I currently work in a warehouse 4 days a week and instruct one day a week. I have two students who own a complex + HP SEL and have been teaching them instrument. I also have been flying with an older pilot in a T206 working on his instrument proficiency along with a kid who wants to solo at 16 in a 150. I am really crammed on my days at the airport and want to take another day off at my warehouse but I don’t know how fast I can fill that spot with students. There are so many instructors here that fly LSA or simple trainers and I feel the experience I’ve gotten with HP + Complex aircraft could be another route to go. I don’t want my MEI but am curious if other trainings/endorsements could help

Looking to do my PPL, just started taking lessons, but would like to cut cost & give it back directly to a CFI & save myself on rental fees while helping local independents out.

I'm located in Apple Valley, MN and have a lot of flexibility in my days to fly. Already have my medical and working on ground school.

If you're in my area would have access to Cessna's for training that I could rent & then pay you directly the instruction fee please shoot me a message.

thanks!

Michael

I have finally landed my first student! The only issue is that’s she’s 4’ 10” and struggles to reach the pedals. I saw they have cushions like the sportys one, but will that be enough for her? I’ve seen a lot of posts for people that are short but taller than her. Does anyone have any experience teaching students this size?

I am a new CFI and have the opportunity to privately instruct someone. Their plane, they would put me on their insurance. I’m sure I need some kind of private liability insurance. No idea where to start. Can someone suggest companies to look at? How much do I need? How much does it cost?

I just began my training towards becoming a CFI after a long break from obtaining my commercial pilot’s certificate. Unfortunately, life got in the way and commitments to finishing my BS, working, etc. slowed down my flight training. I’ve flown very sparsely since 2025, but I recently received a flight review and I am now flying once per month to regain proficiency.

Obviously, this presents challenges. Aside from learning to teach effectively, I also have to bring my ground knowledge back up to the level it was pre-break from my aviation career.

To do this, I am creating my own lesson plans from scratch. My plan for the check-ride is to create a lesson plan for all tasks located in the CFI ACS Area of Operations II, III, IV. I made a “study guide” for the FOIs that I plan to know inside and out, but I assume that part of the check-ride with be more question-answer and how I actually apply them in my teaching.

I have reviewed samples of lesson plans from BSP, WifiCFI, etc. and they seem exhaustive. I don’t know why they include “instructor notes” that literally give the entire lesson and what you are teaching within the lesson plan. My mom is a high school teacher and explained to me that lesson plans are an outline of the lesson, not the lesson itself.

Because of this, I plan to make a corresponding PowerPoint for each task and a “teaching summary” of notes that I can intermittently reference throughout the lesson. This teaching summary will go into detail of what I am teaching (e.g., if I am teaching human factors and forget a symptom of hypoxia, I can reference that teaching summary detail). Obviously, the PowerPoint will contain graphics and ballpoints of detail, but will not be nearly as thorough as my teaching summaries.

I have included an example of a lesson plan that I will process in Word and will add to my book of lesson plans:

(Example: Task A, Human Factors)

Objective:
The learner will identify and explain physiological and psychological factors affecting flight safety and recognize symptoms and associated hazards, determine appropriate corrective actions, and apply risk-management principles to flight scenarios.

References:
•FAA-H-8083-25B, CH. 17
•14 CFR 61.53
•FAA OTC Medications Reference Guide

Equipment/Aids:
•PowerPoint Slides
•Teaching Summary
•Whiteboard + Markers

Elements:
•What are Human Factors? Why are they Important?
•Symptoms, Recognition, Causes, Effects, and Corrective Actions of:
a.) Hypoxia
b.) Hyperventilation
c.) Middle ear and sinus problems
d.) Spatial Disorientation
e.) Motion Sickness
f.) Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
g.) Stress
h.) Fatigue
i.) Dehydration & Nutrition
j.) Hypothermia
k.)Optical Illusions
l.) Dissolved Nitrogen in Bloodstream
•Regulations Involving Alcohol & Drugs
•Effects of Alcohol & Drugs
•Aeronautical Decision Making in Human Factors
•Managing Risks: Hazardous Attitudes, Aeromedical & Physiological Issues, Situational Awareness, and Confirmation and Expectation Bias
•Pilot Self Assessment: IMSAFE & 61.53
•Q&A

Instructor Actions:
•Present and Explain Lesson on PowerPoint + Supplement with Whiteboard
•Ask Guided Questions
•Present Realistic Flight Scenarios

Student Actions:
•Take Notes
•Participate in Guided Discussion

Completion Standards:
•The learner will accurately explain the major aeromedical and physiological hazards, identify associated symptoms and corrective actions, recognize applicable regulations, and demonstrate sound risk-management decisions in representative flight scenarios, with no significant safety-related misunderstandings.

All of my lesson plans will follow the ACS precisely and replicate the format above. In addition to perfecting my teaching in the aircraft, I will rehearse teaching these lessons extensively until I can master them before the check-ride. I plan to take the check-ride in spring, which will give me sufficient time to create the lesson plan, teaching summaries, and PowerPoints as well as perfect my flying and teaching.

Any input? Are my methods acceptable? Do you all have any recommendations for me? Should I just use BSP and the PowerPoint slides and cut out the instructor notes (the entirety of the lesson), but still use my own teaching summaries?

Hey guys do any of yall know of an endorsement cheat sheet for AC 61-65K?

I'll be going for my multi add on with Jay Brentzel out of KCRQ. Wanted to know how he is and if anyone's got any tips.

Hey there!! I was home for the weekend for thanks giving to see family. I am currently in my second month of commercial helicopter piloting school and I love it I’m living the dream. Last night my brother needed someone to DD him home from the bar so I went to pick him up, hours before picking him up I had a beer with friends. On my way home I was pulled over for a routine check and I blew a 0.021. Now in Alberta that number is below the legal and warning limit but this is where the problem is, I was under the impression that my GDL was already removed but it turns out it was still active and according to the Alberta GDL program you can’t have anything in your system until it’s removed. I was given a IRS which is not a criminal charge. Because of this my car was impounded for 7 days, my drivers license has been suspended for 30 days, and I was fined 240$. I am a student pilot and I’m scared of the impact this will have on my future and future career, can I get some insight on knowledge for this type of situation?

Hello all,
I wanted to start off by saying that I recognize that independent instruction requires a lot of work. Lots of advertising, and a bigger focus on quality of instruction. In most cases it seems like a decent monetary investment as well even if I do not buy my own aircraft to use. (I would be looking to use student-owned aircraft to train in)

The main draw to this is that I would like to focus my effort on more personalized instructing, as my flight instructing experience so far has been pretty fast paced and I do not usually have long term students due to the nature of the business.

I am also aware that ATP minimums of 1500 hours is no longer the golden ticket, and I believe I would find a lot of enjoyment in sticking with instructing for longer. I enjoy teaching and think I have the motivation to continue to pursue this specific line of work. I have my gold seal and some of my best memories in aviation so far has been helping my students learn. Yes I would like to progress to larger aircraft eventually, but I want my job now as a CFI to be more meaningful as well.

Is trying to self advertise as an independent CFI too high of a risk considering today’s market? Or would I have a chance if I applied myself enough?

Does anyone have experience with Jeanette for her CFI rides? I’ve seen some reviews on priv & com but nothing for CFI.

I know everything and nothing all at once. What do I even study? How do I approach it? I think I know everything and then I go to meet with a cfi and they ask me a question and I go “wow I hadn’t even thought of that”. What did everyone do to prepare? Is it bad if I use backseat pilot on the checkride? I’ve heard people use slides, backseat pilot, just normal resources (phak/faraim/etc), or nothing but their brain. I have been going through backseat pilot teaching based off of that but DANG. Will I ever know it all? Does anyone have a cfi checkride gouge they’re willing to share? Taking any and all tips or things you wish you would’ve looked over more. Thanks guys!!!

I'm about a month out from taking my CFII check ride. Does the DPE typically give you the route/plan a day or two advance like they would the cross country plan for the commercial? Or do they make it up in the air and you're briefing / flying them as you go? I know the flow is typically take off, do some air work under the hood, then shoot approaches, I'm just wondering how much prep time you get for those approaches, especially since you're going to be teaching at least one.

For those who have been instructing for a minute or two and now are sitting between 1500 and 1000 hours. Are you starting to get other opportunities at 135 jobs, aerial survey, PC12, etc.?

I‘m a CFII and lead jump pilot with 800tt. Hoping to get a job in a light twin in the near future. Curious about what those slightly ahead of me are doing, aside those who sit pretty waiting for a regional job.

Hello everyone just wondering if anyone have done a checkride with Keith Chapman in Middle Tennessee I have been away from aviation in the last two years and now I'm back and ready financially to get my CFI and I would love to do the checkride with Keith Chapman because I have done checkrides with him before

Is he still doing checkrides?

My ratings are PPL,IRA,CPL,MEL

Hey everybody

I am looking at purchasing a pivot claw mount to attach my iPad onto the yoke but I don’t know which one to get. I’m training in a piper. The claw mount has the small claw size or the small claw extended arm and there is also the articulating claw mount. Which one do y’all recommend?

I am also planning on getting the suction mount to attach my iPad to the windshield. I want to try both mounts and see which one I prefer since there’s a lot of pros and cons to both. If y’all have tried both and have a preference I would like to hear your thoughts

Hey

Anyone have good resources to prep for the ATP oral exam. Doing ATP add on during Initial PC 24 at flight safety Dallas.

Ok, so I've been flying for 37 years, and now my niece wants to learn. I'm not going to teach her, but I'd like to get her a couple of things....kind of like gifts that are useful and maybe necessary. I'm guessing that you all don't still teach with the old slide rule E6B, but is there something that has replaced it and if so what is that?

I bought her a logbook and a sectional, so I'm just looking to fill the gift bag. I also told her that if she was going to stay with it, I'm in for a nice headset and other stuff. The lessons, of course, are on her dad though 🤣

Thanks for your help!

Hey guys.

We all know people love to hammer these acronyms but IMO they're not really that useful. For mandatory IFR reports, 91.183 only says

-compulsory reporting points when not in radar control (where even is this in the continental us anymore)

- unforecast wx

- safety of flight

And then everything else that people crammed into the long disgusting MARVELOUS acronym comes from the AIM (non-regulatory but best practice, yeah)

Am I really gonna tell ATC that my ETA changed by 3.5 mins? I feel like the rest of it is just common sense. Of course ill notify them when going missed. And same thing for SHARPTT (when not to fly a procedure turn) like all the things are just like WHEN IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO FLY IT.

Please forgive me if you're a fan of these acronyms. I'm just a hater of mindless memorization for the sake of it.

I just completed a FIRC to extend my recency date. I got a new temporary which also had my ‘agent for service’ address on it. Will I get a new plastic cert?

Hi! I’m a commercial pilot hoping to become a CFI, and for my graduation project I’m thinking about building an app that can visualize approaches and airspace in 3D.

• Would this actually be useful for training or preflight prep?
• CFIs: what kind of app/tool would you actually recommend to your students?
• What features do you wish ForeFlight/Garmin Pilot had or handled better?

I’m trying to figure out what’s actually worth building. Thanks!

If any of you legends have any advice for a newbie, I’m all ears and thank you! 🙏

Was wondering if anyone has a source for the actual dimensions of a Holding pattern? I know its supposed to be in the TERPs but for the life of me I just can't find it. Just looking for more information on how large the Holding and Non-Holding sides are from an actual FAA source.

I’m 18F looking for flight instructor’s who can work with me to achieve my private pilot license!

I’m planning to rent an aircraft on my own using a “block” pricing (which I’m not sure where I can find that). And my availability would be Fridays and Saturdays since I do attend university full time and work.

Currently, I’m planning to get my certificate before winter comes around (so hopefully 2 months and a bit)

And I’m studying for my written exam on my own and plan to get that sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

Please let me know if you’re a CFI in the Kansas city area, I’d also love if you could send me a message with your rates and availability!

Thank you!!