Best way to earn CFI

11 Answers

1. 
   

   
   

   Matthew Waugh on Feb 07, 2011

   OK – so first of all if you’re a proficient instrument pilot the CFII is not much added workload. The reason a lot of schools do the CFII first is because you have to do the initial with the FSDO (in most places – so check on your “DPE from Reno plan”) and the CFII is considered the easiest checkride. Then the CFI add-on can be done with a DPE. The multi might be problematic, and not cheap since you’ll need the commercial multi as well.
    
   Generally speaking the hardest part of the checkride is the oral and getting the plane to pass the airworthiness inspection. The actual flying, while people do fail it, isn’t the big problem. You can use 2 planes to take the exam, and as far as the retract goes all you need is to be able to hobble around the pattern in any old plane that has gear that goes up and down. You can do the rest of the exam in your C182. The logistics aren’t easy, but that’s a path to consider.
    
   The quickest way to get the CFI is to pass the checkride(s) first time – and thats not as easy as it sounds – so you’re right that quality instruction (or at least studying) is required. ATP won’t give you quality ground school – it’s a firehose, and if you don’t go prepared they aren’t going to get you ready (despite what their literature tells you). They are a great school, but it’s flying focused, they don’t spoon feed you.
    
   My suggestion – for what it’s worth – find a local well structured flight/ground instructor who can work you through a structured preparation for the oral. Now I haven’t looked around lately, but there’s GOT to be “accelerated” schools for just the CFI (I did one years ago that was basically an FBO that assigned you a plane and an instructor for 7 days). So get your oral prep. all done, and then go somewhere, bang out the flying part and take the checkride. I guess I’m suggesting the quickest way, it’s not the cheapest, if you own your own plane figuring out how to do it in that plane is going to be cheapest, but I think it’s going to take longer.
    
   Understand this – having a CFI certificate and being prepared to teach are 2 very different things and you shouldn’t confuse the two, otherwise you won’t get a CFI certificate and so your ability to teach won’t ever come up.

   +4 Votes 5 Votes  1 Votes

2. 
   

   
   

   skyboyCFI on Feb 07, 2011

   Read FAR 61.195(h).

   Your checkride will most like be with an FAA examiner not a DPE.

   Forget the ATP, you’re not going to the airlines.

   Learning to be a CFI is all about learning to teach, not fly. Make sure your instructor teaches you to teach. Having a teachers certificate makes it cheaper FAR 61.185(b)

   It shouldn’t cost you more than a few grand for your CFI. Do the CFII after you have some time.

   Most important, be good at it please, or don’t do it. There are so many CFI’s that just plain can’t teach. The FAA failure rates for private pilots is pretty high. And it’s because of poor quailty CFI’s. The FAA is getting tougher on Initial CFI applicants because of this. You should find it will be your hardest checkride.

   Good Luck!!

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3. 
   

   
   

   Heather McNevin on Feb 07, 2011

   I definately agree with my cohorts, realize that having the CFI certificate and being good at instructing are not the same thing.  That being said, you sound like you are an intelligent and motivated person.  I’d suggest reading several books to help you prepare:
   The Savvy Flight Instructor
   Everything explained for the professional pilot
   Instructional methods for flight instructors
   I would also suggest getting some tailwheel time and some basic aerobatics/emergency upset recovery. 
   Then I’d check out either of these two schools.
   http://www.mnaviation.info/
   http://www.americanflyers.net/flightinstructor/default.htm
   Good luck!!

   +2 Votes 2 Votes  0 Votes

4. 
   

   
   

   Matt Bowers on Feb 08, 2011

   M. Waugh: Thanks for the thoughtful reply.  Reno has no examiners so they use two DPE’s that they trust.
   SkyBoy: ATP is a school, not the rating.  I have a half dozen reasons for earning the CFI, none of them is to “build time”.  I always strive to be the best there is at everything, recognize the responsibility and have raised 3 daughters; I’ll be a good instructor.  But, that’s off topi.
   Heather:  I’ve been studying every book I can find (read Savvy) for about 9 months & just ordered 3 more.  I have several clients who are flight schools and just made an aggreement to trade for some lessons at “Attitude Aviation” run by one of the most decorated airforce pilots ever.  I’d planned to just get the spin instruction training from him, but might also get additional CFI training or a tail wheel endorsement in trade.
   I’ll contact American Flyers asap.  I need more details of the contract and also their fleet of trainers.
   I found one that was called “Sun State”? that has a 172RG available, but is pretty pricey.  It would be nice to do this in S. Florida right before or after Sun-N-Fun and integrate that into the trip….
    
   Thanks all for the help.
    
    
    
    
    

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5. 
   

   
   

   skyboyCFI on Feb 08, 2011

   Yes Matt, I know ATP is a school. A highly marketed school. But they still are no better than any other. They employ their graduated students whom are all new, young and inexperienced. Their a meat factory. A bad one too. This you’ll have to learn for yourself.

   But what I meant was, forget the ATP (school) choice because their design is a prep for the airlines. I was not referring to the ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating. Just go to your local school for your CFI. Any expense spent trying to find a school like ATP, is a waste. beware of the big schools in S. Florida. Not a wise choice.

   Just drive over to your local flight school and train their. It’s the same cup of tea. Believe it or not. 25 years experience here telling you the reality.

   +2 Votes 3 Votes  1 Votes

6. 
   

   
   

   Lance on Feb 08, 2011

   I just wanted to echo what most everyone else has said.  Going through an FBO is likely your best bet.  I attended ATP’s CFI school in Las Vegas and can tell you this, all of the material you will need for your checkride is covered, however, it is thrown at you so fast that it is more of a check for what you might need to review a little bit before your checkride, than really teaching you.  The most difficult part of your checkride will be your oral, so what I recommend is study through not only the instructor stuff, but also your private books as well.  We all forget things, but this is one checkride where you will be asked to remember every one of them.  Remember, you are trying to show the FAA that you not only know all of the information pertinent to gaining ANY single engine airplane pilot certificate (except instrument), but also that you know it well enough to teach it.  Most of your preparation can actually be done at home and save you a lot of money, as long as you don’t mind reading to both learn and re-learn.
   Some of my advice that I give:
   1. Whenever you fly, describe whatever you are doing to whoever is in the airplane with you (or yourself if you are flying solo) as if they have absolutely no knowledge of what an airplane even is.  The most difficult part of this is noticing when you make small corrections and explaining why you are making them, your students likely will not understand if you just make corrections and don’t tell them what you are doing, and why.
   2. Whenever you aren’t flying, do the same as step 1 with random maneuvers when you are studying.  For instance, pull one of your kids aside and give them a good thorough ground lesson on steep turns, then check their knowledge.  This will help you see weaknesses in your own teaching.
   3. Go through and try to re-teach yourself everything you had to know for your private and commercial checkrides, it’s all fair game!

   +2 Votes 3 Votes  1 Votes

7. 
   

   
   

   skyboyCFI on Feb 08, 2011

   Thanks Lance for validating my advise on ATP. They do push their student through so fast it’s hard for the average Joe to learn anything. It’s only about the big bucks for them. Beware of similar schools. There are many of them out there.

   Lance added a great point, talk out what you are doing. Practice teaching a friend as part of your preparation.

   It’s also an open book checkride. Make a short book list of all the maneuvers and their elements, like listed in the PTS. If you follow a syllabi and lesson plan, how can you fail?

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8. 
   

   
   

   Kent Shook on Feb 08, 2011

   No first-hand experience with them, but I have been hearing some REALLY good things about Sheble Aviation in Arizona – If you’re looking for a quick course that’s not just cookie-cutter (and you did mention Arizona), this may be exactly what you’re looking for:
    
   http://shebleaviation.com/

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9. 
   

   
   

   Matt Bowers on Feb 09, 2011

   So far, I’m thinking of doing a mix of all the above.
   I’ll study my butt off for 3-4 weeks, all day, every day.
   Get lesson plans together and go over them.
   Grab my neighbor + my wife and do both ground lessons and flight lessons in my C182.
   Go to either American Flyers in FL or a place nearby in Sacramento that I still need to investigate.  “CFI Academy”.  The A.F. place is cheap and use 172 + 172RG and teach groups of 4-8 for 30 days.  CFII and CFI.  I should just “Go for it” and do both tickets.  AmerFlyers has a 90-93% success rate with their program & I will come to them way over prepared.  So, it should be no problem.  All that said, I may make a last minute change of mind and just do all the prep myself and skip the courses.  I’ll report back when done.
   —————–
   *** I’m not here to bash anyone and each school has it’s plus and minus side.  I’m glad that Sheble’s is around and have used them twice.  That said, in many respects it may be the worst school in the country.  Other than no communication, poor instructors, crappy planes, not keeping to any kind of schedule, & not learning a single thing, there are pluses.
   They are at a new facility where they are the only ones at the small air strip.  I liked that WAY more than the old location. They are across the river from a big casino with cheap rooms and just a few miles from BullHead City. They will also give you their crew car for free.  They are VERY relaxed there.
   So, you can do all your own studying and practice for a comm or Inst rating and go there for 2-3 days and buy the certificate.  But, you must take on any responsibility to self certify yourself.  Also, I’ve heard that their CFI ground school is actually good.
    

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10. 
    

    
    

    Justin on Jun 24, 2013

    Couple things here. I for one am trying to get my Roatary CFI. I don’t posses a private or any hours in a rotary. I live near chico CA. Absolutely F*ing amazing CFI’s there. Very cheap too. Well not cheap enough for me considering I am well below poverty. But listen… they have a 182 with retracts. Not sure if you live in Reno, I lived there for two years. You would have to Drive or fly to KCIC and inquire. Hope this helps you find the plane your looking for. Oh, and it’s less than $180 hour.. Not sure if that helps.

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11. 
    

    
    

    CFI Academy on Aug 09, 2016

    CFI Academy out of the Sacramento, CA area is a specialized flight school that does nothing but CFI, CFII and MEI courses. It is hard enough to prepare for and pass the CFI checkride, so why not go to a flight school that specializes in flight instructor training?
    The website is http://cfiacademy.com
    Search for their reviews on Google and Facebook. Also their testimonials page on their website.

    +1 Votes 1 Votes  0 Votes