Best place for initial CFI
04-30-2012, 09:50 AM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Posts: 650
Best place for initial CFI
What are everyone's thoughts on where to go to get my initial CFI. Are there schools out there that have examiners on staff or does everyone go to the FSDO? Not sure if he is right but an instructor told me the other day that the FSDO that I would go to if I followed on and got my CFI here where I live has a pass rate of about 60%. So I am wondering if it would be worth going somewhere else.
04-30-2012, 12:57 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: DHC-8 SIC
Posts: 634
The first time pass rate of initial CFIs is very low. It is just a plain fact. Study hard for the oral, spend some time on the AIM and the FAA books, and go over the oral guides. The hardest part of my initial CFI was the oral without a doubt. I thought the flying part was a piece of cake. The examiner said he knew I knew how to fly, he wanted to see if I could teach him. Overall it was a very long, stressful day, but I learned a lot. Good luck. Hit the books, go over some mock oral exams with your favorite CFI and you should be just fine. In my opinion, there is really no need to go elsewhere to get the rating. Just stay at home.
04-30-2012, 02:29 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2012
Posts: 203
Originally Posted by Duksrule
What are everyone's thoughts on where to go to get my initial CFI. Are there schools out there that have examiners on staff or does everyone go to the FSDO? Not sure if he is right but an instructor told me the other day that the FSDO that I would go to if I followed on and got my CFI here where I live has a pass rate of about 60%. So I am wondering if it would be worth going somewhere else.
good luck.
04-30-2012, 03:44 PM
#4
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 96
Originally Posted by Duksrule
What are everyone's thoughts on where to go to get my initial CFI?
Crystal Aero Group - Full Service Aviation Company Offering Pilot Training, Charter Flights, Air Tours and Maintenance Services
Crystal Aero Group - Airport - Crystal River | Facebook
Did my initial there. Owner's wife is the DPE.
04-30-2012, 03:53 PM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2006
Position: DHC-8 SIC
Posts: 634
Originally Posted by themagicman00
The passing rate for the first time CFI candidates is around 20%, tends to be the toughest check-ride in your aviation career. The bar is set high, so prepare yourself with proper lesson plans and a solid knowledge.
good luck.
good luck.
05-01-2012, 05:01 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 790
Please do us a favor: don't go to a flight school where training and the checkride is done in "cooperation" .. Remember as a CFI you will have the responsibility of training pilots; this should not be taken so lightly.. I hate people going to "10 day get your CFI/II/MEI" courses. The people that come from that kind of a back ground make really bad CFIs..
Take a lot of time.. Study (the skill that lacks in most of the gen X pilots these days) and study and study more.. Be proud of yourself because you increased the pass rate from 60 % to 65% at your local FSDO..
Take a lot of time.. Study (the skill that lacks in most of the gen X pilots these days) and study and study more.. Be proud of yourself because you increased the pass rate from 60 % to 65% at your local FSDO..
05-01-2012, 07:59 AM
#7
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2012
Position: PNF
Posts: 622
Originally Posted by themagicman00
The passing rate for the first time CFI candidates is around 20%, tends to be the toughest check-ride in your aviation career. The bar is set high, so prepare yourself with proper lesson plans and a solid knowledge.
good luck.
good luck.
Here's mine
Knowlege Test 79%
http://www.faa.gov/data_research/avi...ge%20Tests.pdf
Practical Test 71% by DPE and 72% by ASI's
Scroll down to table 19
US Civil Airmen Statistics
05-01-2012, 08:38 AM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by yimke
Where are you getting this number from?
Here's mine
Knowlege Test 79%
http://www.faa.gov/data_research/avi...ge%20Tests.pdf
Practical Test 71% by DPE and 72% by ASI's
Scroll down to table 19
US Civil Airmen Statistics
Here's mine
Knowlege Test 79%
http://www.faa.gov/data_research/avi...ge%20Tests.pdf
Practical Test 71% by DPE and 72% by ASI's
Scroll down to table 19
US Civil Airmen Statistics
Sort of like military flight school washout rates, the CFI pass rates tend to grow more dire with every passing tale.
I'll bet that a DPE or an ASI with a passing rate of less than 50% would be getting a hard look from the higher-ups; the same as would a DPE or ASI with a 99% pass rate I imagine.
USMCFLYR
05-01-2012, 09:12 AM
#9
Moderator
Joined APC: May 2006
Position: ATP, CFI etc.
Posts: 6,056
Those are combined figures for the whole system, individual FSDOs are notorious for deviating from the norm. Rumors are definitely scary about some pass rates, but I hasten to add that info is not public and no one really knows. The rumors are probably not all that far off either and what makes me think so is every now and then you will meet someone who took a FSDO exam and they tell horror stories about how long and grueling the event was. I got lucky on this topic, my initial was with a DPE and not the FSDO, and my guy was pretty reasonable about the whole thing. Actually, considering how hard teaching actually is when you know a little about it, it is amazing anybody passes with no experience teaching.
Last edited by Cubdriver; 05-01-2012 at 02:36 PM. Reason: typos
05-01-2012, 09:22 AM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: FAA 'Flight Check'
Posts: 13,837
Originally Posted by Cubdriver
Those are combined figures for the whole system, individual FSDOs are notorious for deviating from the norm. Rumors are definitely scary about some pass rates, but I hasten to add that info is not public and no one really knows. The runors ar prbably not all that far opff either and what makes me think so is every now and then you will meet someone who took a FSDO exam and they tell horror stories about how long and grueling the event was. I got lucky on this topic, my initial was with a DPE and not the FSDO, and my guy was pretty reasonable about the whole thing. Actually, considering how hard teaching actually is when you know a little about it, it is amazing anybody passes with zero experience teaching.
USMCFLYR
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
