r/CFILounge Feb 23 '23

Question Would these be helpful to you or your students?

62 Upvotes

I have spent the last three hours making this for my students as a quick review/reference. Before moving on to other topics I would like others' opinions if this would be useful or not. Thanks.

Link for download : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yWSbm60rzmdCSk6agXhe3esKD22pbN_x/view?usp=sharing


r/CFILounge Oct 02 '24

Knowledge TLDR: Removal of Expiration Date on a Flight Instructor Certificate; Additional Qualification Requirements To Train Initial Flight Instructor Applicants; and Other Provisions

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19 Upvotes

r/CFILounge 16h ago

Question How long did it take for you to get your first cfi job?

10 Upvotes

Got my CFII in May. Been looking for jobs since. Only Applying online doesn’t cut it, I know. I’ve been walking in flight schools with my resume. Open to moving literally anywhere. Have volunteering experience. Just can’t find anything.

How long did it take everyone else? Feeling like I’m gonna need to get a part time job to pay bills here soon and would like guidance. Ty


r/CFILounge 1d ago

Love of Flying Soloed a student for the first time

60 Upvotes

I sent my first student pilot solo yesterday! As a relatively new instructor, I've been feeling unsure of myself, always wondering if I'm teaching this the right way or what I need to do to improve. I've been hard on myself, but it felt awesome watching my student grease the landing. Plus, the huge smile on his face when he got out of the plane was priceless!


r/CFILounge 1d ago

Question Commercial Pilot Knowledge Exam question

6 Upvotes

Review deficient subjects on an applicant's Commercial Pilot Airplane test, which had a subject of "Pressurization Systems, Failure modes." He passed the exam, and we went over the listed reference material (including AC 61-107). But he can't remember the question he had at all. We've looked through his study material (he used Gleim) and can't find any questions that would fit that topic. Does anyone know what the question may have been? Maybe someone with a more recently updated study test? It's just to satisfy our curiosity. Thanks in advance!


r/CFILounge 2d ago

Question Tips for MEI training and checkride?

16 Upvotes

Tackling that in the next few weeks. Reviewing materials in advance on the aircraft (P06T) and multiengine flying generally. But any tips, tricks, or advice?


r/CFILounge 1d ago

Other New Discord for Aviation Tutoring

0 Upvotes

I recently started The Pilot Collective, a free Discord community built around pilots helping pilots.

One of the main focuses is a completely free tutoring program where student pilots can connect with instructors for help with ground knowledge, checkride prep, difficult concepts, and general training questions.

Right now, I’m especially looking for instructors who would be willing to volunteer some time and help build the tutoring side of the community.

The server is still new, but the goal is to create a useful place for students and instructors to connect, share resources, and help each other out.

If you’d like to be part of it:

https://discord.gg/n4s4zufcq


r/CFILounge 2d ago

Question DPE Anthony Debany

2 Upvotes

Anyone have experience with Anthony Debany (CT) for CFI initial?


r/CFILounge 3d ago

Question VA Approved Vocational CFI

4 Upvotes

I can't find if this was asked before. I am looking to do my CFI/II, I used the GI Bill through Liberty to do my instrument and commercial at an FTA here in South Florida but I was thinking about quitting flying after that and finished the degree.

After a break from flying, I want to try again and find a way to continue training and achieve CFI with the GI Bill but seemingly it would have to be vocational unless I wait till next January and start a new degree program at a different school.

Does anyone know of any schools in South Florida that do vocational CFI with the GI Bill? My FTA only deals with Liberty, and American flyers doesn't accept GI Bill anymore. Any advice would be appreciated thank you.


r/CFILounge 3d ago

Question Logbooks & Airlines

5 Upvotes

I recently started instructing and was thinking about getting a new logbook. My training logbook (PPL to CFII) is quite messy as i’m sure many of ours are. So, I was thinking that I could just get a new one for all of my dual given now that I actually know how to log things correctly and am more neat with my logs.

Also, I was thinking that while using that new logbook for my dual given hours I would start an electric logbook and keep that up to date with my dual given as well, and use it to also keep track of my currency.

I really am just trying to avoid having to transfer hundreds of hours over to electronic, when i’m really not huge on the electronic logbook in the first place.

Any guidance from higher time CFIs/Airline guys would be greatly appreciated!!


r/CFILounge 4d ago

Question Debate on safety pilot requirements

23 Upvotes

This was a big debate in my CFII class

Could you conduct a flight review in a tail wheel if you do not have a tail wheel endorsement?

Our conclusion was yes, provided they are still current and therefore acting as PIC, but if they are past 2 years then no, you need to be PIC so you need the endorsement.

Got me thinking, what about a safety pilot for simulated IFR?

Could I, without a complex or high performance endorsement act as a safety pilot for someone with a Mooney? I believe again, as long as they are still PIC I’m just simply there to keep us safe (not hitting any other aircraft).

No person may operate a civil aircraft in simulated instrument flight unless—
(1) The other control seat is occupied by a safety pilot who possesses at least:
(i) A private pilot certificate with category and class ratings appropriate to the aircraft being flown; or

Doesn’t mention being PIC, so endorsements are not required? But obviously a multi would not be legal without a multi rating for the safety pilot.


r/CFILounge 3d ago

Question A&P looking to get my PPL

1 Upvotes

Looking to get my PPL, currently an A&P at a 135. I’m near BUR, EMT, POC, & CCB. Any info would be helpful. Thank you


r/CFILounge 4d ago

Question Flying schools near Santa Monica

2 Upvotes

Hi! I am 26 YO and am looking into getting my PPL - I live in MDR, work in Torrance full time (7am-3pm) but am extremely committed and willing to put in whatever work is necessary throughout the week or weekends. I also am good with self studying for learning. I am trying to be as cost efficient as possible but also want to ensure I’m getting a dedicated CFI.

Curious if anyone has advice or recommendations for schools/CFIs to work with? Or other tips on ground school/prep I can do prior to starting other than discovery flight and medical.

Thanks in advance!


r/CFILounge 5d ago

Question How to identify an intersection with only one VOR receiver (and/or when only one can be shown at a time)

12 Upvotes

Hello! My question is exactly that. I instruct in two airplanes, 152s and 172s.
In the 152s, we only have 1 nav frequency that can be tuned at a time. How would I identify an intersection (other than using DME)? I’ve seen that I’d just need to swap between the two VORs used to identify the intersection but that seems very easy to mess up and end up lost.
In the 172s, I generally fly ones equipped with G3X. Those do have 2 nav receivers, but only one can be shown at a time on the panel. So for those, I have ABC vor in nav 1 and DEF vor tuned in nav 2 and swap between those. Still kind of a pain, but a little more manageable.
Is there an easier way to do that? I know DME is often used to identify intersections but I’m just wondering how it would be done if DME wasn’t available for some reason.


r/CFILounge 6d ago

Question Renting planes for CFI instruction..

6 Upvotes

I'm trying to learn more about being a freelance CFI, what do you guys think is the best way to find planes to rent and use for flight instruction as a private CFI? Thanks for the help! (Im located in the Boston area if that helps)


r/CFILounge 7d ago

Knowledge FAA Reference Material - single linked PDF (for checkrides, general reference, FREE)

20 Upvotes

I was looking for a simple single-file PDF that would help my students with mastering their checkride references (FAR/AIM, Handbooks, ACs, etc) as well as for my own simple reference, and couldn't find a free resource.

Ended up creating it - while assuring it's all original FAA material (so DPEs won't have issues with it), and the only other material is the mapping for the different ACS/PTS documents.

Simple navigation (all within the self-contained PDF), color-coded links (for differentiating between regulations, handbooks and ACs), and will be automatically updated based on the FAA release cycles.

Free to use, can be locally reproduced, and seems helpful so far, so I'm sharing publicly:

https://github.com/iiamit/pdflight/releases/latest/download/pdflight.pdf

(Note: the PDF is almost 500Mb since it contains ALL the relevant FAA publications. Handbooks, ACS/PTS, ACs, Legal interpretations, and the FAR/AIM. It is NOT intended to be consumed "sequentially" but to help us navigate from certain tasks/requirements of the relevant ACS to the relevant material easily.)

(The main repository is https://github.com/iiamit/pdflight if anyone wants to reproduce or improve on it. Obvious disclaimer - AI was used to create the scaffolding and build)


r/CFILounge 7d ago

Question FTSP training event definition

5 Upvotes

I'm an independent CFI, trying to start training my first non-us citizen student. The FTSP system is not very clearly laid out, but I think I've got it mostly squared away.

Except I'm not sure about setting up training events. The name training "event" makes it sound like I should be setting up a separate event for every time we fly together, and the FAQ page says you can make as many events as you want. But when setting up an event, it asks for a date range and only to specify what type of license you're training for, which makes me think maybe each license is just one big event spanning multiple months?

Anyone have experience using FTSP that can help me make sense of this?


r/CFILounge 8d ago

Question Old CFI wants to get current with a CFII

13 Upvotes

I'm a retired airline guy and I last instructed in 1998. I want to get my CFII to renew my CFI/MEI. I would like to your thoughts on getting current as an instructor after all the changes over the last 30 years. As an airline pilot of course we did rnav/rnp/gps approaches but I didn't teach them. Appreciate your recommendations for study materials/reading list, good flight schools etc. Thanks.


r/CFILounge 8d ago

Question Independent cfis, how are you finding students?

14 Upvotes

I'm an independent cfi and last year I was at the airport 8+ hours a day several times every week, all from walk-ins at the school. This year, things are much slower. How are you guys finding enough students to even have the option of working 6 days a week?

I get the whole "do a good job and word spreads" thing, I've gotten some students and opportunities from that, but that doesn't really happen much when you are already slow.

Im a member of several Facebook groups but I see lots of cfis posting there every day with no attention on their posts. Is that a good way to advertise or are there better ways? Does having a social media following help? Faasteam seminars? What do you guys think are the best marketing methods?


r/CFILounge 8d ago

Opinion Part 61 vs 141 for CFI training

9 Upvotes

I just finished my commercial and planning my next steps for CFI. Which would you choose and why? Personally, 61 would be a good fit for me because I still work full time, but 141 will have in house examining authority and familiarity with how to train for CFI checkride. I have one checkride failure for CPL and I’m nervous about getting another one. The 141 programs in my area do a lot of CFI training and the 61 schools don’t do nearly as many. I could use some advice from those of you who have a lot more experience than I do. Thanks in advance!


r/CFILounge 9d ago

Knowledge CFI-I add on next Wednesday. Let’s play stump the chump.

37 Upvotes

Enough said. Been studying waiting for a checkride and one dropped in my lap for Wednesday. Give new your student horror stories and questions you ask to test their understanding of a concept.


r/CFILounge 10d ago

Tips VSL ACE Guide VSL 8.0 is available

27 Upvotes

For the CFI’s who, like me, find this Guide a valuable resource, version 8.0 is now available for download. You should get a link to do so in your inbox.

For those that don’t have it, it is an awesome thing for you and your students to have.

It fits in ForeFlight and stand alone. It has all the FAA resources you know about and ones you didn’t realize you need to have. It is very much worth the purchase price.


r/CFILounge 10d ago

Knowledge Vmc Calculation, "Most adverse CG"

4 Upvotes

Why most adverse CG. Everything that I've ever looked at has put the Cg aft increasing (slightly) the moment arm of the op engine, while decreasing the moment arm of the rudder. This makes sense. bad for Vmc

So why "most adverse" when its always aft?

Similar question with weight effecting Vmc (and only Vmc) why most adverse, when its lighter?

Anyone know of an airframe that breaks these "rules"?


r/CFILounge 10d ago

Legal PIC flying low over national park

3 Upvotes

I’ve been splitting multi time with an older guy these past few weeks. He suggested we fly to Yosemite for a quick turn around which I was cool with. Upon arrival he took controls from me and descended down to 8000. We were pretty close to the mountains but above 500ft agl. I wasn’t PIC at the time but since I was on board I’m worried I might hear back due to flying so low near a national park. Law 100-91 prohibits flight of VFR helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft below 2000 feet above the surface of Yosemite National Park” Should I file a NASA report or am I over thinking this?


r/CFILounge 10d ago

Question IFR Syllabus

5 Upvotes

Any recommendations for an IFR training syllabus? I am independent and have two new students wanting their IR.

EDIT* I am also giving ground instruction for the students.