Recommended Resources - FOI and FIA?

killbilly

killbilly

Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
I'm starting the process of study for the FOI and FIA writtens.

At the moment, I'm reading the Aviation Instructor's Handbook, but I know there are other resources out there. While getting through the written tests is important to me, I am taking this pretty seriously and want to really learn the material cold. Do any of you have some insight into courses or other books I should be reading to support this for both tests?

Thanks.
 
For the FIA, the Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. Also, while not terribly related to the written tests, I would be studying the Advisory Circulars on endorsements (61-65F), traffic patterns (90-66A), Stalls/spins (61-67C), and flight reviews (61-98B), and all of the PTS PDFs for every rating. Knowing everything in those documents will make you a better instructor than getting a perfect score on the written tests will. At least in my opinion, it is a better use of time than memorizing test questions.
 
I used the king videos for my prep. Its really dry childish humor but it helped me get through basically all my ratings.
 
drunkenbeagle said:
For the FIA, the Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge. Also, while not terribly related to the written tests, I would be studying the Advisory Circulars on endorsements (61-65F), traffic patterns (90-66A), Stalls/spins (61-67C), and flight reviews (61-98B), and all of the PTS PDFs for every rating. Knowing everything in those documents will make you a better instructor than getting a perfect score on the written tests will. At least in my opinion, it is a better use of time than memorizing test questions.
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Thanks, man. My plan is to get this stuff done, and then start working with one of the local FBOs who have a strong track record with instructors as well as a solid fleet and, most importantly, clients with money.

Whether or not I decide to instruct for them (if offered) is a different discussion/decision.
 
I think the published FAA books are the best materials for the written. I still like testing software personally. I also had videos from American Flyers that I watched...probably similar to King.

The PTS is going to be your best friend though. Read that thing inside and out for your orals. Don't even bother with those oral exam books, just get a PTS and start from the first task to the last. That's what I did and any bullet item I didn't know, I studied. Prepares you very well for becoming a CFI. Then the hard part is retaining the knowledge when a student asks 12 months later and you haven't read anything about that subject since. ;)
 
I used the ASA book for the written prep. For the actual CFI rating I used all the free FAA publications.
 
This is going to sound odd but to really grasp the FOI work a customer service job on the side or take on a mentoring roll.

Deal with enough people and you will see how people learn and you will how the defense mechanisms kick in.

I would like to think that the stuff I learned doing customer service and mentoring at my office job has made my transition to CFI a bit easier.
 
Whatusername said:
This is going to sound odd but to really grasp the FOI work a customer service job on the side or take on a mentoring roll.

Deal with enough people and you will see how people learn and you will how the defense mechanisms kick in.

I would like to think that the stuff I learned doing customer service and mentoring at my office job has made my transition to CFI a bit easier.
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I actually had a similar thought.

Part of the job I do now involves teaching, and I've also done technical instruction for a number of years in other roles, so I'm familiar with the higher-level concepts. Like flying, teaching is a perishable skill and you generally get better at it the more you do it, refining technique along the way.

I flew with a new (to me) instructor last night during a checkout in a new (to me) club airplane. It struck me how very different he was from other instructors that I've worked with in terms of style, and yet I enjoyed working with him just as much as I did any of the others. It gave me an appreciation for the fact that there is more than one way to approach instruction, and that different styles may be more or less appropriate for different types of instruction.
 
If you're interested in another reference for FOI material beyond the FAA's Aviation Instructor Handbook (with fewer stock office photos...), one book I read when studying for my CFI was The Psychology of Flight Training by Tefler/Biggs. It's still a bit theoretical, but it's something different. I attached the notes I took while reading it, if you're interested.
 

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