MASTERY FLIGHT TRAINING, Inc. www.thomaspturner.net
The CFI Interview
Finding the right flight instructor for your needs will set the tone for your attitude, decision-making ability and safety over your entire life as a pilot. More so, finding the right CFI (or flying with the wrong one) will determine whether you ever meet your piloting goals at all. Evaluate the answers to these questions as a first step toward selecting a flight instructor for your short- and long-term flying goals:
What is your experience as a pilot?
What is your experience as an instructor (aviation and non-aviation)?
What do you do for your own recurrent training?
What professional development have your completed in the last two years?
What formal training have your received on instructional techniques?
Will your schedule support my needs?
What is your students' record of success?
How does your instructional experience mesh with my aviation goals?
If you were to get an airline or corporate job, would you want to continue some instructing?
Resources
There are a number of resources available to help you locate flight instructors:
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA)'s Members Only section
National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI) CFI Lookup page
NAFI's Master CFI registry
The EAA Find a Flight Advisor page
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA)'s resources
Project Pilot Find a CFI Near You page
University Aviation Association: two- and four-year college/university aviation programs
Pilot Journey.com's instructor directory
Given a shortage of instructors, especially in some geographic areas, if you cannot find a CFI that has the experience you need you may need to help the instructor you can find develop the skills you need.
Here are some ideas for developing your own instructor.
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