Labigmike

I would like some more information on American Flyers in Pompano, Florida before I start my class in March. I opted to do it at Flyers than do it my university due to the ratio of CFI students and 2 year instructors at my university.

How did everyone enjoy it?

Did you feel ready for the checkride at the end of the 15 days?

Did you make your own lesson plans or did AF have a format they wanted a lesson plan in?

What's the best hotel around the airport with food nearby?

Thanks

theonlyski

I went through the August/Sept 2017 academy (30 day) and even with the hurricane shutdown, the course continued with a minor delay.

It's a LOT of work but you will get out what you put into it. About a week or two in I asked the school manager if it's normal to feel like you're barely treading water and she said she would be worried if we didn't feel that way.

Make friends with your classmates and your teammates (if your class is large, they split you in a highly scientific way). It's going to be a long two weeks and while I don't suggest it every night, try to make one night a team/class dinner. We had a couple and it was good to decompress versus sitting in your room/hotel/airbnb and work yourself to sleep.

The team's alternate classroom lecture and fishbowl time (you'll understand what I mean) every day. Do NOT squander your fishbowl time. You can also use most of the sims anytime you want, practice teaching your classmates in them. They're included in the cost of the course and you're wasting that if you don't.

You will probably feel weird teaching something that everyone else there should already know, but they (should) provide good feedback and watching your classmates will also help you develop your lessons. Being a CFI is little to do with flying and lots to do with teaching.

We had two guys on my team that did the 15 day program and both passed their rides the first time, while the rest of us were still in the course (30 day course). They worked their asses off for it and the work paid off. Keep in mind, it will probably be a couple weeks AFTER your sign off before you can get scheduled for a checkride (if you do it with American Flyers, they will handle the FSDO request and scheduling with the DPE). It's not their fault that there's a delay, and they can't submit you for the exam till you have your IACRA sign off per the FSDO. They will do everything possible to accomidate your wishes on when/where to take the exam.

Many of us 30 dayers received both sign-offs during the course, but I know several of us ended up taking our rides about a month later after we had time to practice our lessons more and feel more comfortable. I think two people from our 30-day course went and got their CFI-I as well pretty soon after the course, but most of us elected to take a little more time and work on getting jobs with the CFI-I on the back burner.

A couple from the class didn't do their checkrides, but like I said, you get what you put into it, if you don't do the work, they're not just going to hand you your certificate.

Patrick is an AMAZING instructor, listen to what he says and trust him, he's got decades of experience teaching CFI applicants and knows how to get the message across. If you ever have any questions, ask him and he will make sure you understand before moving on.

Patrick is quite clear on this, you need to do your own lesson plans. There are a lot of them (look at every ACS task item for the CFI, Private and Commercial to get an idea). You will spend a LOT of time working on them. The reason they want you to make your own is that it forces you to know the information and the lesson plans. There will be a couple practice lessons in front of the instructor and he will be very clear on how you're doing and what to do better.

I stayed at a somewhat crappy airbnb before the evacuation, came back and stayed in the AF lodging for a few days then when I came back for my checkride, I stayed at another airbnb. Two weeks in a hotel is going to be expensive, find an airbnb or the AF lodging if you're not opposed to having roommates (who may also be in your class).

Labigmike

Thanks for all the information!

theonlyski

No problem, have fun and enjoy the experience! My class started an iMessage chat group and many of us still keep in contact. It's a mighty small world out there and having friends all over the country never hurt either!

ETA: feel free to message me if you have any questions you don't want to post

TurboWill

American flyers is the best place for CFI training. Good luck!