Tips for a CFI wanna-be?

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Cjserio

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Chris S
So I started a previous thread about how to best network and get experience in aviation and came to the conclusion that earning my CFI certificate was one thing that I could do. I already have a career and I'm not looking for a new one but flying's my passion and I want to constantly get better at it and keep current so I've decided to pursue my CFI.

Some quick background on me...I got my Private in 1998, Instrument in 1999, Commercial in 2002, Multi in 2004 and then essentially fell off the planet aviation-wise as I finished college in Engineering, got married, bought a house and had two kids. I've spent the last month flying my butt off trying to get re-acclimated to the new aviation world (What's this GPS thing everyone's talking about!? :))

I know the FAA has changed things around somewhat recently about becoming a CFI. For you long time CFIs as well as those that just got their certifications, what advice would you give me as I begin to start re-learing and studying it all? Would you just crack open the Jeppesen books like you were in ground school all over again? Would you prefer the FAA's publications like Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical knowledge? Other resources?

I'm not in any rush. I'm doing this to learn and get experience, not to find quick employment.

Thanks in advance to anyone with advice/suggestions!
 
Obviously the FAA's publications will tell you everything you need to know. ;)

Other than that, I recommend spending time in places like this, paying as much attention to the way questions are answered (or not) as you do to the actual content. One of our weaknesses as instructors is that we like to provide the answers we know, whether or not they apply to the question asked.
 
Cjserio said:
So I started a previous thread about how to best network and get experience in aviation and came to the conclusion that earning my CFI certificate was one thing that I could do. I already have a career and I'm not looking for a new one but flying's my passion and I want to constantly get better at it and keep current so I've decided to pursue my CFI.

Some quick background on me...I got my Private in 1998, Instrument in 1999, Commercial in 2002, Multi in 2004 and then essentially fell off the planet aviation-wise as I finished college in Engineering, got married, bought a house and had two kids. I've spent the last month flying my butt off trying to get re-acclimated to the new aviation world (What's this GPS thing everyone's talking about!? :))

I know the FAA has changed things around somewhat recently about becoming a CFI. For you long time CFIs as well as those that just got their certifications, what advice would you give me as I begin to start re-learing and studying it all? Would you just crack open the Jeppesen books like you were in ground school all over again? Would you prefer the FAA's publications like Airplane Flying Handbook and Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical knowledge? Other resources?

I'm not in any rush. I'm doing this to learn and get experience, not to find quick employment.

Thanks in advance to anyone with advice/suggestions!
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Network. Try checking out this group: http://www.meetup.com/NEPilotsGroup/ This time of the year they have several meetups a month all over the NY, CT, NJ, PA, NH, VT area. Several are CFIs and they are a fun, friendly group.

PS. Welcome to PoA.
 
Airplane Flying Handbook, pilots handbook of aeronautical knowledge, aviation instructors handbook are good places to start
 
MauleSkinner said:
Obviously the FAA's publications will tell you everything you need to know. ;)

Other than that, I recommend spending time in places like this, paying as much attention to the way questions are answered (or not) as you do to the actual content. One of our weaknesses as instructors is that we like to provide the answers we know, whether or not they apply to the question asked.
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Thanks!

AuntPeggy said:
Network. Try checking out this group: http://www.meetup.com/NEPilotsGroup/ This time of the year they have several meetups a month all over the NY, CT, NJ, PA, NH, VT area. Several are CFIs and they are a fun, friendly group.

PS. Welcome to PoA.
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Oh that good to know about thanks. I'm always looking for somewhat local groups.
 
jordane93 said:
Airplane Flying Handbook, pilots handbook of aeronautical knowledge, aviation instructors handbook are good places to start
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Yeah when I did a search for CFI threads, I saw you just got yours recently. I assume those were your main resources?
 
My advice is don't do it. That is unless you really want to. Studying will be a lot of work since you're not just out of flight school. It will take a quite a bit of time and stress and you may find that by that time you will have made the connections you were hoping to make by becoming a CFI. Thats what happened to me.

CFI cost me a good amount of time and money and when I finished I instructed for <100 Hrs before being offered a flying job. Thats only because I worked as a line guy and not because I was a CFI.
 
You already have most of the knowledge. If you go,for your CFI you will have an instructor that will help you get up to speed. That is the time for you to learned and re learn information that you will teach. Majority of the CFI rating is ground work.
 
jordane93 said:
Airplane Flying Handbook, pilots handbook of aeronautical knowledge, aviation instructors handbook are good places to start
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I would add re-read the AIM. It's amazing how much info is contained in there that we sometimes forget.
 
Becoming a CFI is about TEACHING, not flying. The FAA already knows that you can fly. However, being a good pilot does not always make one a candidate to be a good teacher.

Your students will be paying you to teach them how to become a pilot. Both on the ground and in the air.
 
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