Originally Posted by
MiserDD
That’s why there is a FAA mandated requirement for a knowledge test. Every FAR/AIM item you pointed out could easily be committed to memory.
Instruction on the other hand is a different thing. I’ve been “instructed” by CFI/II/MEI civilians who knew the books but hadn’t the faintest idea of what instruction is. Telling a guy with over 2000 hours that he is off his ALT by 200’ is absurd. A 2000 hour guy knows he’s off by 200’. What he need is information on how to make that particular airframe fly how he needs it to... i.e. “Try setting the piper about one half a dot above the horizon, then about an extra 200lbs of torque on the bottom engine when you go into the 45 deg AOB turns.”
Most military instructors have instructional capabilities that far exceed the 400 hour CFI/II/MEI civilian who’s trying to build enough hours to get that Regional job.
(On a side note, my “instructor” got fired about a month later when he let his student do a gear up landing. Guess that FAR/AIM knowledge didn’t help him there!)
MiserDD -
Totally agree. If this concept goes through I'll get my CFI/II/MEI, but it isn't like I am going to go right out to the first civilian flight school and ask to start instructing new PPLs. Just like everything else I've done - I would expect some type of IUT and many hours of book work to get up to speed. I'm pretty sure though that after putting in some good study that my flight experience and my 7 years as a IP would count for something against that 300 hr CFI. I'm pretty sure that I could do a fair to middlin' job
Btw - I LOVE INSTRUCTING!
USMCFLYR