What a CFI Wants You to Know Archives

Cessnas parked on a flight school ramp [Credit: Meg Godlewski]

Same Model, Different Plane: Navigating the Quirks of a Flight School Fleet

Tips for student pilots and CFIs on being prepared to fly every aircraft available.

A wide range of light aircraft and the pilots that fly them will be positively affected by the implementation of MOSAIC. [Credit: Sling Aircraft]

What the New MOSAIC Rule Means for Sport Pilots and Flight Schools

AC 61-146 notes performance-based aircraft limits, instructor qualification changes, and training boom potential.

A Navion waits out the weather. [Credit: Glenn Hirsch/AVweb]

Seasonal Starts: Timing Your Flight Training for Success

Starting your pilot certificate at the wrong point in the year can lead to frustration and weather limitations.

By the time you become a CFI, the gear bag is filled with instructional tools, and the headset has a bag of its own. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]

First Flight Bag: What Fledgling Pilots Need to Succeed

There’s a lot of essential gear that needs to be packed to ensure a safe and successful journey.

Pilot Training With a Passenger: What You Need to Know

Bringing a back-seat observer along on a dual instructional lesson can enhance the experience.

As the government shutdown continues, student pilots ask questions and think about still getting their certificates. [Shutterstock]

Government Shutdown and Aviation: What Pilots Need to Know

Will it affect training check rides, air traffic control, and certifications?

When you acquire pilot certificates and ratings rapidly, you may be ready for the next check ride while flying on a temporary certificate. But is that legal? [Credit: iStock]

Pilots Must Get Back in Air After Scare

When an instructional flight goes sideways, there are lessons to be learned about managing the aftermath and the psychology of returning to the cockpit.

An instructor and a student preflight a Cessna 152 before a lesson. [Credit: Richard Steiger]

What to Expect Your First Five Hours as a Student Pilot

Here are some tips for managing expectations when you begin flight training.

How the CFI addresses the struggling learner separates the professional CFIs and experience builders from the time builders. [Pixabay]

Even Instructors Must Stay in the Learner’s Seat

Experienced CFIs also benefit from ongoing improvement and proficiency flights.

Pilots who learn tests by rote may get a pocketful of certificates but often don't acquire the skills, judgement, and confidence they need to build experience. [Adobe Stock]

Perils of Flying by Rote: Why Judgment Trumps Memorization

Even experienced pilots can fall into the trap of habitual repetitive actions in the cockpit.