Doing the CFII as initial rather than CFI ?!
 

Hello everyone!

I am looking for school for CFI training, and i found this interesting CFI program.
FAQ

It's provide by United Flight System in Houston,TX,
From what i know, people usually do the CFI as initial, but this program doing the CFII as initial rather than CFI. that's a fresh idea to me.

My question is, is this legal? or are there any possibilities of fraud ??

i'll look up the FAR, and hope you guys can share your thoughts as well!!

Yes, it is completely legal to do the II as an initial (according to my retired ATC buddy that had all the ratings)

You can call your local FSDO (or the one in Houston) and ask. Seems unlikely that he'd be advertising a whole program like that if it were illegal. Note that you still have to add on the "normal" CFI afterwards, or else you'll be stuck with a lot of limitations on your license.

You can get the CFII first or you can get the MEI first. Don't look at CFII and MEI as adds on to the CFI. You can get any instructor rating first and the others will be adds on.

Some people choose the CFII first because there aren't as many lesson plans to create. Either way it's personal preference. One thing for sure is there is more work for CFIs than CFIIs. If you get the CFII first, you definitely want to add on the CFI. Most students you get will want a Private Pilots Certificate.

There is no problems doing the CFII initial. I did it. I also have a few friends that did the MEI as initial...

Your first instructor rating will be your "initial instructor ride", your FSDO may require or prefer that you take this ride with a fed rather than a DPE, you will cover the FOI theory on this ride, and you you might be held to a higher standard since this checkride elevates you to the instructor ranks.

You can do any rating you want first. Folks usually do the CFI, but some schools actually steer their students towards the CFII, for the reasons mentioned above.

I trained one guy who only wanted a CFII, and never bothered with other ratings.

I knew a couple of instructors that did this simply to allow them some time as a new instructor with students that were already pilots, gave them some time to gain confidence in their teaching ability before they started teaching brand new initial students...when they told me about it I actually though it was definately a novel approach to instructing, and I cant fault the logic

While it is perfectly legal to do the MEI or CFI-I first, it is up to the FSDO. I can tell you that the KC FSDO does not like doing CFI-I as the initial. They aren't a big fan of the MEI as the initial either.

I can't imagine they would have that much, or any weight in the decision. It's their rules that allow you to do it, so if they really cared, wouldn't they just try and change the regs? However, they could make it more likely that you are required to do the ride with a fed rather than DPE.

Actually it is true that some FSDO's do take this attitude...and they can make it hard to pass a checkride if they want. If your FSDO does not support this, do the CFI first, or find another jurisdiction.