FIRC

Areeda

Areeda

Pattern Altitude
Joined
Aug 21, 2005
Messages
2,188
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Display Name
Areeda
Home Airfield
KEMT - El Monte, CA
This time I decided to do my FIRC with the ASA program. It's not bad but lectures on DVDs are worse than giving my wife the TIVO remote:cryin:

I also did my yearly TSA security awareness. They said a serious flag that should arouse suspicion is people who show up with apparently valid credentials but lacking a level of knowledge appropriate for the rating.

I think that means I am forced to report all the pilots at my home airport and most of the people on the Internet-:hairraise:

Joe
 
Areeda said:
I also did my yearly TSA security awareness. They said a serious flag that should arouse suspicion is people who show up with apparently valid credentials but lacking a level of knowledge appropriate for the rating.

I think that means I am forced to report all the pilots at my home airport and most of the people on the Internet-:hairraise:
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If they can't properly answer the treadmill question, report them to the TSA! :rofl:
 
I use the Gleim FIRC online. It's divided into modules and doesn't have any boring lectures. I find the information informative and well presented, plus being online you can do a section at a time which is nice for me on long layovers.
 
I used AOPA which is the Gleim one last time and I agree. I can read much faster than these people can talk. The lectures aren't bad so far but my dvd player doesn't have a fast forward with sound.

Next time no DVDs.

Joe

edit: I was wrong here. The AOPA course is Jeppesen's not Gleim's.
 
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I actually JUST finished mine three days ago. I was going to write something up on here, but haven't had the time. I used the American Flyers online program, and loved it! What's better - pay once (about the same amount as other programs) and you can use it for the lifetime of your CFI certificate. And since it's all online, you never have to worry about updates. Admittedly it's a little dry reading all that stuff, but overall I think it was a great program and am very happy with it! Now I just have to get off my lazy ass and turn the paperwork in before the end of this month!
 
Teller1900 said:
I actually JUST finished mine three days ago. I was going to write something up on here, but haven't had the time. I used the American Flyers online program, and loved it! What's better - pay once (about the same amount as other programs) and you can use it for the lifetime of your CFI certificate. And since it's all online, you never have to worry about updates. Admittedly it's a little dry reading all that stuff, but overall I think it was a great program and am very happy with it! Now I just have to get off my lazy ass and turn the paperwork in before the end of this month!
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And I understand that they're in the process of updating it, with a new version scheduled this summer. The new version may not be required to have 16 hours of seat time thanks to the promulgation of new rules. This is all according to what we were told at a Wings seminar at AF last weekend.
 
gprellwitz said:
And I understand that they're in the process of updating it, with a new version scheduled this summer. The new version may not be required to have 16 hours of seat time thanks to the promulgation of new rules. This is all according to what we were told at a Wings seminar at AF last weekend.
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I do know they have a new version coming out, but I didn't know it was going to reduce the required online time. That would be nice, though the requirement was really nothing more than a slight inconvenience. Read through the section, then watch TV online or go run a quick errand while clicking "refresh" every 20 minutes until you're allowed to take the test. I think the new version is supposed to have a lot more (and a lot better) graphics and animations and such, no?
 
Doing Aviation Seminars weekender in 3 weeks. Tried the Flyers thing, but the on-line was even more boring than their seminars. ZZZZZZ. I don't relish spending the weekend, but then have the next 103 off.
 
I did Cap'n Jeppeson again in January and it can't be beat for comprehensiveness and speed.
TSA online was done online in 20 minutes.
 
I have renewed via Jepp and Gleim. Gleim is the best for my money and time. Highly recommend their program after using it for my last three renewals.
 
I think I'd rather attend a live FIRC just to make things more entertaining and perhaps a short getaway I could write off.
 
KennyFlys said:
I think I'd rather attend a live FIRC just to make things more entertaining and perhaps a short getaway I could write off.
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I haven't attended a live FIRC in years but I can remember enjoying them more than other methods. I'm sure it depends on the speakers, though. The ones I attended were put on by AOPA. As far as the online courses go, I've used Jeppesen and Gleim. Personally I liked Gleim better because it was more text based and I would rather read than watch multimedia presentations. The last time I took the lazy route and got renewed based on my job. Maybe I'll do that this year too, but you don't really learn anything new that way.
 
Everskyward said:
I haven't attended a live FIRC in years but I can remember enjoying them more than other methods. I'm sure it depends on the speakers, though. The ones I attended were put on by AOPA. As far as the online courses go, I've used Jeppesen and Gleim. Personally I liked Gleim better because it was more text based and I would rather read than watch multimedia presentations. The last time I took the lazy route and got renewed based on my job. Maybe I'll do that this year too, but you don't really learn anything new that way.
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I use to get my CFI renewed based upon my job (Captain part 121 air carrier) until some genius in the FAA decided the rewrite the reg allowing this unless you were a check airman.

I did it on activity for a few years while I was teaching helicopters, now I prefer the Gleim course.
 
My conclusion as well. Teaching sim sessions and attending IP recurrent training is sufficient to satisfy the man, but pretty narrow insofar as the "real world" of CFI activities is concerned.

Everskyward said:
I haven't attended a live FIRC in years but I can remember enjoying them more than other methods. I'm sure it depends on the speakers, though. The ones I attended were put on by AOPA. As far as the online courses go, I've used Jeppesen and Gleim. Personally I liked Gleim better because it was more text based and I would rather read than watch multimedia presentations. The last time I took the lazy route and got renewed based on my job. Maybe I'll do that this year too, but you don't really learn anything new that way.
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Rotor&Wing said:
I use to get my CFI renewed based upon my job (Captain part 121 air carrier) until some genius in the FAA decided the rewrite the reg allowing this unless you were a check airman.
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I wonder if this is an interpretation of an individual FSDO. I am not a check airman but I am listed as a training captain (Part 135).
 
KennyFlys said:
I think I'd rather attend a live FIRC just to make things more entertaining and perhaps a short getaway I could write off.
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My first was live and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was AOPA and I ended up becoming friends with the instructor. (Mari, maybe you were in the same one).
 
Everskyward said:
I wonder if this is an interpretation of an individual FSDO. I am not a check airman but I am listed as a training captain (Part 135).
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I not sure that "Joe and I have a beer together once in a while" was really an official method of renewal, just a minor twisting of the applicable reg.
 
Areeda said:
I also did my yearly TSA security awareness. They said a serious flag that should arouse suspicion is people who show up with apparently valid credentials but lacking a level of knowledge appropriate for the rating.
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So that's a sign of what? TSA has got to be one of the most clueless organizations around. I would think a better sign should be if they failed the TSA background check. Oh wait, we're only doing that for foreign nationals and even then it's of no use. Sigh...
 
midlifeflyer said:
My first was live and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was AOPA and I ended up becoming friends with the instructor. (Mari, maybe you were in the same one).
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Though I have over a year before a FIRC is required, I was able to sit in on the second day of one a while back without charge. It was very beneficial so I'm pretty sure I'll go back.
 
Well I've finished 5 out of 16 units and the main thing I've learned is that I don't like taped lectures. Last time I did one it was the Cessna/King for my private. I guess I really did need a refresher.

Don't get me wrong I am learning some things, I just wish I had a X2 button that kept the sound on.

I want to post the weirdest true/false question I've every seen. This is from the pretest of the FAA Human Factors Training Course :

1. Since we are all human, anyone can perform Human Factors.
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I assumed they were talking about "Human Factors - The Musical" and since I can't sing or dance I said false and got it right.

Joe
 
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