How did you guys learn the FOI’s?
 

Starting my CFI training end of the month. Lets just say I go to a very fast paced training school where the CFI program lasts about 2-3 weeks trying to get a little bit of a head start. FOIs seem to be the hardest part of CFI/memorizing the endorsements.

Make your own mnemonics. Try to think how you'd apply each one and when.

If you want rote memorization for the written; exams4pilot.org

I'm not sure if lesson plan binders are still a thing for CFIs, but taking copious notes (via the lesson plans I made) really helped me learn the FOI along with everything else. I'm a visual learner and simply reading doesn't always work for everything, so drawing it out/taking my own notes really helps. Might help you as well, definitely lots of acronyms to recall.

I just got my CFI last Sunday with ATP out of KAPA. I'm assuming you're an ATP student...

I got a one week headstart before my ground school too. There's walkthrough videos by a guy named Chris Johnson on youtube that I found pretty handy... Not 100% perfect, but a great start. Basically I've watched each of his vids at least 3 or 4 times. Always had them going when I was making dinner/studying etc. Basically the biggest tip is follow the PTS WITH the Aviation Instructor's handbook open next to you. It goes in the exact same order as the PTS (within sections) on what you need to cover.

Understand you are NOT going to get the FOIs checkride ready before your ground school begins so don't worry if you don't. I covered them with a "pseudo-SRS" type style. I'd cover Task A one day, then next day would be Task B and then A (improved), then next day was A (quickly) B (improved), then C, and so on. On my checkride the DPE arranged everything in such a way so that I couldn't even really reference my PTS or lesson plans so prepare for THAT scenario as your worst case. If you can develop stories or associations between certain FOIs and your past that helps too. Runthrough your stuff you know everyday and if an acronym pops into your head and you can't quite remember a letter or two, don't sit there for 10mins trying to get it, instead take those 10mins that would otherwise tire/frustrate you and LOOK AT YOUR NOTES/BOOK and repeat the acronym, what it's for, and what it means. I liked to repeat my stuff by saying "Barriers to learning, WIPA UA, Worry Impatience Physical Disc. Anxiety (feeling of) unfair treatment, Apathy" and then I'd dig into each of them and practice a quick little explanation of each word. That way "Barriers to learning" triggers the acronym w/ out me thinking which then triggers each word (hopefully lol).

Final tip is make quizlets, review your quizlets, and put your acronyms in your PTS (if you have a printed copy...type it if digital) next to the associated question. "Defense Mechanisms" (DRDRFCPR). ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF "why" or "is this something that can be easily confused w/ something else?" (POTBIT Bewilderment vs. Puzzle questions for example).

any others q's feel free to ask. I had a 6hr oral exam and honestly it didn't feel so horrendous at the end but it was definitely fatiguing xD


edit: IF IF IF you are an ATP student, they provide lesson plans for you. These lesson plans ARE the Backcountry Pilot lesson plans. They ARE outdated (references to TIBS, HIWAS, LORAN-C, etc) and are not always exactly what you want to follow for your checkride. Again for me I never even had the OPPORTUNITY to pull my plans out so idk man. Most of my learning IMO came from editing those plans, reading, and highlighting them. Then picking the topics that I SUCKED at the most the just practicing them. So the lesson plans are handy but DO NOT rely on them to be perfect/logical, they will know that you put 0 effort into them, and they WILL fail you. Also if you don't already have a little model airplane w/ manipulatable controls buy/make one. I cut one out of cardboard and my DPE loved it when I used it to explain overbanking/turning tendencies/adverse yaw/x-wind taxi etc...

Rote learning

For the written itself, Sheppard air is wonderful

Pilot Practice Page and it’s free! Written took about 15 minutes and 90% of the questions were ones I had seen from that site.

About 80% of it is pure psychobabble

I do have a great document I made for the fois for the oral and the written. But for just the written sheppardair is going to be your best friend. 4 hours studying on Sheppard air I got a 94, so it works well for the rote memorization. But for the oral I can send you a document I made up.