Jump to content

CFI (Certified Flight Instructor) info


HuggyU2

Recommended Posts

Gleim for CFI renewal. Used them since UPT exclusively. Tried other brands, all were slower and more B.S. You're not required to spend X minutes on each section to satisfy the time requirement.

$100 plus the FSDO fee if you're not local to one.

http://www.Gleim.com

I'll second Gleim. I've used them since 2004 and never had an issue. Yeah, it's not a lifetime subscription like American Flyers, but the material is straight forward and serves as a good review every two years. Their ACR service makes issuance of the renewed certificate a breeze.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe somebody with better google-foo can assist. What's the best way to get CMEL after UPT? Should I wait until I have my form 8 in my B-course?

No need, unless you're going to a plane where you can lose the centerline thrust restriction. After you get your wings, just go to sheppardair.com, study up, take the test, and get your license. Piece of cake and less than $200 total.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Word. Does it matter if I had my PSEL-Inst. prior? I had also already taken the Comm. written, but it's been a long time now since then. And no, I'm in a single engine jet now, so I'll still be stuck with the centerline thrust on that cert. I'd rather get it done and deal with getting the centerline thrust removed later.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Word. Does it matter if I had my PSEL-Inst. prior? I had also already taken the Comm. written, but it's been a long time now since then. And no, I'm in a single engine jet now, so I'll still be stuck with the centerline thrust on that cert. I'd rather get it done and deal with getting the centerline thrust removed later.

Doesn't matter for snot. In fact, the commercial exam that you took before and the mil-comp exam you'll take are different tests in the eyes of the FAA (even if one is really a subset of the other).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any IP can do the MilCOMP and get CFI, CFII, and MEI.

http://www.sheppardair.com/mcs.htm

Just study for and pass the Mil Comp IP test.

I can vouch for this. Sheppard Air was the absolute easiest test prep and resource I have used. 6 hours of study, take test, get over 90%. I took my paperwork to a guy at Eglin (on base CFI/examiner) and he processed my paperwork for me for 125 bucks....a few weeks later I had my CFII. Of course you can go direct to FSDO yourself but you need you shit squared away as far as paperwork goes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Each FSDO seems to have at least 1 mil-competent inspector. If you can handle the paperwork and match schedules, it is low-pain for active mil IPs to redo their 2 year CFI. Free. 2 hour roundtrip vs. many more online, for me.

Edited by moosepileit
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

As a multi-engine baby I took the mil comp exam and had the MEI and instrument instructor added to my ticket. I also have an mutli-ATP. However, I do not have single engine privileges. Now I must take a single engine add on checkride, either as a commercial or an ATP. I can then take my single engine CFI add on checkride.

My question is should I take my single engine add on checkride as a commercial or an ATP?

I've reviewed the practical test standards for both and the ATP appears to be much harder since it doesn't have an allowance for additional rating like the commercial does. However, my instructor and shep air both say the ATP checkride is much easier than the commercial??

I also have no need for SE ATP privileges as I'm already at a major, who would ever use that anyway...

Thank you,

GF

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A commercial would give you more exposure to the maneuvers that you'll do on your CFI check ride and the ones you may later have to teach as a CFI. The ATP is probably easier (really, just a glorified instrument check). Heck...you can do the ATP in a sim if an appropriate one exists.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yet.

Why would you not get the SE ATP?

Invest in your future.

Hopefully my future is continuing my careeer at United Airlines until I retire! Thank you for the advice though, I will take a closer look at the SE ATP standards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took the MILCOMP test to receive the CFII but what I think is funny is that I don't have the CFI. So, I can instruct people while airborne and in the weather but I don't have the privileges to instruct them to takeoff or land...

Must be the FAA's way of still getting more money out of you and keeping some control over the licenses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

not sure why anyone would get an ATP on a Single.

If you are an mil ME IP only, the best way to become a SE IP is to have the restriction removed by getting your SE ATP. Much easier checkride (I hear) than the SE Commercial to add it.

I may be wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took the MILCOMP test to receive the CFII but what I think is funny is that I don't have the CFI. So, I can instruct people while airborne and in the weather but I don't have the privileges to instruct them to takeoff or land...

Must be the FAA's way of still getting more money out of you and keeping some control over the licenses.

I'm pretty sure CFI is a certificate and CFII is a rating. You can't be a CFII without being a CFI.

That being said, it is possible to be and MEI without a single engine certificate.

I'm by no means an expert at the FARs though. I could be wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a cfii but not a cfi. No shit.

I was sold on doing it that way because it would divide the work up more evenly. Fundamentals of instruction plus instrument standards. As opposed to private, commercial and fundamentals.

I was sold on doing it that way because it would divide the work up more evenly. Fundamentals of instruction plus instrument standards. As opposed to private, commercial and fundamentals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm pretty sure CFI is a certificate and CFII is a rating. You can't be a CFII without being a CFI.

That being said, it is possible to be and MEI without a single engine certificate.

I'm by no means an expert at the FARs though. I could be wrong.

In the FAA's eyes, instructor certificates are just like pilot certificates in that they have specific privileges. The privileges include (but aren't limited to) Airplane Single Engine, Airplane Multi Engine, and Instrument. You absolutely can have an Instructor certificate with only airplane privileges. Some of the pilot mills do the initial commercial, CFI, then CFII in a light twin to get the guy more multi time up front.

As another fun fact: note that instructor certificates don't specify "Land" or "Sea" for airplanes. If you get a mil comp CFI (or knock it out on the side), then go pick up your seaplane commercial rating at one of these "get a seaplane rating while on vacation" places... you can then instruct in seaplanes! Thankfully, the smart insurance companies pretty much squash that loophole.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was sold on doing it that way because it would divide the work up more evenly. Fundamentals of instruction plus instrument standards. As opposed to private, commercial and fundamentals.

I was sold on doing it that way because it would divide the work up more evenly. Fundamentals of instruction plus instrument standards. As opposed to private, commercial and fundamentals.

You can say that again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Just for another data point... I just finished the AOPA CFI refresher. Don't have to be an AOPA member to do it.

http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Flight-Instructor-Resources/CFI-Renewal.aspx

$124 and about 4 hours later I'm done. You do 16 CBT modules. Each slide in those is timed for about 5 seconds before you can advance. Then there's a ridiculously easy quiz at the end of each module. When you're done, you submit one form to AOPA, another on IACRA, and they do the rest.

I chose them over American Flyers because that $124 includes them processing your paperwork for you. (Not driving to the FSDO is worth $$ to me.) I may or may not care about my CFI in 2 years, so the right-now-savings at AOPA was more important than the maybe-useful-maybe-not savings of AF in the future.

Anyway... fairly painless considering it's a CBT on steroids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just curious. Are you guys using your CFI/CFII/MEI at all, or are you just padding your resume a little?

I'm doing a staff/acquisitions tour. To keep from hanging myself, I'm doing a rediculous amount of CFI work on the side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...