To the CFIs out there...

Dazzler

Dazzler

Well-Known Member
I have a couple of questions for you CFIs...

What book(s) would you recommend for the CFI studying? The main contenders seem to be:

1) Kershner
2) Jeppesen
3) FAA Instructor's Handbook

Also, which written test would you recommend studying and taking first? The FOI or the CFI? Or doesn't it really matter?

Thanks!
Daz
 
While I was studying for my initial, I used the FAA books almost 100% of the time. I recommend "Aviation Instructor's Handbook," which is a great reference for FOI. As for reference materials for pretty much every other aspect of the initial CFI training, you can't go wrong with the "Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge," and the "Airplane Flying Handbook." I looked through the Jepp Flight Instructor book, and I wasn't too impressed. I'd stay away from that...but that's my own personal opinion.

As for which written to take first...I did them both back-to-back on the same day. I studied for both using the ASA Prepware, and I didn't have any trouble completing them on the same day.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I have a couple of questions for you CFIs...

What book(s) would you recommend for the CFI studying? The main contenders seem to be:

1) Kershner
2) Jeppesen
3) FAA Instructor's Handbook

Also, which written test would you recommend studying and taking first? The FOI or the CFI? Or doesn't it really matter?

Thanks!
Daz

[/ QUOTE ]

I took them both the same day. To study, I used both Jepp and the FAA material...

The FOI is the hard one, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif unless you have some college psyc and other learning classes behind you, it's just stuff you've never thought about before. But it's all good stuff to know!
 
Get all 3 of those books. I read the FAA instructors handbook and the jepp text cover to cover.

I have Kershner's book, and while I didn't read it cover to cover I use it frequently as a reference.

I'd take the FOI first. The material is foreign unless you've been a teacher. However, there are only a few hundred questions in the pool, so it's the only written I made a 100% on besides the CFII add on written.
 
[ QUOTE ]
The FOI is the hard one, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif unless you have some college psyc and other learning classes behind you, it's just stuff you've never thought about before.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unless you've been to Naval Group Paced Instructor's school... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
You can't go wrong with the FAA stuff. Some people don't like it but at the end of the day if it's going to be on your oral it's going to be in either the Aviation instructors handbook. the airplane flying handbook or the handbook of aeronautical knowlege. I used the Gleim to study for the written tests and prior to reading the previous posts I would have told you the FOI was the easiest test I have ever taken, but I was a psych major before I realized it was a dead end. Good luck on the initial and start your lesson plans NOW!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bandit.gif
 
The jepp cfi book is a waste of money. You don't need it and it SUCKS /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif It's basically the FAA's AIH rewritten on nice paper and repackaged at 3x the cost. IMHO their private and inst/comm books are 'okay', multi and cfi are a waste. And yes I've read all of them.

Kershner's isn't bad but just about the last half focuses on aerobatic instruction which you may not do.

The best book by far to study is the CFI PTS; and the OEGs for Private, Comm, and CFI. Also the Gleim CFI Maneuvers book isn't bad.
 
My thoughts: If the FAA writes a book, buy it!! Then, if you aren't bored yet... go ahead and buy the Jepp!! My opinion... all of the FAA books are amazing-- buy them all and know them all. If you know them well, you'll pass the oral. As for the writtens, this is what I did: I bought the FOI Gleim, read through it in a night... wrote down anything I didn't know, read through those again the next morning and took the test that afternoon. WIth one test out of the way, I waited a week and studied for the CFI test (a lot more questions, so I took a little more time going through them). Someone previously recommended doing them both in the same day, but I wouldn't. They're two totally different tests, so I'd study them seperate and take the tests on different days... then again, I only live 5 minutes from a testing facility... if you're driving an hour to take your tests... take 'em the same day-- it's very doable.
 
1 and 3 are good. The Jeppesen Private, and Inst/Comm are good also for reference, but their CFI book doesn't really give any new info, and at least not anything you can't get from a government book for much cheaper.

You should be able to teach everything out of the AFH. That is what the FAA thinks your source should be, and it is pretty good. With the Jepp books to add in some better explainations at times. The Jepp maneuvers book is also done very well, and is basically a compact AFH.
The new PHAK book, about twice as thick as the old version, is also very good now. They have pictures in it that are exact copies of the pretty Jepp pictures, and it is written in and easier to read format. They took a lot from the Jepp folks on that rewrite, just like the gov is learning to copy some of the features off the Jepp IFR charts.

IF you use anything in addition to the gov books, look at stuff you may want to teach from. Your students will listen to you as the expert, so learn them from the one you like best. I write up lessons with reading assignments in the AFH&PHAK or the Jepp text and maneuvers, depending on what the student wants. I'll teach from either one, and let them look through my copies of those books to see what they like to go from. Seems to be about half and half.

www.webexams.com is a good way to practice for the tests.
I used the AIH, then the gliem test pool book to study for that test.
Reviewed all training materials, and did the gliem for the FIA test.

Learn the POH cold for any plane you plan on doing the checkride in, and it is a good idea to have it down well for any plane you train in after you get the CFI as well.

Good luck.
 
[ QUOTE ]
You can't go wrong with the FAA stuff. Some people don't like it but at the end of the day if it's going to be on your oral it's going to be in either the Aviation instructors handbook. the airplane flying handbook or the handbook of aeronautical knowlege.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good answer. Read any book you want but make sure you QUOTE the FAA books in your exam.

Example: "Well the Jepp book says .." "Son who makes the rules? Jepp or FAA?"

or ...

"The PHAK specifically states those are fowler flaps, sir." "Really, well if that's what the book says ..."

Stick to the "Authorized" version /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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