CFII Help
 

Hi all. So the boss is pushing all standard CFI's to get their CFII before a big upcoming foriegn student boom at our school. I have been looking around for books that would help me in this but the only things I have really found are the exact same materials that I learned my instrument rating with. I was hoping to find something that reads from an instructor's perspective such books loaded with hints, acronyms and all that fun stuff we use to memorize this bulk of material. I haven't been instrument current in about 2 years now. I did a flight "for fun" with a fellow MEII in his client's Citation 2 :eek: a month ago and pretty much had my IFR butt handed to me on a silver platter. So at this point the more dumbed down the book, the better haha. I'm more than confident that I can shake off the rust really quick with my IFR flying but it's that massive amount of rules, regs, and ground work that gets intimidating.

Also, I've heard that you can actually use your CFII ride as an IPC which can save a little $$ which is always nice. Anyone else able to second that? Thanks everyone! - Jared

Any examination taken for the purpose of adding a new certificate or rating also acts as a binannual flight review; for instrument instructor certs it includes instrument currency as well. I should give ref's but hey it's late Friday evening and there is a cool show on Cessna history running on the tube.

I am working on my double II as well, I am just reviewing old materials. Get the PTS for CFII (FAA-S-8081-9C), get out your old Jeppeson textbook or whatever you used for your instrument rating as a resource, use the same same videos as well (I have Sportys Instrument Rating Course), and refer to FAA Instrument Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-15A.

At some point you are going to have to get some training in the airplane. First get sharp on laws, tricks and rules. PC sims are useful in connection with instrument flying skills, get your plates out and start flying them on the PC. I use X-Plane but MS Flight Sim X should be ok.

And make sure you do your written. I know most people say memorize and regurgitate for the test, but you are already rated. You shouldn't be regurgitating, you should be recalling. Unless you took your CFII when you did the Instrument.

Study your old books (especially the Instrument Flying Handbook) to regain proficiency. Whoever is signing you off for the checkride should sit down with you and make sure you are proficient. Pick someone who can help you teach the info correctly and with good style. I was able to make a deal with my instructor. Ground was free, I only paid him for flight time but I gave him a bonus on my checkride since we were both poor flight instructors.

I use Gene Hudson's "Instrument Flying Made Easy" for the how-to on scans.
Jeppesen's "Instrument Procedures Handbook"
FAA/ASA "Instrument Flying Handbook" latest edition is far better than previous editions
Tony Kern's "Redefining Airmanship"
any and all of Rod Machado's books
Kershner's IFR book
and the AIM.

You want instructional knowledge, not rote memorization.

Are you guys sure that the CFII checkride also counts as an IPC? It's been too long since I took my II, but I think I either read or heard somewhere that the II ride doesn't count toward an IPC. I want to say I asked AOPA about it.

Feel free to prove me wrong though. I'll look into it as well.

even if you could "use" your double II ride for an IPC, why would you need to? you've got a double II that's confident enough in you to sign you off for a new rating, i'm sure they'd be glad to sign an IPC. you're an instructor, don't guess on interpretations of regs, especially when you can do this the right and easy way

Ooops! Be careful! This is NOT true in the case of an INSTRUCTOR checkride.

The easy solution to this is have the cfi who signed you off for the checkride give you a BFR endorsement based on the checkride prep. You could also get the examiner to give you a BFR endorsement based on the checkride itself.

A CFII ride would not automatically count for an IPC either, IIRC. Actually you would be foolish to show up for a CFII ride without being instrument current! Again your instructor should be able to give you an IPC endorsement based on checkride prep.

Awesome thanks for the help. It makes sense that whatever CFII does my (re)training should be confident enough to sign my IPC if he's willing to sign me for the ride. Oh maintaining job security is fun... haha :rolleyes:

Are you sure about that? It's a checkride for a certificate, rating, or operating privilege, so it should count for the BFR under 61.56(d). That's what I've been told through my training and by management at the school I'm working at now.

A BFR and IPC are two totally different things. Applying the rules for one, might not be prudent for the other.

Have the instructor you're doing your checkride prep with give you an IPC signoff as long as you meet the requirements for one (which you should after your prep). He/she's going to have to give you an endorsement for the practical anyway, why not have them take another 90 seconds and give you an IPC endorsement?

Anytime you do checkride prep, have the instructor give you a BFR and IPC endorsement, even if you don't need it.

I'm 100% sure...I've seen people get sent home from interviews because they assumed their cfi ride was a BFR, and they showed up with hundreds of hours dual given, but out of currency for most of it :eek: :eek:

Go read it again...you're leaving out the word PILOT, which is in front of "certificate, rating, or operating privilege". A instructor cert is NOT a pilot cert/rating... only PPL, IR, COMM, ATP, or type rides count for that. The theory is that an instructor ride focuses on teaching skills, not stick and rudder...an examiner could in theory fly the whole ride himself while you talk. There's an FAA legal interpretation on this too.

What's really confusing is that some FSDO's will accept an instructor ride as a BFR...but if you go somewhere else you can be in trouble. Most airlines probably know the legally correct answer too.

Thanks Rick. Good information.

Rickair777, I have a question about logging cross country time for ATP. I have heard and I think I'm reading it right that you can log cross country time towards your ATP rating while only flying 25nm trips and you don't have to land at a airport to log it. Is this correct? Sorry off the subject 61-57b but you guys are a book of knowledege and I didn't want to start a new forum just for this!
Thanks guys!

Your CFI or CFII/MEI ride does not count as a BFR at all. It's not a new rating on your pilot certificate. All the CFI/I/MEI is good for towards the BFR is the 1 hour of ground! read the regs it's right there.

And how are you not going to be instrument current when you're taking your checkride. I'd assume that you'd get at least 6 instrument approaches, intersecting and tracking radials and holds during your prep for the checkride and during your checkride.

These are silly questions for CFI's to be asking I think. Good luck with everything.

I believe that's a silly statement. If you read the original post, he says it's been 2 years since he's been instrument current. If you go beyond your grace period, you have to take an IPC to get recurrent. The PTS has a grid that establishes what Areas of Operations ans Tasks must be completed for you to complete an IPC. You can't just hop in a plane and get your 6 approaches, holds, and tracking and suddenly you're legal again.

Ditto............

XC time actually has different definitions for various ratings, and a different definition for 135 qualifications.

PPL, COMM, ATP: LDG at a point > 50NM from the departure point.

ATP (for rated military pilots): Flight > 50NM from departure point, no LDG required.

Sport/Recreational: Different, but I'm not sure what.

Part 135 PIC: LDG at a point other than departure, no distance requirement.


For most career pilots, use the 50NM criteria until you have all your ratings, then do whatever you want. If you are low time and need 135 mins, you'll have to add in all LDGs at a point other than departure.

Rick - I think you're blending a few regs together. Cross-country for the ATP is > 50NM without a landing regardless of whether you're civilian or military. However, if you're military seeking a commercial ticket, then you don't have to land at another airport as you would have to if you were civilian. Here's the reg:

sorry for not reading that properly...

I personally don't like to lose my currency and thought that most people stayed within the 6 month grace period and would get it back. My bad

Yup, you're right. I didn't have the book handy.

No worries

I didn't either, but I'm working on building my cross-country time for my ATP (that's all I lack) and I read your post. I went to the electronic regs to double check. If it turned out you were right, then I was going to lose some cross-country time.