Which CFI for my initial?

Aviator_Bakeek

Aviator_Bakeek

Well-Known Member
My CFI-I suggested that I take me CFII ride with the FAA first since it is an "easier" ride. I knew and never considered taking the CFII first then the CFI. Anyone have any input on the matter or took this route themselves?

Thanks!
 
"Easier" is certainly a matter of debate. I think teaching an instrument approach can be just as complicated as a lazy 8.

I'm not positive but I think the FAA has, or is in the process of, making it so that you must have your CFI-A before you can earn you II. The traditional route is the one I recommend my students take.
 
Six one way, Half a dozen another. It's completely up to you, unless you have students lined up for instrument training then I would get the CFI-I first. If you plan on getting them both I would go with the one that will start paying for itself first !
 
I didn't open a poll! Give some explanations why for one reason or the other to help me make a decision, I need the knowledge of those who are more experienced than me.
 
Real simple. You need to learn to crawl before you run. God forbid, get your CFI and teach some Private students for a bit, so that you can actually learn how to teach (which is what we are talking about.. not just "doing time" as an instructor). Then get your CFII. and take your teaching to the next level. Down the road, when you know what the heck you are doing, get the MEI. That way, you can take your teaching to the next level. And be able to do it well. Don't rush it, and don't look for an "easier" or "shorter" route to get things done.

Sorry, not directed at you specifically. But I get tired of reading people talking about the easiest route to take. Take the route that you will actually learn.. called the traditional route.

At our flight school, you can't even begin to think about getting an MEI, let alone teach in our Multi, unless you have been with us for almost 3 years and the owner and chief pilot give you the nod. Right of passage. And a few years and a few thousand hours of teaching under your belt.
 
juskl said:
At our flight school, you can't even begin to think about getting an MEI, let alone teach in our Multi, unless you have been with us for almost 3 years and the owner and chief pilot give you the nod. Right of passage. And a few years and a few thousand hours of teaching under your belt.
Click to expand...

Right of Passage...

Teaching an ILS or a VMC demo is no different then teaching turns around a point. It's just different technique. Obviously you need to respect each maneuver but I have never felt any more scared flying the twin or in solid IMC to minimums w/ a student then I have while they were practicing landings for the first time.
 
Aviator_Bakeek said:
I didn't open a poll! Give some explanations why for one reason or the other to help me make a decision, I need the knowledge of those who are more experienced than me.
Click to expand...
CFI-A, assuming you want to teach in an airplane. With a CFI-I as an initial, you can teach in a sim or training device and give ground instruction. But if you want to actually leave the ground when you teach, you need a CFI with an aircraft rating.
 
I am totally onboard with paying the dues and learning to teach routine. Only reason I ask is because my instructor seems pretty adamant about it and I wanted to get the other side from the group here. I personally, WANT to start with my CFI. I think developing lesson plans and getting the daily death scare would be a little more exciting than just being able to teach instrument students. I am even considering becoming a career instructor because I enjoy teaching people to fly and am a smaller sized individual so small airplanes are a-okay by me.

I look forward to sharing my near death experiences with you all here shortly.
 
What do you know better, Private/Commercial knowledge and maneuvers or Instrument knowledge and maneuvers? I'd say go with the one that you know better already, to make studying a little bit easier. Personally, I'm working on a CFI-I initial, just because I'm much more familiar with instrument knowledge than the other stuff. Go with whichever one you feel better with.
 
juskl said:
Real simple. You need to learn to crawl before you run. God forbid, get your CFI and teach some Private students for a bit, so that you can actually learn how to teach (which is what we are talking about.. not just "doing time" as an instructor). Then get your CFII. and take your teaching to the next level. Down the road, when you know what the heck you are doing, get the MEI. That way, you can take your teaching to the next level. And be able to do it well. Don't rush it, and don't look for an "easier" or "shorter" route to get things done.

Sorry, not directed at you specifically. But I get tired of reading people talking about the easiest route to take. Take the route that you will actually learn.. called the traditional route.

At our flight school, you can't even begin to think about getting an MEI, let alone teach in our Multi, unless you have been with us for almost 3 years and the owner and chief pilot give you the nod. Right of passage. And a few years and a few thousand hours of teaching under your belt.
Click to expand...
Doing II first, the student you are working with would at least know how to fly already. That would seem like it would be easier. If you teach as a CFI for awhile first, before doing II you may not be as practiced in instrument when you begin teaching it also.
 
Aviator_Bakeek said:
I think developing lesson plans and getting the daily death scare would be a little more exciting than just being able to teach instrument students.
Click to expand...

I think you're assuming that developing lesson plans and getting a death scare won't happen if you're teaching instruments. Which isn't the case. Certainly not the lesson plan development - I'd hope you'd be developing lesson plans for instrument students as well as your VFR students.

Whichever you do first, the FOI portion is going to come with it. So you'll be required to know the principles of learning, teaching methods, how to develop lesson plans, etc. Your initial CFI ticket is about two things: knowing how to instruct and knowing how to teach a certain set of skills (either instrument stuff, VFR stuff or multi-engine stuff). All the subsequent ratings are doing is adding another set of skills on top of that. So it doesn't make much difference which one you start with.
 
I did the CFII first and found it easier as I always liked the IR stuff more than the CFI stuff. Problem now is that unless you are going to get your CFI right after your CFII, you wont be able to work as just a CFII in an aircraft as you now need the class aircraft on your certificate to fly.
 
I know a lot of people who got their CFII first. I did the MEI as my initial. If you feel comfortable in the multi, go for it.
 
There are schools out there who do it this way, I believe.
Every single person (including forum people) I have ever asked for advice on this told me to go conventional. CFI - CFI-I - MEI.

The CFI-I as an initial is worthless unless you really have a boatload of students ready to jump. Unless you are absolutely sure you will be finishing the CFI very soon afterwards, I would not do it at all.

Much of this is a logical reaction to all the fear that is instilled in future CFI's and while much of it seems not to have much to do with realism, it's still out there. If you're lacking the funds for a complex plane just wait. It's not like CFI's or CFI-I's are in any demand currently...

A FSDO's Sup recently told me that some people seem to believe a CFI-I has a higher probability of passing on the first try and they laugh about it, as your checkride can vary from 3 hours to 2 days, depending on your style and preparedness.

I wrote this huge article about this and the work that goes into it, as part 1/3 on my blog, when I still believed I would finish my CFI in 2009. It was read some 400 times, so something in it may make some sense. I'll send you a link if you'd like it.
 
Xiph said:
I think you're assuming that developing lesson plans and getting a death scare won't happen if you're teaching instruments. Which isn't the case. Certainly not the lesson plan development - I'd hope you'd be developing lesson plans for instrument students as well as your VFR students.
.
Click to expand...

Oh yes, I know I would be developing lesson plans for my instrument students, but I believe that each individual lesson plan, especially for a primary student, is a constant tailoring effort. The enjoyment of developing lesson plans for a primary student over an instrument student is that you get to enjoy the fulfillment of developing the basic principles of flight with your student and therefore get to focus and develop areas while they are not habitual or learned incorrectly.

My current instructor recommended going with the CFII first, I had personally never considered it nor thought it was possible. To me, it would not seem legal to stick a guy that can teach instrument flying in the air with a guy that could not without being able to teach that student how to fly VFR. The only reason I would consider it is because I do have a limited budget. If my budget would not allow me to complete the CFI-A, it may allow me to complete my CFII (my instructor also thinks it would cost less money since it was "easier"). I want to teach, Private/Commercial and/or Instrument.

BTW, anyone know any flight schools in the D/FW area that are or will be hiring in the near future?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top