Chris

I can say that throughout my training I never had any real lesson plan prepared for me. I'm not saying that my training was bad or below-average by any means, but it certainly went through my mind more than a couple of times. I guess I should have done the obvious thing, which was to ask for one to be prepared for me. When I first started training a little over three years ago, my instructor (part 61 school) basically lifted a ERAU syllabus and took notes and checked off articles as I was flying.

For me, it would seem like the lesson plans would be fun to put together. The school I attend now has a program with a college on the eastern side of town, and the instructors come and teach night school there. It feels very unfulfilling when I attend a class and the instructor does nothing but go through pages of < insert pilot manual here > or the PHAK. I feel like man, if I was teaching this class I would make it a lot more fun and interactive, after I get through my fear of public speaking of course.

I agree with what you say about the big step from COMM to CFI; I've seen many hotshot pilots make lousy instructors.

Chris

ZBowFlyz

I know for a fact that theres some DPE's out of DWH that have done some Initials.

Mine was with the Vegas FSDO and the oral was 12.5. 8 the first day and we planned on flying in the morning. When I showed up the plane was MX'ed and she reopened the oral until the plane got back. There was a ton of time spent BSing and she had to go smoke every hour and a half, so it wasn't that bad. The flight was 2.5. I passed

Wildflyin

You've got me beat. Mine was in Dallas. 10 hour oral, 7 the first day, 3 the next. then a 2.5 hour flight the third day with .5 in addition to just sit in the airplane and talk systems. what school did you go through? your experience sounds exactly like a friend of mine who also took his in Vegas...

ZBowFlyz

I did my MEI, and II at ATP. I forget the gals name, she was nice if you had the stamina. I'll bet it was the same lady.

csbs13

Just got my certificates in the mail about a week ago. It was the first time I actually received the certificates before my temporary expired. Long story short I did my MEI initial, because the flight school at which I trained didn't have a single complex for the longest time. Anyway, I went to the Ft Worth FSDO, 4 hour ground and 2 hour flight on back to back days. I recommend MEI initial, because during the flight you have fewer maneuvers to perform (although a power-off 180 would be...interesting, still petitioning for "flies like a brick" to be changed to "flies like a Seminole at idle"). On the flip side though, it does cost more and you're all but unmarketable if all you can instruct in is a multi. It'll probably be slim pickings for a while anyway, for that matter. I’ve been job searching for about a month now, and it’s not looking too promising. Hopefully it turns around in a few months when everyone starts flying again.