CFI Checkride impending

tattooed · April 2, 2009

I'm having my CFI Checkride this month. Looking for any advice....areas to really focus on, what ground and flight lessons most commonly requested.....

Anything, just to get my brain moving. I have a ground lesson book, flight lesson book, all my own endorsements typed out.

If you failed your CFI CR, what area did you fail?

What areas are examiners really focusing on.

I'm more concerned about the ground portion rather than the flight portion...I'm feeling pretty good about my flying and teaching skills...not 100% there, but I think fine for a CR.

Also, what should I bring with me? (other than the obvious). Someone mentioned on another topic to bring the AC's and AD's. Which ones do you suggest? (obviously AC61-65!!! LOL).

Sandy

FYI - It's with Ron Gustafson in Corvallis, Oregon if anyone wants to know.

tattooed · April 2, 2009

Also, FOIs....I guess that is my weakest area. I have read the book, I understand them, I did quiet well on the FAA written, but I guess when quizzed, I feel very clumbsy. What do I really need to know for a CR? What did you get asked?

apiaguy · April 2, 2009

I suggest you brush up on your terminology and general understanding of FAA procedures and practices...

If you bring the AC's and AD's you'll fill the office with paper..

mrjibbs · April 3, 2009

make flash cards. Best way to learn the FOI's or any subject for that matter.

As for Mr. Gustafson, i have sadly heard it is harder to fail his checkrides then pass them, so unless you have no clue whats going on, which i assume wouldnt be the case if your taking a CFI ride, then you should be ok. But dont let that stop you from studying. My best advice would be to study, study and study some more when you think your ready. Be prepared and walk in with confidence. Your an instructor now, so showing confidence and speaking with authority will go along ways. And dont talk yourself into a hole. Say what you know and dont drag on. If an examiner catches you draggin on your answer it shows a lack of understanding and they will bury you, so give a nice clear answer that is straight forward and to the point and you should do just fine!

And DO NOT forget to use CARB HEAT!! The weather here still sucks here in oregon so carb ice is still a very important thing to remember! (well it should always be but you get the idea)

joeschmoeheli · April 3, 2009

Ron is a good guy and a fair examiner. I would make sure you are good on performance and performance charts. IGE and OGE, manifold pressure, and H/V diagram. Expect a lesson that isn't in your book.

Go in with a "I'm here to learn" attitude and you will learn something. Ron likes you to be willing to learn and not think you know it all. CFI is a license to learn. You don't know sh*t, and won't for a long time.

If you don't know an answer don't make stuff up.

Good luck, don't be nervous for the checkride, be nervous for the subsequent job market.

AngelFire_91 · April 3, 2009

I would agree with all the above information. Make sure you answer the questions and give appropreate lessons but nothing more. I didn't fail, but I defentely dug a hole for my self by going too in-depth. I was teaching a lesson on dysemetry of lift, and it eventually led into coning, bladeflap, hunting, etc... and it started to get really really too much for a private pilot, but that was my examiner asking questions like a Private would and then at the end, he asked "Ok, I don't understand." That was his whole point though was to cover the topic, make sure they understand it, but don't go too deep and loose them.

Oh and don't lie!!! If you don't understand or forgot something, just say "Oh that's a great question, I don't really remember that but let's look it up." Then actually do it, get the books out start to find it and the teach it together. If you can show you know how to find the info or where, and can teach it once you find it, then you're good to go. Remember it's not about how well you can remember facts and figures, it's how well you can teach it. I would bring every available book, paper, prop, or thing you can use to teach from, you never know what you can use, and it's my opinion it's better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.

FOI's I am terrable with FOI's. I didn't have to answer a lot of questions on FOI's but I had to know how to apply them when teaching, or what principals I was using and why throughout my teaching. It wasn't questions on the specifc FOI's, it was more of questions like, "Ok well why did you teach that the way you did fom an FOI standpoint? What level of learning were you trying to accomplish?"

During the flight portion, my examiner said he really didn't care about staying within standards. If I constently broke them then it would fail, but remember the ride is more about how well you teach then staying within standards. If you totally blow a standard, make it a lesson. "Now you see how I was too high, I really kept my collective up for a little to long, so what should we do the next time?"

See what I mean? Hope it helps some.

tattooed · April 3, 2009

Excellent advice everyone! My instructor already nailed me to the wall a few times for being too....detailed....sorta the ol' "Show them how to tell time, not how the watch works!"

Please keep the tips coming! Great posts!!!

choppedair · April 3, 2009

Excellent advice everyone! My instructor already nailed me to the wall a few times for being too....detailed....sorta the ol' "Show them how to tell time, not how the watch works!"

Please keep the tips coming! Great posts!!!

Maybe you can ask G who else has done CFI checkrides with Ron, I believe they have sent a few down. The only person that comes to mind is Daniel taking his CFII with him.

The other suggestions were good. One thing I've heard from Ron is that he will hammer a bit on add-ons, foreign add-ons, and military licenses. Study up on that stuff, and how to determine the minimum requirements for add-on students. Most examiners like to teach something so be sure to learn what you can from him.

Sounds like you already know it, but keep things relatively simple when teaching lessons.

Have fun!

kodoz · April 3, 2009

Best advice I got was think, then answer. It's a checkride, not Jeopardy. Take the time to formulate a well thought-out answer before you start talking.

1HeliCFI · April 3, 2009

If he is like most examiners he will try to find something you don't know. In most cases they are just trying to make sure you admit you don't know. Just admit you don't know and look it up in the FAR/AIM which is usually where the answer they want can be found.

AngelFire_91 · April 3, 2009

One thing Choppedair just made me think of.

I got hit pretty hard on Endorsements. Like I said, I don't know the guy you're taking your ride with but, Endorsements are in the PTS so you will be asked them, and I was asked about basically everything I can endorse, why/when I would endorse it, how long it's good for. Remember it doesn't have to be a long written endorsment in the back of the logbook. Everytime you sign your studnets logbook for training you are endorsing them also. You're endorsing that training listed was in fact training you provided.

I also was not asked very much on Regs. My DPE's reason for not asking a lot of regs... "Any damn idiot and monkey can read do's and do not's." He was a very salty fellow.

I'll try to think of some more...

rick1128 · April 3, 2009

While each examiner is different and has different hot items they like to discuss, the Hillsboro FSDO has been really getting on them about endorsements. I printed the Advisory Circular on endorsements and put it into my Instructor guide. Lesson Plans are a big item for them also. Definitely bring a CURRENT copy of the FAR's with you. It is even better if you highlight the appropriate sections in Part 61 and 91.

Be prepared to discuss aerodynamic principles that are not associated with the model helicopter you are taking the flight test in. I am talking about ground resonance and zero G. Since your students will be rated to fly any model helicopter when they are rated you will need to discuss these two items, no matter what model helicopter you train them in.

Also don't be surprised if you get a question or two on Hypoxia and/or MEL's. The hypoxia question surprises a lot of applicants. However, machines like the Lama are certified above 18000 feet and in fact the Lama has a built in Oxygen system.

choppedair · April 3, 2009

While each examiner is different and has different hot items they like to discuss, the Hillsboro FSDO has been really getting on them about endorsements. I printed the Advisory Circular on endorsements and put it into my Instructor guide. Lesson Plans are a big item for them also. Definitely bring a CURRENT copy of the FAR's with you. It is even better if you highlight the appropriate sections in Part 61 and 91.

Be prepared to discuss aerodynamic principles that are not associated with the model helicopter you are taking the flight test in. I am talking about ground resonance and zero G. Since your students will be rated to fly any model helicopter when they are rated you will need to discuss these two items, no matter what model helicopter you train them in.

Also don't be surprised if you get a question or two on Hypoxia and/or MEL's. The hypoxia question surprises a lot of applicants. However, machines like the Lama are certified above 18000 feet and in fact the Lama has a built in Oxygen system.

You are right about the FSDO in Hillsboro about endorsements. While I don't like pointing fingers normally, I believe the issue was largely due to a F/W department of a large flight school...

The examiners had many F/W applicants show up with checkrides with missing endorsements. I mean a significant amount. So the area DPE's have been instructed to hit hard on endorsements.

tattooed · April 7, 2009

Excellent advise, everyone!!!

I'm doing pretty well on endorsements, still rusty on the "unusual" cases, but I have a good understanding of what I need.

FOIs are my worst area. Going over that stuff today with my CFI. I'm just following the CFI PTS on what to study.

ChprPlt · April 7, 2009

I took my CFI with the same examiner. Understand the PTS and why its so important. He asks lots of questions about performance. Know the POH. On my flight I had to do two patterns with stuck pedal. If you havent done it yet, practice.

good luck!

tattooed · April 8, 2009

Stuck pedal....Good to know! Haven't worked on that for awhile.

tattooed · April 14, 2009

Again, thank you all for great advice/support/etc.

I have yet another....

I am looking for ways to help "spice up" my ground lessons. What I mean is kewl props, pictures, stories...to get the idea into student's heads.

Example...to teach autos, I have one of those "whirligigs" that maple trees shed as seed pods...the ones that "autorotate" themselves. I keep it in a pill vial.

I have a small model helicopter to use for examples as well.

I would REALLY love to have stories/props/ideas for Dissymmetry of Lift and RBS.

Anyone have any groovy techniques for teaching those subjects?

Edited April 15, 2009 by tattooed

Azhigher · April 18, 2009

Hit FOI's hard. In my CFI checkride that was one of the big things my examiner was looking for. As far as stories, just try to take the time to explain what is going to be happening when the student gets into RBS. What is he/she going to hear, feel, experience. That kinda thing.

There's no need to "spice" up the technical areas. Just present it in a way that makes sense and the student can understand. Use a model helicopter and show the student what is happening as it happens. Works well for me...

Edited April 18, 2009 by Azhigher