Your experience as a brand new CFI

[Gizmo]

What was it like your first day/week/month as a brand new CFI?

[Snickersnwa]

I learned a lot.

The first 20-30 hours of dual given there seems to be a nice learning curve... as new CFI’s transition from the student’s frame-of-mind to that of an instructor’s.

[surreal1221]

Originally Posted by Gizmo

What was it like your first day/week/month as a brand new CFI?

Great idea for a thread. Been wondering the same thing.

[bdhill1979]

I learned a lot more in those first 20 hours than all of the time prior to that.

I think for me it really came down to learning how to explain the same thing to several different people with different ways of learning.

[Ian J]

I sat down with current CFIs and asked a zillion questions.

You make a lot of mistakes when you're new - lots of stuff you look back on and figure out better ways of doing, but in the end it is a tremendous learning experience. New CFIs have a tendency to be over-protective on the controls, and they end to be nevous-nellies at first. Try and avoid that.

You'll see that anyone who has ever said CFI-ing is a wasted experience sitting in the right seat doing nothing either never was a CFI, or was never good at it.

[Clocks]

I felt like I learned a ton my first student. Then again the first time I taught a student for each rating (especially instrument). After the first student at least it wasn't all new territory though, and I at least had a foundation (however small) of experience to build on.

My first student was the biggest "jump". Getting used to explaining things to someone who doesn't know anything (I had "taught" my CFI many things during training, but it's not really the same). As I fumbled through my first student's ground schools and demonstrations in the airplane, I tried to remember what worked. I.E. how to lay things out in a logical order so the student can put the pieces together, giving students clear goals on what to study, what's important for the next flight (otherwise the next day you'll show up wanting to do emergency procedures just to find out they spent all night reading about stability charts, or weather systems in Antarctica, or something else you'd never think of ), etc. I also learned that on many topics I needed to review them the night before. I simply sound retarded when I try to explain something I haven't looked at in a year. So I stopped, and my early students probably got used to hearing this after they asked a question "Here's the basic concept (explain the big picture), but I have to review the details of that, we'll go over it in depth tomorrow" until I learned to plan better and review the topics before we met.

Remember to stay calm and supportive no matter how big of a mistake the student made, or how many times you have to say "are we out of runway? let's put the gear up". I never wanted to be one of those instructors who yelled or got mad. I learned the most from a CFI who expected me to study, and didn't cut me any slack in the airplane or on the ground if I didn't, but didn't get angry either. I wanted to be like him . Plus if you're always calm it lets you get some extra bang when you really need to emphasize the importance of a topic you don't want your student to forget .

[bLizZuE]

I didn't really feel good about teaching until I solo'd my first student. It was all downhill from there.

I think I've solo'd 7 now...

[tprops4me]

How nervous were you guys when you soloed your first? I think I would be sweating bullets.

[dc3flyer]

I was pretty fortunate when I started CFIing. My first few hours were with students that were past the solo point. They still needed the "expertise" of a CFI, but knew enough that I didn't have to start from scratch.

When I finally got a NEW student, I felt comfortable teaching and allowing someone else to fly the plane.

I was not real nervous on my first student's solo. Of course I was nervous, but I also knew that I had taught them what they needed to know and felt good about their abilities (or else they wouldn't have been soloing).

[Cessnaflyer]

I felt like I knew less then a private pilot.

Now it is getting easier to put sentences together that will actually make sense to the students.

[Snickersnwa]

Originally Posted by dc3flyer

I was not real nervous on my first student's solo. Of course I was nervous, but I also knew that I had taught them what they needed to know and felt good about their abilities (or else they wouldn't have been soloing).

Exactly how I felt.

[esa17]

I've only given 100 or so hours of dual but I still feel like a newbie, which is probably a good thing. Last week I had the following story happen to me, this was written for my journal which is read by non pilot friends.

Holy crap what a morning. I flew with a Cajun gentleman named Bert who told me he was a former B-52 pilot in the air force. I'm usually impressed by that sort of thing and tend to give those guys a great deal of respect because they've flown the heavy metal. Bert is 84 and failed his medical because of esophageal cancer which is in remission but he still wants to fly, so with me he goes. I made an assumption about his flying skills that was WAY off base. He didn't even scare being a competent pilot, all he did was scare the bejesus out of me. He tried to fly the little Piper Archer just like a BUFF and was heavy handed on the yoke all the way down. His approaches looked like Cougar trying to land after the Mig scare in Top Gun. To keep him from dragging a wing I blocked the yoke and kept reminding him all the way down to let the airplane fly itself since thats what its designed to do. I tried to explain that you absolutely CAN NOT fight a plane to the ground like that. Two things could potentially happen. First, and probably worst of all, if you've got passengers in the back they'll get airsick and projectile vomit all over the back of your head. Second, you'll depart the runway and crash which tends to ruin your day. This guy was NOT going to listen to some snot nosed kid and fought me tooth and nail.

On the first landing the plan was for me to demonstrate it...at midfield he literally let go of the controls and didn't say a word. I briefed him on the "positive exchange of controls" but apparently it went in one ear and out the other. He never even looked at me, he just kept looking out the side window, just sightseeing. That blew me away.

Next on climb out he insisted on an anemic rate of climb because he didn't like that he couldn't see over the nose. Well, if the engine quits and he doesn't have enough altitude to safely pick a landing area it doesn't really matter whats in front of him now does it? He complained about the price of the flight, he complained about me insisting on him doing things my way, and he complained about how much the radio work has changed. I wish I had a CVR tape of our final landing. The controller said: "1PA keep it rolling down to Echo, ground point 8". The guy almost lost his mind because he didn't know what the controller said. I don't expect any non-pilots to understand any of that but think of it this way; the controller said his version of "paper or plastic". Not really tough stuff here.


I will NEVER again make assumptions about a persons flying skills based on their background. During our previous ground brief this dude was prepared with folders, charts, graphs, manuals, and checklists for days. Because he was so together on the ground I thought he would be in the air. I guess I was wrong and I should have inquired about his last flight sooner....


It was in 1968.

[bLizZuE]

lol, nice

[CDVdriver]

I learned more in my first year as CFI that all my own previous training put together.
Still surprised that nothing serious ever happenend.
Also surprised that my first 3 students didn't walk away from me.

[E6BAV8R]

Being a CFI certainly helped me learn to fly the airplane better and get a better "feel" for it when I would watch someone else do it and nitpick in my mind.

I think the hardest part about CFI'ing is finding different ways to explain the same thing to different students and learning how to approach all the different students to cater the lesson to them.

[Douglas]

I have about 30 hours of dual now.
I couldn't believe that I started saying stuff to my students that my first instructor told to me. word for word.
not to mention explaining maneuvers and steep turns -
I was so worried about messing up the demonstration but I would tell him how to do it, then I would do it and think (son of a ____, it worked). like I had never seen a steep turn before.

[exleardriver]

don't ever ######## them if you don't have an answer..

i've taught 15 years, also been a lear training capt. and check airman. you get asked a lotttt of questions about anything and everything..it's even harder when the 'student' is another professional pilot with thousands of hours to his/her credit as well. if i don't know, i always say 'i'll have to get back to you'..or we look it up together, even with a 20-hr student pilot. there's a certain level of 'always available' aeronautical knowledge that i work hard at trying to maintain, but you can't memorize it all. for example, when the questions start to get really deep into aspects of aerodynamics that have more to do with theory than actual, need-to-know flying knowledge, i gotta review it. i still review the aim, in particular, several evenings a week.

[JHines]

Originally Posted by exleardriver

don't ever ######## them if you don't have an answer..

<SNIP>

Can I say AMEN to that? When I'm in the position of a student, it bothers me not a whit if a teacher/professor/CFI says "I'll check and get back to you". If instead I get BS in an effort to appear informed, it makes me start to doubt that person.

[exleardriver]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I was so worried about messing up the demonstration but I would tell him how to do it, then I would do it and think (son of a ____, it worked). like I had never seen a steep turn before.

this year, i had a commercial student a few months back and i see very few of them where i work, consequently i demonstrate these maneuvers infrequently. also, i rarely just 'go flying' by myself for fun (cost). therefore, it's more difficult for me to maintain sharp proficiency in, say, the lazy eights. these are like landings..gotta practice them from time to time. after discussing it on the dry erase board pre-brief, we went out. i demonstrated. it took several attempts and i was never satisfied with any of them. that evening i poured over the maneuver again and flew it more in my head and the next demo i got it right the first time. all i could do was shrug my shoulders that first time. it happens and i've given many thousands of dual. we all have our stories. it doesn't happen often to me, but when it doesi'm the first to say 'that sucked'..

[ATOflyer]

I'm pretty overprotective of the controls at first. I guess that will just remedy with time and more dual given, and if the "students are out to kill me" attitude that I have will subside haha jk. Thinking back to when I was learning and how much I hated when I felt like my instructor was on the controls makes me want to rid this habit but it sounds normal and is probably for the better in some cases.

[exleardriver]

Originally Posted by ATOflyer

I'm pretty overprotective of the controls at first. I guess that will just remedy with time and more dual given, and if the "students are out to kill me" attitude that I have will subside haha jk. Thinking back to when I was learning and how much I hated when I felt like my instructor was on the controls makes me want to rid this habit but it sounds normal and is probably for the better in some cases.

when students are first learning to land, you can bet that my feet are hovering just above the rudder pedals and my hands are basically in my lap, also ready to move quickly. the gustier the wind, the greener the student, the closer my hands are and sometimes we'd 'fly together' on some landing approaches. in the air i'm not worried..very little a student may do that an instructor cannot undo just as quickly. you'll relax more in time, i promise.

[Nihon_Ni]

Originally Posted by tprops4me

How nervous were you guys when you soloed your first? I think I would be sweating bullets.

The first student I soloed was my wife in my plane. I'm not sure what I was more nervous about! I mean, sure I love my wife and it would be terrible to have to date again, but I also spent a lot of time getting my plane just right...new paint, new glass, avionics, etc., etc...

In all honesty, it's probably more fun for me than it is for the student. Flight instruction is one of those professions where your goal is to provide enough learning opportunities where your students don't need you anymore. When I get out of the plane for a first solo, I feel a certain amount of achievement because that's the first big indicator that I am working myself out of a job. You'll figure out when the right time is and in the beginning you'll probably error toward the conservative side, and that's okay. It won't take you very long to know when the time has come to get out of the plane. I personally start students with a very small box and gradually increase it as they get more experience. The first solo is always a part of a dual lesson where we've done at least 3 landings and 1 go-around. Sometimes we do more. I launched on a flight where I intended to solo the student, but he had an off day and after 4-5 landings I ended the lesson. I thought he was going to be disappointed, but it turns out that he was relieved. He also knew he was having an off day, so we stopped and talked about landings for an hour or so. It was a great opportunity to help him realize what was happening and what he needed to do to correct it. A few days later things were much better and his solo went smoothly.

Rob

[E6BAV8R]

How nervous were you guys when you soloed your first? I think I would be sweating bullets.

I agree with Rob. I thought I would be extremely nervous when I first started soloing students, but in all reality it isn't as bad as you think it might be.

After flight with the student for X amount of hours you really start realizing that they know what they are doing and know they can handle the airplane in the way they should be. It is hard to explain, but you will know when your student will be up to the task of soloing.

[UAL747400]

I've got about 20 hours of dual so far and the learning curve for me is HUGE. I honestly felt a little incompetent those first few lessons. Teaching a rated pilot and a student pilot just wasn't the same at all. With the control thing, I found myself to be quite the opposite in that I would take over just a bit too late. My students expressed this to me as well. It was never a danger of crashing or anything, just my students scaring the hell out of themselves a little. You can bet my one student won't get hard on the brakes and lazy on the rudder at the same time ever again.

I'll remember that first day forever. It didn't hit me until we got settled in the airplane that I realized "oh crap, this is the real deal!!"

[CDVdriver]

Sometimes I intentionally mess up a demonstration, the purpose being to give a low confidence student a boost; see you are not the only one making mistakes.
Sometimes I simple have a bad day and I can barely do a steep turn to private standards...lol
If I demonstrate a landing I always critique myself out loud in front of the student to let them know what I was not satisfied with and also to let them know never to be satisfied with your performance, no matter how much experience you have.