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4 Answers

CFI Oral Preperation

Asked by: 2473 views , ,
Flight Instructor

I am preparing for CFI Initial and somewhat confused (well a lot confused). Went thru CFI PTS and started preparing Lessons Plans from scratch. Then took a break and viewed prepared lessons plans. Some are so detailed, they cover all PTS points, some are just main point to teach a student and do no cover all CFI PTS.

Questions:

  1. I am supposed to cover every PTS item in the Lesson Plan with the FAA Inspector/examiner or just how to do a task, for example Straight and level? Just like what my CFI did when I was training for Private ….
  2. If I am to cover every PTS item in a lesson, how would I remember them all without looking at a lesson plan at the same time I am teaching the lesson?
  3. If I am to cover every item in the PTS for a given lesson, it may take 2 hours on one lesson!!! That does not make sense either….
  4. Can I use slides with main point of the lesson for each lesson to help me cover all the PTS items?

I guess I am at a loss of what to prepare and what to present in the check ride. Please help.

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4 Answers



  1. KDS on Jul 22, 2021

    The answer to all your questions depends upon the examiner. The FAA sets standards and guidelines that must be followed, but there can be a wide variance within the standards and there are certainly practical tests the go outside the standards. The best thing to do is to talk with people who have taken a check from the examiner that you will use. They cannot necessarily tell you what the examiner was looking for because that would take some mind reading, but they can tell you what they did that worked or did not work.

    As a rule of thumb though, you can never be over-prepared.

    I think brining a laptop and using a lesson plans you prepared on it is a great tactic. You know the old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words. You should also print them off,

    I also like the idea of having reference material on the laptop. Something along the line of Summit Aviation. I have seen a lot of Initial CFI checks and it is almost universal that the applicant brings in a dog-eared copy of the current FAR / AIM with an abundance of tabs sticking out of the book. There is nothing wrong with that but having the same information quickly accessible on a laptop can be very handy.

    One piece of advice I would offer is to say ACS instead of PTS.

    I would also suggest you talk with your flight instructor regarding your concerns. He or she should know the local situation and be able to refer you to people who have recently taken their CFI in your area.

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  2. Chickencanfly on Jul 26, 2021

    Thank you for the reply KDS.
    I certainly appreciate it, and will seek the advice of a CFI; don’t have a CFI yet since I am still preparing lessons.

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  3. Best Answer


    KDS on Jul 26, 2021

    Also, there are commercial books filled with lesson plans. Personally, that is the route I would take rather than reinventing the wheel, but you never know how an examiner is going to view things. Perhaps using a commercial book that you have gone through and made notes on the various lessons. Then if you need to use it, be sure to tell the examiner that you reviewed every lesson plan and made notes a you felt it needed.

    Then, when you get to the point of making contact with the examiner, ask if they want to see a lesson on a specific subject. Some do and some will not tell you in advance. If you do know the lesson in advance, make the the best lesson anyone ever gave on the subject. Believe it or not, conducting initial CFI orals is boring as heck. If you can make it more interesting with graphics and training aids, that helps a lot. Practice it in advance. Find a friend who will sit an listen to you giving the lesson.

    Flight schools make money when the planes are running, so the typical initial CFI applicant is extremely well prepared to demonstrate a maneuver from the right seat, a little less prepared to TEACH a maneuver from the right seat, and often poorly prepared for the oral. So, do not get so wrapped up in the flying that you do not do the studying. If you get through the oral, you are most of the way to getting the certificate because the easy part is ahead of you.

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  4. dudebro311 on Oct 09, 2021

    I made PowerPoint slides for all topics, hooked a projector to the laptop, bought a $10 USB laser pointer/slide advancer/presenter thingy to hold, borrowed some steam gauge instruments from mx for show and tell, add a box of donuts and carafe of coffee for the DPE and you’re golden.

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