Ask a Flight Instructor

Archive for October, 2008

Freddie wrote me to ask:

Hi Paul. I have waited my entire life to finally get to this point where I am able to make flight teaching my one and only. My wife has taught high school for 25 years, and that helps a great deal so now I can devote my heart, soul and mind into becoming a CFI. I will not go any further up in the career ladder. My heart is set on the intimacy of teaching. So my question is, where would be a good start for me? Where would I be needed most? Ex: Hometown? Or when I finish will I be able to teach in one or multiple airports? Thank you.

Well first off, BRAVO!  That is awesome, and I am excited for you and the career choice that you have chosen.  I wish there were a lot more pilots and people like you who value general aviation flight instruction.

One of the interesting aspects about becoming a CFI is that once you are an instructor you automatically become a small business owner.  And as in any business, you now have products to sell.  The products are 1) Aviation and 2) Yourself.  As the owner of this business you also have complete control over the development of this business.  You can decide, How many clients do you want?  What flight training market do you want to develop? and Which sales region do you want to establish your business in?

As I travel around and talk to people, it seems the area hurting the most for good quality instructors is the smaller local hometown airports.  Instructors at these airports seem to be the ones most likely to be lost to either regional airlines, corporate outfits or larger flight schools at bigger airports.  A smaller airport also has a harder time providing enough demand to keep a instructor on the field “full time”, especially if the airport is located where flying weather is very seasonal. Because of these factors, these airports are the ones most hurt by pilot shortages and lower regional airline experience requirements.

My advice to you would be to grow your business at a local “hometown” flight school.  I mean, really take control of it from top to bottom.  Work hard to create new pilots and grow your business by word-of-mouth.  A good first step would be to create a PP ground school program, advertise it heavily locally (your investment) and bring in as many new student pilots to the airport.  A ground school is a cheap and easy way for people to try out aviation.  Try and get as many of your ground school students to flight train with you as well.  Once these students have passed the private pilot rides. Simply repeat and recycle this process again.  You’ll soon have more primary and secondary clients.  You’ll also have about as much flying and business than you can stand.

I know I’m simplifying things quite a bit but I’ve had some great success using this method.  It works really well enticing a lot of non-pilots out to the airport and keeping me busy for months until I was ready to start the next ground school.

I know I’ve mentioned this book before, but I really can’t say enough about, “The Savvy Flight Instructor” by Gregory Brown, if you want to learn how to approach flight instruction as a business endeavor.  So many pilots simply look at flight instruction as a career stepping stone and not as the business of selling and promoting aviation.

I wish you all the best in becomming a CFI.  If you have any questions about flight training or aviation, you know where to ask and as always…

Fly Safe!

Here’s the question Paul just sent me:

Special VFR at night requires, amongst other things, that the pilot be IFR-rated. But it strikes me that there is no requirement for the pilot to be IFR-current – is that true? Seems dangerous to me.

Well, Paul (great name by the way).  I agree with you that it would be VERY dangerous for any pilot who is not IFR current to operate under Special VFR at night.  Fortunatetly, I believe that the regulations do require that recent instrument flight experience be met as per 61.57.   Let’s look at the two requirements for Special VFR at night.

1) Pilot

According to 14 CFR 91.157 Special VFR operations at night (in airplanes) requires that “The person being granted the ATC clearance meets the applicable requirements for instrument flight under part 61 of this chapter.”

So let’s look at the instrument flight requirements under part 61 which, in summary says that in order to act as PIC of an aircraft on an instrument flight plan you must:

a) Hold an appropriate instrument rating on your pilot certificate and

b) Meet the recent instrument experience requirements of 61.57(c) (6 approaches, intercepting and tracking)

2) Airplane

The aircraft must be equipped for instrument flight as required by 91.205(d)

So…

Again, this is just my interpretation, but I do think that 91.157 is requiring that a pilot who receives an ATC clearance for Special VFR at night be fully IFR rated, equipped and current.  The reason being of course is that there is a greater chance at night of a Special VFR clearance turning into a full blown IFR flight plan.  If the FAA did not require the pilot to be instrument current, than they would have no provision for enforcement action when a pilot illegally operated on a IFR flight plan.

I hope this helps answer your question.  Thanks again for asking and always…

Fly Safe!

Here’s the question I received this morning from Jorge:

Hi could you please tell me if the alternator handles all of the electrical load?

It would have been easy to answer this question (yes) but I thought it would be fun to use a flash animation developed by MSAviation with some narration to demonstrate this point.  Here is your answer in full:

If you would like some more information about the flash animation used, or would like a copy of your own.  You can purchase aviation flash animations for pilots and flash animations for flight instructors using this link.  Aviation Flash Animations

The FAA has just released a new web tool / service called “Lessons Learned” and it is worth checking out.  The idea behind the site of course, is learning lessons from aviation accidents.  And although the site focuses mainly on commercial transport category accidents, there is still something to be taken away for even an ultralight pilot.   Think of “Lessons Learned”  has “I Learned About Flying From That” but with a airliner theme (and online instead of in print).

http://accidents-ll.faa.gov/

Here’s a good example.  Take for instance Eastern Airlines Flight 401 that crashed into the Florida Everglades when the autopilot was accidentally disconnected and went unnoticed as the flight crew tried to diagnose a unsafe landing gear position indicator.  The FAA website now breaks this accident snyposis down so that we can see the chain of events that lead to this horrific accident.  For instance, a lesson learned would be “false assumptions” regarding who (or what) is flying the plane.  At the time of this accident, there was no CRM (or crew resource management) training given by any airline.  If there had been, it might have addressed procedures and policies for this kind of malfunction and delegated who had responsibility for flying the airplane while another crew member focused on the problem.

I’d encourage you to visit this new website and let me know what you think.

Stories like these remind us all that we need to work hard to…

Fly SAFE!

Like most of the pilot’s that I know, I have another interest in addition to aviation, photography.  I love taking pictures, especially of airplanes.  That’s why my ears perked up when I got an email from my a fellow aviation blogger, Plastic Pilot.

In honor of 500th post at PlasticPilot.net, he is holding an aviation photo contest.  All you have to do is send your best aviation photo to plasticpilot@plasticpilot.net and you could get a chance to win a photo book, t-shirt or even a mousepad.  More importantly, if you won, you could now tell your spouse that you won a photo contest which therefore justifies you buying the new Nikon D90 (or better) digital camera.

You can get more information detailing the contest on PlasticPilot.net

Can’t wait to see your pictures!

Rob wrote me and asked, in essense, “What do I have to do to become a ground instructor?”

Maybe it’s the economy and people are looking to utilize their skills sets but I am glad that so many people are thinking about instructing! Whether it is ground or flight instruction, general aviation needs you!

First off, there are three levels of a ground instructor certificate.  (You can reference 14 CFR 61.215)

1) Basic (BGI)- A basic ground instructor can provide the required knowledge training for a sport pilot, recreational or private pilot.  You can also accomplish the knowledge portion of the flight review test and recommend someone to take the knowledge tests (written) for one of those certificates.

2) Instrument (IGI) – An instrument ground instructor is able to provide the required knowledge training for a pilot applicant seeking a instrument rating.  Similarly to the BGI, you are also able to recommend someone for the instrument written exam.

2) Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) – A advanced ground instructor certificate can provide the required knowledge training for any certificate issued under part 61.  That means, private, commercial, airline transport pilot, etc.

A ground instructor certificate does not require you to be a pilot or to have any other pilot experience (although it helps).  I have had quite a few instructors, both at FlightSafety and at the regional airline I worked at, who were not pilots, but had obtained their AGI.  To be honest, they were some of the best ground instructors I have ever had.

If you are a pilot, a ground instructor certificate is a completely separate certificate.  It will even be seperate from your flight instructor certificate.  A ground instructor certificate has no expiration although you can’t instruct unless within the precedding 12 months you have served as a ground instructor for 3 months or you receive an endorsement from another ground instructor or CFI that you are proficient (14 CFR 61.217).

In order to become a ground instructor you have to take the FOI (fundamentals of instruction) written test and the appropriate knowledge test either BGI, IGI, or AGI.   No oral exam is required! The best way to prepare for the knowledge test is to use a study guide like the one provided by Gleim:

Gleim Flight/Ground Instructor Written Exam Guide – The easiest, fastest, and least expensive means of passing the FAA Flight Instructor – Airplane (FIA) knowledge test

Once you pass the test(s), you can walk into your local FSDO (with an appointment), present your completed FOI and knowledge tests and walk out with a temporary airmen certificate for either a BGI, IGI or AGI.  That’s it!

Good luck with your FOI and AGI tests and have fun instructing and teach your students to always…

Fly Safe!

Steve from New York just sent me a question about how to become an flight instructor:

I want to train to be a CFI as a second career and I’m perplexed about the steps to take. I want thorough training so that I can be a professional CFI and be able train with confidence. I’m currently hold a Private with Instrument but I am not current for IFR. What should I do? I live in NYC area cost and time are important.

Well, first of all Steve, you have made a great choice to be a flight instructor.  General aviation right now is really hurting for CFIs, especially those who might make flight instruction their profession and treat the position with respect instead of just a stepping stone in a career.

If I were to meet with you and give you a career coaching path that would take you from where you are today to a CFI, here are the steps that I would recommend.  This is assuming that you have the commercial pilot time requirements met, and your goal is to instruct primary (private) students in airplane single-engine land only.

1) Find a good, experienced professional flight instructor.  Ask at your local FBO, pilot club, and airport for someone who has a few gray hairs and very flexible hours.  You’ll want someone who comes highly recommended. In order to train potential CFIs, they need to make sure they meet the requirements of 14 CFR 61.195 (h).

2) Start work on your commercial certificate ASAP.  Sit down with your instructor and go over the commercial pilot experience requirements and then set a realistic goal and the steps for completion. If your goal is to get into the right seat quickly as an instructor, just focus on your single-engine commercial license for now.  Reference 61.121 thru 61.133 for more information about the commercial pilot requirements.

3) Immediately begin work on your CFI. The requirements to be a CFI is that you are 18 yrs. old, a commercial pilot’s license and a third-class medical (for airplanes).  You’ll have to complete TWO knowledge tests.  One on FOI (fundamentals of instruction) AND an addtional flight / ground instructor knowledge test.  You can see the rest of the requirements by visiting 14 CFR 61.181 thru 61.199.

You’ll notice that I didn’t mention anything about becomming instrument current or getting a multi-engine rating.  That’s because neither of those things are necessary to become a CFI.  As long as you have a instrument rating, you will be able to get both a commercial and flight instructor certificate.  Of course, at some point you will still need to become instrument current to act as a PIC on a instrument flight plan but you can probably work your instrument recency requirements during either your commercial or instructor training.

You’re also not required to have a multi-engine rating to instruct either.  You won’t be able to instruct or fly a multi-engine airplane, but if your goal is just to instruct in a single-engine airplane, all you need is a commercial and instructor certificate (they are seperate) and a third class medical.

Once you have your CFI, you’re ready to start teaching!  A flight school will make sure you get checked out in their airplane.  Once your employed (even part-time) you may also find that the flight school will help you with your multi-engine ratings and additional instructor instrument rating so you can give instrument training.

If you goal is to become a successful and in-demand CFI, there is a great book written titled “The Savvy Flight Instructor” by Gregory N. Brown.  Great book about the business aspect of being a flight instructor.  Highly recommended read if you want to know about how to treat student pilots as customers and clients, instead of just “students”.  (I wish more schools required their CFIs to read this book)

Again, I appalaud the steps you are willing to take to become a CFI.  If you have any questions, you can comment on this post and I’ll be happy to address them.

Like always…

Fly Safe

Just got a question from Kerry who asks:

I have a renewed interest in getting my private certificate. I did have over 40 hrs of flight time albeit 20 years ago. The school I received instruction from is no longer in business and I have no personal contact with the instructors I flew with. I believe I have retained much of the knowledge learned, even so long ago.  Is there some way to demonstrate proficiency and knowledge to receive credit for this past experience?

Great question Terry and I’m sure one that many people, who have taken a break from flight training, have asked before.

Here’s the good news: flight time has no expiration date.  That means the time you had towards your training then will still count towards your training now.  As far as the FAA is concerned, there is no limitation on the flight training you have previously received and it can be counted as credit towards the required number of hours (40).

Here’s the bad news:  Proficiency comes with a natural expiration and your current flight instructor has to be comfortable signing the required endorsements and pilot applications, regardless of your previous training.   When it comes right down to it, you could have met and exceeded the required number of hours ten fold, but until your instructor feels that you are safe, proficient and competent he has no legal obligation to endorse you.

One other note, a lot of things have changed!  In the past twenty years, there have been dramatic changes in the country’s airspace structure and weather reporting formats (among many many other changes).   Basically, in some small ways, you are going to have to start from scratch anyhow.

I know it might be frustrating to have to start completely over but the human mind has an amazing ability to retain information.  The trouble is recalling that retained information when it is useful and practical.  You might think you remember a lot from before, but the true test will be when you start having to recall those previously learned muscle memories in flight.

Just pick a good instructor, be patient and trust his judgement. He’ll solo you when you’re ready and he’ll sign you off for your practical test when you are ready; not a moment too soon or too late.

I hope this helps and as always…

Fly (and train) Safe!

This question comes from John who asks:

Can a CFI instruct without a medical? Under what circumstances?

Hi John.  Thanks for taking the time to submit your question.

A CFI can flight instruct without a medical as long as he is not the PIC (pilot-in-command) or a required crewmember.  To demonstrate this point, here are some examples of when a flight instructor could instruct without a current medical certificate:

• As a flight instructor during a biannual flight review (BFR)
• As a flight instructor for an instrument or commercial pilot certificate as long as no “hood” time was involved (also known as simulated instrument conditions).
• As a flight instructor in a glider.
• As an instructor during training given in a flight simulator.
• As a check airman or examiner for a test given in a flight simulator
• Ground instructing (duh)

Operations that require a flight instructor to have a current medical (at least third class):

• Private Pilot training
• Instrument training under simulated instrument conditions.  The reason?  The flight instructor is now a required crew member which requires a valid medical certificate
• [Edited] Instrument training in real IMC (unless the pilot-in-training meets the requirements to act as PIC in IMC: rated, current, recent and valid medical.)
• If giving required training for a expired BFR, a medical would be required because the flight instructor would be the PIC not the pilot seeking the BFR
• Multi-engine training when the student pilot did not yet have a multi-engine rating (even if the student pilot had a commercial license) because the flight instructor would be the PIC (which requires a medical)

Those are all the examples I can think of for now.  If you have some more examples of when a medical is or is not required for a flight instructor be sure to add your suggestions as a comment to this post.

Thanks again for asking and as always…

Fly Safe!