Apokleros

I started ground training on my CFI initial October 2012 which I finished back in March 2012. Between then and now I took care of the written exams and have a fair understanding of the Fundamentals of Instructing. I've also flown with my instructor four times, during which I would have to rate my skills at teaching as mediocre at best with some slight improvement.

It has taken me so long because I wanted to finish my aviation degree in December 2012 and work on the side. The huge lapse of time between ground briefings and flight lessons has dissuaded me greatly but I still want to wrap this thing up and to take the checkride even if I end up never giving a single hour of dual.

I've been thinking of asking my instructor to reevaluate me, but I'm not sure how I should go about this. Could someone give me advice? I feel somewhat lost and a little more than overwhelmed.... Thanks.

Boeing717friend

Sometimes the CFI can be long and drawn out. Though you have to make an effort to get it done and not rely on your instructor. The best thing to do is to read your Private Pilot Manuals/Commercial Manuals so that will best prepare you for the CFI oral exam. You have your commercial certificate now and the previous FAA examiner that signed you off for it knew that you demonstrated mastery in your flying. Now, you have to show an inspector that you can teach that same mastery to commercial level. If you mess up a manoeuvre, explain the common errors, and continue flying. The inspector wants to know that you are able to teach to commercial standards even if you mess up, though if you do mess it up don't try to correct it and not point it out. The single thing that I see on many CFI applicants is not studying and preparing to teach lessons, not teaching to commercial standards, more like private pilot level. Know your material and what you teach, and show your instructor that you can teach. Teach on the ground, fly the manoeuvre in the air.

Dave

Yoda2

Relatively easy fix... First, it seems everything you have done up to now is the easy part. The knowledge tests, Etc. Don't get freaked out with the FOI, it's not that difficult. Now, stop flying until you have all your lesson plans finished! When you think you have them done, look them over again and again. They will, still, be adjusted/modified over the years but put some real work into them; keep them workable and as uncomplicated as possible. Do not use pre made lesson plans or someone elses, your buddies, Etc. You will learn much more and be a better instructor by doing them yourself. Take those lesson plans and do a bunch of chair flying with them, before you get in the aircraft. When you get to the aircraft make sure you are in charge and have your Type A personality going on. Be decisive and TALK, A LOT! Also be ready for the omnipotent businessman and others who are fully capable of assisting with your demise or getting you violated. The afore mentioned items are probably the most important items to deal with when in the process of obtaining your CFI. This is not a rating you want to do piece meal. Dive in head first and get it done. It is probably the most rewarding rating you will ever get.

150Aerobat

I know what you're going through. Ive been struggling to get my CFI for almost 3 years. I've had to take the written tests a second time cause they timed out. (valid for only 24 months) but I'm closer than I've ever been now, planning on my checkride in 3 weeks.

Definitely recommend not flying until your done w/ ground stuff. I finally started flying again yesterday after 6 months of nothing and plan on getting 7 more flights in 3 weeks to finish this up. It helps to break up flying lessons & ground lessons for teaching.

To organize the ground, Ive been using the Jeppesen Private Pilot book. It has a good order for structuring lessons starting w/ a student who knows nothing about aviation. Jeppesen also has a Commercial/Instrument book that I've used for the ground lessons req'd for the commercial. Things like constant speed prop, Landing gear, and thats about it. For flight lessons, My lessons are coming from the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook 8083-3A. That walks through every private & commercial maneuver. It also has some weird extra ones like power off 360s, or 8's on a road. I just skipped those.

It is overwhelming and stressfull as I get closer to my test date. I'm doing this all on my own and it takes a lot of discipline, focus, and good time management. I can get distracted easily and I'll waste time working on some little detailed thing that isn't important. Or I'll get on an aviation forum. I shouldn't even be on here right now!

BrasiliaDriver

I agree with all the advice above. I did my CFI training at a 141 school so the pace was fast and there were no breaks between ground, testing, flying, and check ride. I went on to teach at a Part 61 school where the pace was dictated more by the student than me. If you're looking for a re-evaluation, I would recommend someone other than your instructor, for the simple fact that sometimes a different set of eyes will be able to identify things your instructor might not necessarily be able to because he or she is too intimate with the training they've given. Use the re-evaluation lessons as an opportunity to work on your teaching chops. I agree that you should teach on the ground and demonstrate in the air, however, part of demonstrating is verbalizing the maneuvers. Forget that you are being evaluated and just talk through the maneuvers, describe what you are doing at all times, not for the benefit of the evaluator, but for the practice. You may not necessarily talk so much when you are instructing (as that depends on the student), but learning what works best for you as an instructor is a lot about trial and error and finding the techniques that you are comfortable with. These will change as you grow and become more comfortable in a teaching environment. Good luck.

Bellanca

I did a few ground lessons with an instructor to help me format lesson plans and get the basics down, then took my writtens, went through the PTS on my own making lesson plans for everything, and then went back to the instructor once I felt like I had done everything I could do on my own. I had to access to a cheap C-150 that I was able to fly a couple times a month to stay current and get comfortable with maneuvers in the right seat, and talking through maneuvers.

It did help that I worked front desk/line service at an FBO and ended up with a lot of free advice/unofficial ground instruction from some of the regular corporate pilots that would stop while I was working on lesson plans and CFI studying. So I always had several sets of eyes on my work to make sure I wasn't getting too off track.

Right as I was about to get into the 172RG at the FBO, someone landed it gear up and they never replaced it. I was going to fly someone's mooney, but the cost was going to be something like $350/hour and I thought that was obscene, so I ended up just going to ATP and knocking out MEI, II, CFI in about 3.5 weeks. I'm glad that I had done all of the preparation beforehand, because all ATP really does is cram a bunch of info into your head to make you pass the checkride, and I don't feel like I would have been equipped to flight instruct on the ATP instruction alone (just my opinion).