CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 7, Issue 4 - 9

NO INSTRUCTOR SHOULD TRY TEACHING IN SOMETHING THEY AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH: IT'S UNFAIR TO THE
STUDENT IF THE INSTRUCTOR IS LEARNING THE AIRCRAFT OR AVIONICS WHILE TRYING TO TEACH.

A little humble pie on the part of the instructor
in the beginning goes a long way to developing
a reputation as an instructor who knows their
limits and doesn't waste a customer's time and
money learning at their expense-or worse,
putting them at risk.

Know your limitations and be honest with
your customers. This is an important part of
instruction. A savvy customer will respect an
instructor who honestly indicates that they do
not have the experience in a particular make and
model of aircraft.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO
INSTRUCT IN EVERY AIRCRAFT

Conducting an IPC for a customer who knows
their Piper Saratoga may be okay if you have
never ﬂown one, but providing initial instruction
to a pilot who just purchased a Cessna 414 when
you have only ﬂown a Diamond Twin Star is
probably a no-no. Providing add-on instruction to
a customer in an aircraft with which they already
have familiarity is one way a new instructor can
gain experience in different aircraft. This can
be a great building block approach for a new
instructor to gain experience in an unfamiliar
make and model or avionics package.

You likely have only ﬂown a few aircraft makes
and models. An instructor who trained in a 1977
Cessna 172RG with round gauges isn't going to
be the best training a customer in a Cirrus SR22
with a Garmin Perspective avionics package.
It doesn't mean that you can't ever do it, it just
requires additional learning before you will be
effective. No instructor should try teaching in
something they aren't familiar with: It's unfair
to the student if the instructor is learning the
aircraft or avionics while trying to teach.

YOU ARE A GREAT OPTION FOR
STUDENTS SEEKING CERTIFICATE
AND RATING TRAINING
If you have just gotten your CFI, CFII, or MEI
you're well versed in the mechanics and training
requirements of completing the ratings and
certiﬁcates associated with these qualiﬁcations.
In fact, you were recently tested on them.
Additionally, you'll be more likely to make
sure all the little details are taken care of than
someone who has been an instructor for 20
years but may not have signed anyone off for a
practical test in the last ﬁve years. Leverage this
strength when you are starting out.
As an examiner, I actually get a little nervous
when I get a call from a candidate for a practical
test whose instructor hasn't signed anyone off in
a few years. I tend to ﬁnd missing endorsements,
incomplete training, or even that they have

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 7, Issue 4