trying not to fall asleep as the drone of inane banter wafts over them like a ... well, you get the point.
The second, which I just recently completed, was the King online FIRC. I was highly skeptical going in, but was quite pleasantly surprised with the whole experience. Good content; I actually learned some new info (e.g. recent changes) and reviewed a few items that had become somewhat fuzzy over time. Good format; Self-paced with none of the pesky "time on page" requirements that I've heard plague some of the other online FIRCs. I'd actually recommend King's FIRC for those having to FIRC. http://www.kingschools.com/ground-school/CFI/FIRC-renewal
I appreciate the concept of the FIRC. I think it's imperative for us as CFIs to keep learning, especially with the many changes that have been happening lately. Unfortunately, I think by and large FIRCs have become a kind of bad joke.The in-person FIRCs could be (and should be) far better than they usually are. If the in-persons were inhabited by active instructors and students, they could be one of the best forms of professional continuing education. As it stands, they are typically horrible precisely because both the students and the instructors are so often completely checked out.
On the one hand, the instructors often lack excitement and seem disengaged and the content is typically old and tired, fairly vacuous, and poorly arranged.
The other half of the problem is the students who are typically not active CFIs, have no intention of being active CFIs, and have not taught for years; they are just there to hang onto a piece of paper. So there is little to be learned from their experiences with students in terms of best practices or "what worked for me" in a given situation. Seems to me that if one has not actively instructed for some period of time (4, 5, 6 years?) one should have to reinstate to demonstrate s/he still knows how to teach and what to teach.
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milleR
Well-Known Member
While the course itself was a pain I have to admit the online application process was amazingly simple. No visit to the FSDO, no snail mail, just IACRA and some pics of my current cert and badda bing, badda boom doneski. Temp was available in 48 hours. Never even left the couch 
D
Deleted member 27505
Guest
Which course?While the course itself was a pain I have to admit the online application process was amazingly simple. No visit to the FSDO, no snail mail, just IACRA and some pics of my current cert and badda bing, badda boom doneski. Temp was available in 48 hours. Never even left the couch
milleR
Well-Known Member
Landis
Well-Known Member
I'm currently working through the AOPA ASF eFIRC ($125). I found it interesting and valuable the first time I did it 2 years ago, but this time I'm noticing the material is dated and basically the exact same thing I did last time. I'll be looking for another method next time. I did an in-person one the time before and actually enjoyed my time discussing topics with the other CFIs but I don't usually have enough weekends free that coincide with one when I need it.
Van_Hoolio
Well-Known Member
For all 121 Captains, email response from my FSDO:
And what the inspector referred to is in Volume 5, Chapter 2, Section 11 of the item referenced above:
So last year I took a 8710-1, my company badge, and a copy of a recent AQP training result email to the FSDO for my CFI renewal. I wanted to bring a recent flight release but forgot to keep one. All I needed to prove was my employment and position.
SO if you're a 121 Capt, try emailing your FSDO ahead of time. It could save you hours of time versus an online FIRC.
And what the inspector referred to is in Volume 5, Chapter 2, Section 11 of the item referenced above:
C. Section 61.197(a)(2)(ii). Individuals have asked FAA about the intent of the statement, “in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots” in § 61.197(a)(2)(ii) and whether it has the same meaning as the old provision in § 61.197(b). The FAA rewrote § 61.197 to expand the renewal provisions, mainly to include other PICs. For example, the following PICs, who regularly evaluate pilots, have the same reward provisions as a PIC in a part 121 operation:
· A PIC of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft under part 135,
· Corporate PICs of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft under part 125 or part 133,
· U.S. military pilots who are PICs of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft,
· U.S. military instructor pilots and examiners who regularly evaluate pilots, and
· Flight instructors who actively instruct in part 61 schools.
NOTE: FAA ASIs should review evidence of the applicant’s employment, which should clearly show that the applicant is in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots. ASIs also should have personal knowledge of the applicant’s flight instructing capabilities and qualities before renewing that applicant’s flight instructor certificate.
So last year I took a 8710-1, my company badge, and a copy of a recent AQP training result email to the FSDO for my CFI renewal. I wanted to bring a recent flight release but forgot to keep one. All I needed to prove was my employment and position.
SO if you're a 121 Capt, try emailing your FSDO ahead of time. It could save you hours of time versus an online FIRC.
proxima3003
Well-Known Member
Not sure what you folks are talking about.... Doing my second American Flyers firc on an ipad, and NO timers of any sort. Paid $75 for life and $25 each renewal
Cruise
Well-Known Member
I've renewed for being 121 check airman...never tried for being a line captain (although since I'm in the junior FO base, we're ALL doing OE on a regular basis...just not getting any pay for it).
I also use American Flyers. The pay once, renew for life sealed the deal for me. It's not that big of a deal for me to go through the coursework...every now and then you learn something you forgot.
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Richman
JC’s Resident Curmudgeon
FWIW, I use Gleim for my FIRC. Easy to use, stable product and good customer service. It does suffer from the "wall of text". The nice thing about Gleim is they let you do the yearly TSA refresher for free.
Cycle before last I used the AOPA FIRC. The product had much better production values (if that kind of thing is important to you), and some of the segements verged on interesting (especially the case studies). That said their platform needed some work and there were some technical issues that were irritating.
It takes more time than other programs, but I felt it was a better program for someone who doesn't teach or fly GA actively.
Gleim is still my go to program, though.
Richman
Cycle before last I used the AOPA FIRC. The product had much better production values (if that kind of thing is important to you), and some of the segements verged on interesting (especially the case studies). That said their platform needed some work and there were some technical issues that were irritating.
It takes more time than other programs, but I felt it was a better program for someone who doesn't teach or fly GA actively.
Gleim is still my go to program, though.
Richman
