Where to start - CFI

[westonw]

Hey all,

Hoping to get a little guidance here from some CFIs. I'm about to start my CFI training (pt 61) here in the next week, but I want to get a head start with as much as I can before I meet with my instructor. I've got all my written exams done (CFIA, FOI, CFII) as well as my spin training endorsement, so from this point I guess it's mostly self study and checkride prep. I know I'll need to get some time getting used to the right seat and teaching from it in the plane I'll be using for the checkride and I'll be doing that once I start flying with my instructor next week (same CFI and plane I used for my initial commercial single, so that's nice), so I guess my question is, what should I start studying and reading over now to get ready? I know the FAA has a free Aviation Instructors Handbook and I've been reading through that some, as well as the ASA Oral Exam Guide, but I just feel like I've been reading over these things aimlessly without an end goal. Also done a search on the forums and pretty much have just seen people saying to start reading and doing lesson plans. Should I start making lesson plans for PPL/CPL stuff from scratch? I guess I'm just kinda lost in the sauce on where to actually begin and get the wheels rolling on this. I'm sure when I meet with my instructor next week he'll have more help for me, just looking at getting a head start.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[tcco94]

A good outline for studying/lesson plans is the PTS. I would use that every day and go through every item and made sure I was comfortable enough to teach it.

Same thing for the few lesson plans I did make. I didn't make lesson plans or ever have any on FOI stuff. I guess it would help though if you plan on teaching CFI's sometime in the future.

 

[westonw]

A good outline for studying/lesson plans is the PTS. I would use that every day and go through every item and made sure I was comfortable enough to teach it.

Same thing for the few lesson plans I did make. I didn't make lesson plans or ever have any on FOI stuff. I guess it would help though if you plan on teaching CFI's sometime in the future.

Thanks for the response! So when you say outline for lesson plans, so you mean from the CFI PTS or the PPL ACS since that's more than likely what I'll be teaching, or am I just totally off track?

Thanks again,

Sent from my OnePlus 3T using Tapatalk

 

[tcco94]

Thanks for the response! So when you say outline for lesson plans, so you mean from the CFI PTS or the PPL ACS since that's more than likely what I'll be teaching, or am I just totally off track?

Thanks again,

Sent from my OnePlus 3T using Tapatalk

I just used the CFI PTS since it's pretty much the same as the PPL PTS and CPL PTS. (When I did it they didn't have ACS live but from what I've seen it doesn't look terribly different).

That way everyday I would open the PTS and make sure I knew every bullet point. I made my own lesson plans for some of my weak (non-confident) areas. The confident areas I just used backseat pilot lesson plans (paid for). They were extremely detailed, good information, and had plenty of FAA resources. I was worried how the examiner would take it but he thought I had too much information! Lol. So it helped. That's what worked for me and sky rocketed my confidence. I think that's key to passing the checkride and actually being a good instructor.

Also, accepting that you won't know it all, have to tell your students "I don't know" instead of bs'ing something. You will learn a lot everyday. I still do today and I don't even instruct anymore.

Message me if you want some lesson plans. CFI training is long and tiring. Any resources you can get for free will help clear time for you to study, practice teaching, and understand the material.

 

[mjsti]

I just finished the CFI initial a month ago and suggest getting as much right seat practice as possible....practicing the manuevers at commercial standards. Once you're comfortable with that, start practicing explaining what, why, & how you're flying the manuevers. It's one thing to fly them, but to also explain what you're doing is another.

For ground study, I recommend practicing teaching ground school to actual students, under the supervision of your instructor. I used the "backseat pilot" program which was a great resource to study and to develop your own lesson plans.

Just remember that the checkride is to determine how well you can safely teach and how well you can reference information, i.e. official FAA docs.......not necessarily how much aviation knowledge you can memorize and resight.

 

[mrivc211]

I'd say the biggest obstacles is teaching with a smooth flow and knowing ahead of time what you will talk about. Get anyone to sit in front of you and just teach. It' doesn't matter if u get it wrong, its the flow of smoothness thats key. Gaining that confidence is what makes people recommend you to others.

 

[killbilly]

I'd say the biggest obstacles is teaching with a smooth flow and knowing ahead of time what you will talk about. Get anyone to sit in front of you and just teach. It' doesn't matter if u get it wrong, its the flow of smoothness thats key. Gaining that confidence is what makes people recommend you to others.

Lining up an instructor helps.

You would be amazed at how much difficulty I am having with this.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Lining up an instructor helps.

You would be amazed at how much difficulty I am having with this.

Make some field trips down to Florida. Though I may stick you with some students to take home with you when you are done...

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Hey all,

Hoping to get a little guidance here from some CFIs. I'm about to start my CFI training (pt 61) here in the next week, but I want to get a head start with as much as I can before I meet with my instructor. I've got all my written exams done (CFIA, FOI, CFII) as well as my spin training endorsement, so from this point I guess it's mostly self study and checkride prep. I know I'll need to get some time getting used to the right seat and teaching from it in the plane I'll be using for the checkride and I'll be doing that once I start flying with my instructor next week (same CFI and plane I used for my initial commercial single, so that's nice), so I guess my question is, what should I start studying and reading over now to get ready

Short answer: You are already looking at all of the right stuff. Add in the Advisory Circulars. Stall/Spin, traffic patterns, flight reviews, and endorsements - those are big ones! And probably also what you will use day to day more than anything else.

 

[Der_Meister]

Try teaching people about aviation that know nothing about aviation. You will realize that a lot of acronyms and nomenclature you use they have no idea what you are talking about.

Always teach like you are talking to someone who knows nothing. Ie explain everything!

 

[westonw]

Short answer: You are already looking at all of the right stuff. Add in the Advisory Circulars. Stall/Spin, traffic patterns, flight reviews, and endorsements - those are big ones! And probably also what you will use day to day more than anything else.

Try teaching people about aviation that know nothing about aviation. You will realize that a lot of acronyms and nomenclature you use they have no idea what you are talking about.

Always teach like you are talking to someone who knows nothing. Ie explain everything!

Thanks for the tips! Actually passed my checkride just a couple hours ago!

 

[hook_dupin]

Make some field trips down to Florida. Though I may stick you with some students to take home with you when you are done...

You are not the first person to propose the Florida concept to Fine American William.