What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Any VAFers CFIs?

R

r0cknry

Member
Hey everyone. I'm pretty new on the boards but have been a long time lurker. Anyways, I recently took my commercial check ride last month and have just started to work on CFI.

As I started my formal flight training a few years ago I have accumulated private, instrument, commercial, seaplane w/ private privileges, tailwheel and complex.

As I have been slowly working on building a CFI notebook I am realizing that this is going to be a lot more work than I had originally thought! If anyone on the boards is a current or past CFI does anyone have any handy tips for me or anything they feel I should really emphasize my studying on? I am excited to work towards this however I have never been this eager and nervous towards a new rating!

Thanks!

BTW, I received a lot of my tailwheel training and flight hours in an RV8 and its an absolute blast! I hope one day to be able to own my own RV :D
 
Yep

Hi Ryan,
I've been a CFI since 1969 while I was in the Army...but as a civilian pilot, not military. I let it lapse after about 10 years but so many folks that I knew kept pushing me to renew, so I did and keep it current now.

I don't teach basic flying but give a lot of BFR's and RV transition training...the most fun of all because the guys are already licensed. I've taught transition training in both my airplanes and theirs, as well as having done several first flights of new RV's.

The CFI license is really the one to be proud of.

Best,
 
CFI

Hi Ryan,

I am recently minted CFI (just did the CFI checkride in May). Indeed it is overwhelming when you first look at all the lesson plans that you need to make.

Regarding lesson plans, my suggestion would be to make 1-2 per day (that would take you around an hour each day). That way in a couple of months you'll have everything thats needed. Ofcourse you can go and buy pre-made lesson plans but for me those didnt work. There is something magical about making your own, it just ingrains the stuff in your head.

Also, one another suggestion is that this is a "teaching" rating and not "how well you fly" rating. So dont get too focused to flying as opposed to teaching and flying. On my checkride, I was really evaluated on how well I can teach, and not on if I am flying to PTS standards 100% of the time. The key is to realize what is acceptable and what is not, and when not acceptable having the awareness to correct it.

Finally, realize that many more applicant CFIs don't make it in their first attempt. I was mentally prepared for it and so should you. It is a high bar to meet (basically you have a lot of power after you become a CFI and as Spiderman told us "with great pwer comes great responsibility").

Good luck and enjoy the ride! Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Ashish
 
CFI Training

The CFI is the classic scenario of ?the more I learn, the less I know?. As you turn each page, there is just more and more you have to learn. The CFI is not about flying but teaching. You're the gate keeper for all new pilots. It's a big responsibility and the FAA treats it that way accordingly.

Know the FOIs inside out and backwards. It?s usually the first part of the oral. Use the CFI PTS and follow what areas you?ll be tested on. I suggest the three CFI books published by June Bonesteel, a DPE in AZ. They?re really useful. June presents questions/answers, while following the PTS, for virtually every portion of the oral.

Video yourself presenting lesson plans. I can?t overemphasize this enough. Have others critique them. You?ll be shocked how bad you are in the beginning. No worries, we all go through this. Practice using scenario-based examples. They really work well to keep the student engaged and help them to understand the point you're trying to make.

Always give the student the ?why? you have them do something. We all need to understand the ?why? of something. Never lie or guess at the answer -- if you don't know the answer, tell them you don?t know but will find the answer for them.

Remember to not constantly talk into your student?s ear, allow them time to process stuff and make mistakes on their own.

The practical portion is about you teaching, not your mad flying skills. Be comfortable flying in the right seat to the point you actually prefer the right seat.

And if you really want to impress your examiner when you're explaining say aerodynamics, be able to draw the outline of an airplane upside down while sitting opposite from them at the examiner's table.

Always be clear in your instructions. If you only tell me to ?pitch forward? (and not how far forward) during the stall recovery -- I will push that yoke all the way to its forward limit...
 
Hello Ryan,

I worked my way through my ratings including my CFI. Although I don't do much instructing anymore (employer wants my 100 hours/mo commercial time). I loved flight instructing and had it paid more, I would have kept at it.

I really recommend you get in touch with your FSDO and talk to one or two flight examiners. They will eventually be doing your check ride and and now is a great time to make a contact with them. Even though we often joke about them, the fed's are very eager to help you out. Especially initial CFI's. You may find someone eager to go up and give you a "mock" check ride. Many of them are ex-CFI's who miss their instructing days.

Beyond that, I recommend the following:

1. Always fly from the right seat. Regardless if you are with anyone. In fact, go up solo and purposefully fly from the right.

2. Find a friend who wants to go fly and give them some "instructing".

3. Remember the law of Primacy. Right from lesson 1 have your students do EVERYTHING. It can be painfully slow the first few lessons as they stumble on the radios and mumble through checklists, but if you do anything for them early on, you will hurt them later.

4. Don't be afraid to tell your student you are new and "I don't know". My early students admired my humility and it really challenged them to be on top of their game.

5. Gain a reputation for making them do crosswinds. If the winds are straight down the runway, find another runway! Fear of crosswinds has paralyzed lot's of new students. Many of which don't continue because of it.

6. Never do stalls straight. Always a minimum of 10 degrees of bank.

7. Don't be afraid to **** off your students. When they do something wrechless, make it clear. NEVER, NEVER tip toe through their mistakes. However, make it clear what the expectations are and have your PTS on hand at all times.

8. Use the FAA "Airplane Flying Handbook". Both for yourself and for them. I consider it the best book on flying ever written. Study it. Learn it. Live it.

9. Most of all, have fun!
 
Read your question this morning and have been mulling it over in my head throughout the day. What tidbits of info would I give somebody wanting to get their initial CFI.
Lots of good tips so far and here are some of mine in no particular order of importance.
Getting the rating.
1. Make your own lesson plans, don't buy them. You never truly understand a subject until you have to teach it. The very act of sitting down and doing the research to write a lesson plan will drive this point home. The Kershner books are very good sources of info. Yes it is a lot of work but it is worth it. Not unlike the analogy of building your own airplane vs. buying one.

2. Practice practice practice. Practice giving both ground and flight instruction. Find a victi...uh, a willing participant and practice your delivery. Your CFI instructor will work with you on the technically correct part, what you need to find is somebody who doesn't already know the material and teach it to them. Then either through questions or demonstration you can judge if you were able to impart the knowledge.

3. Bring props. Have a little toy plastic airplane so you can point things out. Very handy for showing all sorts of aerodynamic forces. Have a gyro for demonstrating gyroscopic precession. Etc etc etc.

Once you have the rating here are some tips on being a good CFI.
Once again, in no particular order.
1. In the beginning, never shut up. Not 100% true but when demonstrating a new maneuver or watching a new student perform a maneuver your lips should be moving. As the student progresses you can become more of an observer.

2. Have a few different ways to explain anything. Not everybody processes information the same way. If you are trying to explain something to a student and they just are not getting it, don't keep plowing ahead with the same rap. Try a different path.

3. In the beginning, teach the basic stick and rudder skills. Once the student can actually fly the airplane then start adding other things. It's just the building block theory straight out of the FOI. Unfortunately the new fashionable way to teach these days that is endorsed by the FAA is to integrate everything, including TAA (technologically advanced aircraft) right from the very first lesson. If you find yourself teaching in a TAA, cover stuff up for a little bit. Keep their head outside the cockpit in the first few hours until they are comfortable flying the airplane.

4. Look and act like a professional. Not saying that you have to wear a shirt and tie but don't show up in shorts and flip flops. Be prepared for every lesson. Never walk into the briefing and say "Now what were we doing today?" It is possible to be relaxed and laid back yet still professional. Always conduct a debrief at the end of the flight. Be honest about how it went and encourage the student to participate / self evaluate.

5. Realize that an airplane is just about the worst place you can have to try and teach somebody to fly. I know that sounds strange but for a student there are so many things going on that there just isn't much cognitive power left to process new information. This is where the building block theory comes into play. Start with the small things and work up from there.

6. Let the student make mistakes. If you break in and correct a mistake the instant it happens the student will never learn the consequences of their actions. Let a mistake develop and let the student correct it. Two things will happen;
A. It will make a much bigger impression than if you constantly correct them.
B. It allows you to evaluate the students ability to recover from a mistake.
Now, how long you let a mistake go totally depends on the mistake. That takes judgement on your part. You can let the student who turns to an incorrect heading on a cross country carry on for some time. The student who tries to save a wicked bounce on a landing instead of going around needs instant correction. You get the idea.

I could go on but you get the idea.
It is my opinion that the people who are the most rounded pilots are those who have been instructors. If you have never taught then you have only ever seen your own mistakes. When you teach you will see things you never imagined could happen.
 
Wow so many people chiming in with great tips! To everyone who gave me their input, thanks!

So far I have made lesson plans on aerodynamics, flight planning, aeromedical factors, and flight controls. These 4 lesson plans have accumulated over 25 pages of information so i'm beginning to remember how overwhelming all of this info can be to a new student pilot.

Going over a lot of these subjects has reminded me of a lot that I have forgotten since private training and even a few things that I have never seen or learned before so it's pretty cool learning new things as well as remembering others.

I will keep this thread updated periodically as I progress and maybe i'll post a few of my lessons plans up here to see what you all think.

Ryan
 
I got my initial CFI in 1989 so not sure if this is still relevant....
This was shortly after the FISDO's started requiring that they, not designated examiners, do the initial check rides. The emphasis was on the oral, they scheduled a full half day for it. They wanted you to know the FARs forwards and backwards, although consulting the book was allowed. The flight portion was easy - they wanted a demonstration of teaching, so, if for example, you saw that your steep turn wasn't perfect, you just said, "See how I lost a bit of altitude here? So I'll roll out slightly, now apply back pressure, see how the plane rolls back into the turn and at a slightly higher angle of attack, so now we're not descending?". Don't try to cover up mistakes, they're not blind. Instead demonstrate what you'd do for a student. They did expect you to talk and fly at the same time.
One other thing. They wanted to make some sort of point with aircraft owners. They went thru the aircraft logs with a fine tooth comb (actually another inspector did that during the oral) looking for errors/omissions, like pitot static tests overdue, ADs not signed off, etc. One guy was sent home with a ferry permit because they couldn't find the log entry for an "installed" fire extinguisher. (installed on the seat frame). This is tough to control since most applicants have to rent a retractible from someone. After making their point the FISDO pretty much ignored the aircraft on the re-test appointment. (In the case above the FBO just removed the fire extinguisher and put it in the baggage area, so it was no longer "installed".) I don't know if they're still being this fussy or not.
BTW, the correct answer to all FOI questions seemed to be "Motivation". -:)
 
learn to diagnose probs and bad technuique...

early. before they become habits. even and especially the most fundamental things...where their seat is positioned, forward or backward and upward or downward. where their feet are placed on the floor and the rudders. whether they inadvertently begin a turn in flight with back pressure instead of aileron pressure. make sure they have their fundamentals/4 basics and stick and rudder skills down pat before allowing them to go on to combined maneuvers. putting the pieces together only works if the pieces are right in the first place. that's why teaching the basic students is so much more demanding and takes so much more concentration than the experienced pilots...

on the other hand, never assume that an experienced pilot won't try to kill you both, either!
 
Hey everyone! This is some of my study material/lesson plan notes that I have composed. These are on Aeromedical Factors. Not extremely detailed or in-depth, but lots of good info I think! Let me know what you all think!

The formatting is all jacked up so in the real file its a lot easier to read, but you get the idea :p

Anyone know any sites that I can upload my document to and then post a link on here?

Aeromedical Factors

Hypoxia - An insufficient amount of oxygen in the body?s blood.
Highest concern is getting enough oxygen to the brain

4 Types
Hypoxic - An insufficient oxygen amount to the body as a whole
Causes...
High Altitudes
Hypemic - A result of oxygen deficiency in the blood
Causes...
CO poisoning
Reduced blood volume
Anemia
Hemoglobin is unable to transport the oxygen
Stagnant - A result of the oxygen having the inability to flow properly throughout the body
Causes...
Excessive G forces during flight
Shock
Heart failure
Histotoxic - The inability of the cells to effectively use oxygen.
Causes...
Drugs
Alcohol

Symptoms of Hypoxia
Cyanosis (blue fingernails or lips)
Headaches
Decreased reaction time
Impaired Judgement
Euphoria (enlightened sense of well being)
Visual impairment
Drowsiness
Lightheaded
Numbness
Tingling if fingers and toes

Treatment of Hypoxia
Supplemental Oxygen
Descend to a lower altitude ASAP

Time of Useful Consciousness - A term which describes the maximum time the pilot has to make rational, life-saving decisions and carry them out at a given altitude without supplemental oxygen

Altitude in Flight level Time of Useful Consciousness Altitude in meters Altitude in feet
FL 150 30 min or more 4,572 m 15,000
FL 180 20 to 30 min 5,486 m 18,000
FL 220 5-10 min 6,705 m 22,000
FL 250 3 to 6 min 7,620 m 25,000
FL 280 2.5 to 3 mins 8,534 m 28,000
FL 300 1 to 3 mins 9,144 m 30,000
FL 350 30 sec to 60 sec 10,668 m 35,000
FL 400 15 to 20 sec 12,192 m 40,000
FL 430 9 to 15 sec 13,106 m 43,000
FL 500 and above 6 to 9 sec 15,240 m 50,000


Hyperventilation - The excessive rate and depth of respirartion leading to abnormal loss of carbon dioxide form the blood.
May lead to unconsciousness
Body will reset itself after regaining counsciousness

Symptoms of Hyperventilation
Visual Impairment
Unsconsciousness
Lightheaded or dizzy sensation
Tingling sensations
Hot and cold sensations
Muscle spasms

Treatment of Hyperventilation
Involves restoring the proper carbon dioxide level in the body
Slow the breathing rate
Breathe into a paperbag

Middle Ear and Sinus Problems
During climbs and descends, trapped gasses in body cavities expands and contracts due to a difference in pressure of the outside air and the air inside the body.
This expanding air may cause pain in areas such as...
Ears
Sinus cavitites
To relieve this pain, close mouth and pinch the nostrils shut and blow slightly in the mouth and nose

Spatial Disorientation - lack of orientation with regard to position, attitude or movement of the airplane in space
Body uses 3 systems which work together to ascertain orientation
Vestibular - inner ear
Somatosensory - nerves in skin, sense of position based on gravity
Visual - eyes
When one or more of these senses do not agree with each other, a person may experience spacial disorientation.
Trust Your Instruments!!!

Upsloping Runway - An upsloping runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is higher than it actually is, leading to a lower approach.
Dowsloping Runway - A downsloping runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is lower than it actually is, leading to a higher approach.
Narrower Runway - A narrower-than-usual runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is higher than it actually is, leading to a lower approach.
Wider Runway - A wider-than-usual runway can create the illusion that the aircraft is lower than it actually is, leading to a higher approach.

To combat these illusions, reference a VASI or PAPI whenever available.


Motion Sickness - (air sickness) occurs when the brain receives conflicting messages about the state of the body
Symptoms
General discomfort
Nausea
Dizziness
Paleness
Sweating
Vomitting
Remedies
Open fresh air vents
Avoid excessive head movements
Focus on objects outside of the airplane

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning
CO is a colorless and odorless gas produced by internal combustion engines
CO prevents the hemoglobin in the blood from carrying oxygen cells, resulting in hypemic hypoxia
Causes of CO Poisoning
Smoking
CO entering the cabin through heat vents. In most small aircraft, cabin heat is produced by directing airflow over exhaust shrouds form the engine and then routed into the cabin. If the exhaust were to have a crack or leak, CO may enter the cabin causing CO poisoning
Treatment
Open fresh air vents
Shut the heater off
Use of supplemental oxygen

Fatigue - influences the ability to make effective decisions
May cause degradation of attention and concentration, impaired coordination, and decreased ability to communication
2 types
Acute - short term and generally normal in occurrence
Chronic - long term and may need medical help

Dehydration - Critical Loss of water in the body
Causes
Excessive Heat
Certain beverages such as coffee and caffeinated drinks
Alcohol
Humidity
Wind
Signs
Headache
Fatigue - Usually first noticeable
Cramps
Sleepiness
Diziness

Heatstroke - Inability of the body to control its temperature
Similar symptoms of Dehydration

Alcohol - Drastically impairs the efficiency of the human body
Alcohol impairs a person to make time-critical decisions.
8 hours Bottle to throttle - No alcohol consumption within 8 hours of flight
Limit of B.A.C. is .04% as per 14 CFR part 91.17

During a hangover a pilot is still under the influence of alcohol

Scuba Diving
Subjects the body to increased pressure, which allows more nitrogen to dissolve into body tissue and fluids
Decompression Sickness - a condition characterized by a variety of symptoms resulting from exposure to low barometric pressure that causes inert gases (mainly nitrogen), normally dissolved in body fluids and tissues, to come out of physical solution and form bubbles.
A pilot or passenger who plans to fly after scuba diving should allow the body enough time to rid itself of excess nitrogen absorbed during diving
For flights of up to 8000 feet
After dives not requiring controlled ascent
Wait 12 hours
After dives requiring controlled ascent
Wait 24 hours
For flights above 8000 feet
Wait 24 hours
 
don.olandese said:
early. before they become habits. even and especially the most fundamental things...where their seat is positioned, forward or backward and upward or downward. where their feet are placed on the floor and the rudders. whether they inadvertently begin a turn in flight with back pressure instead of aileron pressure. make sure they have their fundamentals/4 basics and stick and rudder skills down pat before allowing them to go on to combined maneuvers. putting the pieces together only works if the pieces are right in the first place. that's why teaching the basic students is so much more demanding and takes so much more concentration than the experienced pilots...

on the other hand, never assume that an experienced pilot won't try to kill you both, either!
Click to expand...

This part about instructing "experienced" pilots can be so true. Here comes Captain Midnight, not only does he fly the big stuff but the bug smashers too. Can even fly the box they came in. At this point you, the newly minted CFI, are in awe and overwhelmed until everything turns brown. It will probably happen to you a couple of times before you learn to never let your guard down. On the other hand, this kind of experience is the exception rather than the rule.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top