Originally Posted by
Stryker
I was getting ready to tongue lash you for being too negative, but you hit the nail on the head big time... If you dont come prepared (which they tell you before you sign on), you will wash out... They told me before I came to get ALL of my written tests done before I got there... I was already a private pilot so that helped some, but they send you a box full of books that feels like it weighed 30 lbs about a month to a month and a half before you go to class... they tell you to start studying... I did get some one on one or two on one time with my instructors, but it was not an every day thing...As for experience I got all kinds... most of my XCs were in hard IFR for a good portion of them and dealt with lots of thunderstorms and busy airspace (Atlanta, Miami, Houston)... They encourage this....
The CFI "academy" was nothing more than a week of teaching you how to make lesson plans... I didnt learn a thing in that portion... And I sure learned more in my first 2 weeks as a CFI than I learned in all of my training.... It is a good program if you are trying to minimize your training time, but dont even think about them spoon feeding you anything cause it will be a nice kick in the face...
And this is a good training method??? Taking the knowledge tests before doing any ground on the course? And then self study on most of the ground? What about those subjects that the student can't learn on his own and his CFI doesn't know either because he was never taught it? Last time I checked most students aren't eager to learn ground. They want to go fly circles over their friend's houses because they think it's cool. Great place to go to if you want to pass a checkride. If you want to be a "great" CFI, I don't think 2 weeks cuts it.
Couldn't bite my tongue on this one...