Commercial and CFI together?

[PilotStu]

I've been working on my commercial ticket off and on for a while now and plan to go full speed and knock it out this fall. I've heard several people suggest that I study for both Comm and CFI writtens together (or CFI closely after commercial), and to do the commercial air work from the right seat.

Does this make sense? Are the two similar enough to make this feasible or should I just focus on the commercial and worry about the CFI later?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

 

[Fearless Tower]

I've been working on my commercial ticket off and on for a while now and plan to go full speed and knock it out this fall. I've heard several people suggest that I study for both Comm and CFI writtens together (or CFI closely after commercial), and to do the commercial air work from the right seat.

Does this make sense? Are the two similar enough to make this feasible or should I just focus on the commercial and worry about the CFI later?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

If you are planning on ultimately doing both, then it does make sense and will probably save you money in the long run. The manuevers for the CFI are essentially the same as the commercial excpet that you fly them (and explain while doing) from the right seat. So, theoretically, if you can do it to the CFI PTS standards, then the commercial ride will be a breeze.

My instructor recommended it for me - only reason that I didn't do it that way was that at the time I felt ready to do the commercial ride and wanted to get it out of the way. Plus, since our club's insurance policy required 400 hrs TT to instruct, I still had 100 hrs to get before I'd be able to use my CFI so I wasn't in any hurry.

 

[dmccormack]

It makes sense on paper, but..

I considered it, but was glad I knocked out the Comm and had a few more hours before tackling the CFI.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

Not that you have to take them at the same time, but there is no reason you can't do commercial from the right seat. Then it is a matter of tuneup to do the CFI.

It is a hell of a lot of work to do them on the same day.

 

[Areeda]

My opinion is that is a good idea to take the CFI written on the same day as the commercial written. Both tests come from the same question bank. You then have 2 years to get them both done.

As far as training for them both, well you could take your commercial from the right seat if the examiner is good with it. But I agree with Dan, the CFI is much more about explaining it and evaluating mistakes than doing it.

As far as taking the test at the same time, I don't think it's a good idea. It would be an excruciatingly long day.

Joe

 

[dmccormack]

As far as taking the test at the same time, I don't think it's a good idea. It would be an excruciatingly long day.

Joe

Exactly --- that plus a bit higher level of scrutiny, I would guess -- on a 250 hour CFI/Comm candidate.

Of course, it depends on the examiner and the region (areas with pilot mills routinely churn out low-time CFIs)

 

[poadeleted20]

Not that you have to take them at the same time,...

Not only do you not have to -- you can't. Possessing the CP is a prerequisite for the CFI ride. In theory, you could do the CP in the morning and the CFI in the afternoon, but even if the applicant has the stamina for a 12-14 hour day of examinations, I doubt there are many examiners who also can make it through that.

...but there is no reason you can't do commercial from the right seat.

That's usually an operational, not regulatory issue. There are some planes in which you can't perform all the tasks necessary for the CP ride from the right seat, say, because you can't reach the fuel selector valve in a PA28, or something like that. Also, there are planes and insurance policies which have a restriction to the effect that the PIC must be in the left seat unless the PIC is a CFI giving instruction. However, if you can do all the things necessary with no assistance from the examiner in the left seat, and there are no odd-ball restrictions, it is possible to do the CP ride from the right seat.

 

[RotorAndWing]

I've been working on my commercial ticket off and on for a while now and plan to go full speed and knock it out this fall. I've heard several people suggest that I study for both Comm and CFI writtens together (or CFI closely after commercial), and to do the commercial air work from the right seat.

Does this make sense? Are the two similar enough to make this feasible or should I just focus on the commercial and worry about the CFI later?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Until recently it was possible to do multiple check rides. For example when I did my helicopter instrument/helicopter instrument instructor I took both check rides at the same time.

However there has been a new policy handed down that restricts that practice now. In a letter the FSDO's have been instructed not to allow DPE's and ASI's to perform simultaneous check rides with an exception that the applicant be properly qualified, i.e. an ATP check ride in conjunction with a Type Rating.

Hope that answers your question.