Alright. Initial CFI checkride time probably 2ish weeks away. I've gone into obsession/crazy mode and have the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, FAR/AIM, and Airplane Flying Handbook all tabbed and highlighted so I can find stuff during my checkride if need be. I've re-read all of the material. I have my binder and lesson plans all done. Taking the FOI and CFI writtens this week. What do I do between now and checkride time? What more do I do to prepare?

 

Sounds like you are on the right track! Research is a big part of the checkride and being a CFI. You won't know all the answers, but knowing where to find them might save you. Just like any other check ride, study, but don't over study.

After you pass...DO NOT LET YOUR CFI EXPIRE, even if you stop instructing.

Good luck!

 

Who is your checkride with? Find a recent gouge for him from someone in your area.

 

Study for 5 minutes, take a 2 minute break, and repeat this. Studies show that you remember the beginning and end part of what you study better. So break your study time up and you'll retain more than no breaks at all. I used this trick in college. I was respiratory therapy major and there was no getting lower than 100% being acceptable. I needed a way to remember a lot of information in short time and retain it.

It worked better than I could have imagined.

 

Biggest thing I have noticed with my initial CFI students is the need to RELAX!!! This Checkride is hyped up because of the difficulty and the low inital pass rate, but that causes a lot of students to get nervous and make a mistake because of that, and not because they did not know it. I am not saying not to study, but do not let it be all you do, take a break, get some fresh air, and relax a bit before the ride.

 

Agree 100% with the above.

Relax and take breaks. If you study too much it will just become words on a page instead of valuable information.

Sounds like you're on the right track and have the dedication! Good for you! Just remember one thing: YOU WILL NEVER KNOW EVERYTHING.

The examiner (and frankly every pilot except maybe your future students) knows this. They want to see you have the guts to say "Ya know, I don't know the answer to that, but I know where to find it." They want you to demonstrate appropriate knowledge and have an intelligent conversation with them. That's the bottom line. It's nerve racking, and never easy.

Keep your head up and keep at it. It sounds like you'll be just fine

 

I did my initial CFI checkride recently and couldn't agree more with the above sentiments about simply relaxing - emphasis on being able to think CLEARLY! Yes there are a million things in the PHAC and AFH so my suggestion is to focus on simply being able to reference things.. keeping in perspective that this entire checkride is a judgement of your ability to TEACH!! Don't try to just put facts out there without referencing them anyways! Take your merry time thoroughly explaining each element in the task he has brings up!

I'd suggest adding the PTS to your list of items you are intimately familiar with as well. Knowing both PRVT, COM but also your CFI pts - know exactly what tasks are mandatory, etc... This helped me a lot! Remember that this checkride is the same as any other in that its gonna go by the PTS.

Only other thing Id suggest is to plan in as much detail (as the examiner will play along for) the profile of your flight! This will give you a set of expectations for what maneuvers you'll do on your flight, who will be flying them, and to what level a student the examiner is pretending to be. This helped me a lot and made the flight portion of my ride go really smoothly.

Good Luck!!!

 

Thanks for the advice everyone! For those of you curious it's in St. Louis, Missouri with the STL FSDO. I have two instructors at my school that took it with the inspector I'm taking it with, so they've been able to give me a little insight on his checkrides.

 

Cannot overemphasize this. FAA inspectors smell fear. Just go in with confidence and talk to the person about airplanes. The less you think about it, the sooner it'll be over.

 

The best advice I can give is to read the FAR/AIM, try to get to know who your examiner is, then if you can contact him and just simply ask a few questions or meet with him prior to the ride. Ask what some areas of deficiency they have seen recently. Meeting with him prior will also lower your anxiety for the ride. Good luck and have fun. If you want it bad enough you will get it! Have fun.