From 121 to Re-learing your CFI
 

This may get moved but I wanted exposure in the regional section since most guys that would be able to comment on this would be here.

I was so busy back in Nov. 09 that I totally forgot to renew my CFI. Who knows if I'll have have to use it again but it's a valuable thing to have to put on resumes and use if you want to train the wife, GF or kids.

My question is has anybody been in this situation where they were flying for an airline for 3-4 years, had an ATP and wanted to go back and get their CFI again? We all know the online renewal is a piece of cake but if you had to go out and make all your lesson plans, re-master the VFR world and part 91, and memorize the FOI it would be a lot more time consuming. Especially if it has been almost 4 years since I instructed.

Who knows, maybe it's alot easier than I think. How are the examiners? Do they treat you like they did in that 8 hour exam the first time around? Did anyone have any creative ideas and keeping the cost down? After flying jets you get a little bit rusty smaller aircraft so I would image you would have to spend a significant amount of time getting yourself back to testing standards.

Anything else I haven't thought of?

You won't have to re-take the CFI written or the FOI. If you let your CFI certificate expire, you will need to take a checkride, which will include an Oral and flight. Once you pass, all of your CFIs will be re-instated (CFII, MEI) if applicable.

I would advise against training the wife and girlfriend at the same time. IMO.....:D

You will, of course, be held to the same standards you were your first time around. As sad as it is to say, it is realistic and not unexpected that many airline pilots, though previously experienced CFIs, have no current ability to instruct in GA due to their lack of recency. It takes a lot of hard work to get back up to speed, but it can be done, and luckily for the cost aspect, it is mainly book-studying.

Ask yourself if you could without any doubt successfully take a student from 0 hours to a no-doubt pass on their checkride, or do the same for a multi student, or a new CFI, ... until you can say yes to those... don't go in for your new checkride.

Best to do is to go find a really good CFI and sit down with them and talk about it all. They'll be able to feel out pretty quickly where you're at and what will be required to get your certificates active again.

I let my CFI expire back in 02' while working for a regional, thought I'd never need it again. This past summer I realized I would need to get it reinstated. I've been flying wide-body International for the last 6 years and haven't flown a small plane in 7+ years.

I got with the local FSDO and got hooked up with an FAA inspector who would give me an oral and checkride. A date was set, with a Cessna 172sp rented on my dime.

I got with a local instructor at the airport and flew 3 hours of dual with him practicing all the maneuvers and such.

Checkride day came, 4 hours of oral all on initial/private stuff, then 2.1 hours of flight time in the 172sp, had to instruct soft field takeoff,chandelle, turns around a point, stalls, slow flight, steep turns, power on stalls, short field landing, soft field landing, and balked landing (which actually was my fault as I was fast in the flare and floated and called a go-around).

Overall, it was tough to get back into the instructor mindset, and flying the Cessna was unusual as well. I flared 30 feet high constantly as thats what I'm used to seeing when flying the DC-10. It was also a lot of home studying ahead of time as I had forgotten a lot of the basic stuff. There is a great deal of info online, but I did buy an FAR/AIMS and studied the hell out of that. The FAA FSDO will also supply you with a lot of material if you ask, especially Advisory Circulars which have lots of info. In the end I made it work and the FAA was happy and reinstated my CFI.

I will never, ever, ever let my CFI expire again!!!!

It almost seems like it would be more difficult the second time around because of all the negative transfer. For example I could grease on a nice soft field or short field landing but now all of this jet flying has really burned it's way into my head.

first thought when flying single engine prop after youve been on a jet for a while>> "holy crap!, I cant beleive this thing is flying at 60 kts!"

I let the same thing happen, forgot to turn in my refresher course paperwork to the FSDO before my CFI expired. The guys actually recommended getting my MEI if I had the coin. It's alot easier than redoing the CFI ride and from what I was told at the ATL FSDO, would make my CFI certs. valid again.

I helped a few guys reinstate their CFI last summer. I have a feeling this is going to be a common theme this year.

As a previous poster said, you have to take a checkride. Online software is only good for a renewal, not a reinstatement. You can take the ride with a DPE, so you don't have the headache of having to go to the FSDO, which usually means a 4hr oral and a 2hr ride. You can also take the ride based on any of the CFI ratings you previously held. Most guys I worked with took the CFII ride, one did the MEI. None did the CFIA b/c they didn't want to do chandelles, 8s on pylons or lazy 8s. I can't say I blame them. Take one ride, and it reinstates privileges for all CFI ratings.

It's self-endorsed. You don't need another CFI to sign you off, you just fill out and sign your own 8710.

My advice, if you haven't flown a Cessna or Cherokee in a while, do a flight with an experienced CFI who has been working with other CFI applicants. Not only will he keep you from flying final at 130kts and flaring at 50ft, but he'll also be able to familiarize you with the local airports, patterns and IAPs you're likely to visit on your check ride. If he's been working with CFI applicants, he'll likely know a good DPE to send you to as well as be able to give you the low-down on the ride before you go.

Don't take the CFI checkride...do the CFII !

Any checkride will renew all of your others, the scope of the CFII is narrow, you should have all the knowledge, and few manuevers are required (other than normal instrument ops). As an airline person you are not that far removed from the CFII. I'd much rather do instrument approaches than chandelles!