New CFI
 

Hi everyone,

I'm a freshly minted CFI (as in yesterday) and believe it or not, I might already have my first Part 61 student. Do any of you current CFIs have advice for taking on my first potential student?

If you're working for a school, probably follow close to what they want to see. Otherwise follow lesson plans that you made or follow what your instructor did with you in your logbook. And remember each student is different and might have you taking different avenues. If you work with another instructor, look to the for mentorship and advice.

Use the people and resources that are around you and remember don't get too frustrated. Some people will be naturals while others will take longer. Best of luck.

Keep Motivated
 

I also found my own part 61 students. Try to keep them as motivated as possible. If you don't hear from them on a regular basis, make it a point to get in touch with them.
Try introducing them to part 61.87 solo requirements. Explain these as being learning to walk before running. I have found that students want to solo when they have performed these safely, but not to standards. Try explaining that it is important to learn these to standards, so they may practice these while soloing. It will frustrate them if they don't start learning proficiency until prep for the check ride.
Many have said never to show students the PTS early on. I don't agree at all with that assumption. The student may benefit from knowing what the standards are from the beginning.
Of course, follow the school policies.
Be aware of what books or pilot kits your students are using. Be familiar with the content.
How about using the 141 syllabus as a guide?

1. Don't be afraid to cancel a flight, even if you don't get paid.

2. It's easier to start out strict and then loosen things up, than start out loose and try to become stricter.

3. If your school doesn't have a syllabus, there are several free ones (ASA, King, Rod Machado) downloadable online.

4. The Flight Instructor's Manual by William Kershner is a must read. It will walk you thru the first several lessons and has lots of great techniques and tips.

It will take time, be patient. The student will have to learn how to use the controls. Provide him the instruction, demonstrate, do it over and over, but don't "help" him out on the controls. If he's doing it wrong and you are thinking about "helping" him out, take the controls, explain what to do better, get the airplane back, and repeat. A good litmus test is if you have to "help out", that usually means "take the controls", even if it seems inconsequential. He has to learn how hard to crank over a rudder when needed, or how hard to use the brakes if necessary, or how far to push the nose down. The students tend to stay "afraid" of using the controls to the extent when necessary, such as in a heavy crosswind, stall recovery, or even spin. They have to be guided through using the control envelope as appropriate and the control forces that are required. A good instructor can describe how to use the controls (not always quantitative) and what references to base those movements upon. Then he can tell the student how to do it better or how to improve. Remember that a student won't have the experience or ability of a 10,000hr pilot who has forgotten how to do everything and just does it "naturally" when it "looks good". They won't be able to judge "looks good" and will need a lot of references and rules, from which they'll base their decisions and correlate when they are in a different situation.

Taxiing is a good case study. Don't sit there at first and have them learn how to follow the yellow line. Sit there and learn how to use the controls, swerve left and right intentionally, see the limits of the nosewheel steering on pavement, go towards the edges (within reason) and have him go back, go back and forth and have him use the brakes for turns sometimes. Get on him like craazy if he's riding the brakes or his first inclination is to use brakes, build up the proper habit patterns. The idea is that if you haven't taught how to use the controls like this and just centered on the small movements to make gradual turns and the yellow line, what happens the first time they start to go off? They are afraid to either stop with the brakes (proper application and control movements) or afraid to use the brakes and steering to the extent necessary to bring the plane back...because they've never done it before. And then they go off the taxiiway.

1500 hours, then move on.

All good stuff, even what the last guy said. Unless you plan on being a career CFI 1500 hours ASEL is the same as 2500 hours ASEL, or 3500 ASEL...

I would tend to explain the entire process (syllabus, PTS, written, checkride) sooner rather than later (but not on the intro flight). That way the student understands the structure, what he's working towards, and how far along he is.

The non-commercial flight student pilot tends not to study so hammer the importance of a daily sit-down study routine using

• videos- Sportys, ASA or similar
• Jeppesen textbook with quizzes included in book
• ground school classes one-on-one, or a formal G-S course

You set the tone, how seriously you take their training will be how seriously the student takes it. You may also need more than one student to get 1500 hours in unless he is really slow (joke).

Thanks everyone for the advice. I downloaded the ASA private pilot syllabus. I went through a Part 141 school, so I might "borrow" their syllabus as well. Seeing what I think would work best. I'm excited, but nervous at the same time.

Congrats on the CFI. When I first started teaching my first few students I had a tendency to over instruct. When we spend so many years training we forget what is like to be a primary student.
Keep it fun, and focus on the solo portion cause that is when you can hook them.