People skills are equally important. The successful instructor learns how to deal with a wide variety of people. This knowledge pays handsome dividends when you advance to an airline or charter business that places high emphasis on crew resource management (CRM) skills. Dealing with an opinionated, cantankerous captain - individuals who are incapable of learning CRM concepts - might be your first challenge.
A successful flight instructor has met several prerequisites. The ability to communicate is first and foremost. Some people can't convey an idea or a concept in a logical, easy-to-understand manner.
Others can't relate to the theoretical aspects of aircraft performance or the mechanical aspects of aircraft systems. Math and science give them shivers. Without an interest and sufficient knowledge in these subjects, student questions cannot be answered and the quality of training decreases dramatically.
Some people like to talk, and while lecture can be an effective training tool, it has limitations. Training effectiveness increases when the instructor asks questions and the student does the talking. When the student conveys correct information to the instructor, the training process is moving forward.
The instructor who fidgets impedes the training process. He will give a warning such as: "If you don't turn now..." or "If you don't reduce power...," etc. Impatience will motivate him to tune a radio for the student. These actions retard the training process.
A good instructor stays out of the student's way unless something drastic is about to happen. He waits to see if a student recognizes a problem and saves the critique for the lesson's postflight briefing. That critique must clearly define why the problem occurred and what solutions are acceptable. That's how instructors check student awareness and understanding.
Judgment is equally important. Check it by letting a problem develop and observing the student's solution. Obviously, the problem must be recognized in a timely manner so that instructor intervention is not required.
A flight instructor certificate is not easy to obtain, and that's good. Considerable study, understanding, and practice must take place before you can present yourself to the FAA for certification. Initial flight instructor certification is conducted by the FAA; additional instructor ratings are conducted by designated pilot examiners.
Some CFI applicants have been rejected because they couldn't give an overview of the training process without consulting written references. That's a fair request. Applicants should be able to state that private pilot training usually consists of three stages: the first lesson through initial solo, from that point through the first solo cross-country, and from that point through the final qualifications for certification. If more detail is required, they should refer to written references in order to avoid making a careless mistake over a minor matter.
The Aviation Instructor's Handbook, FAA-H-8083-9, is very specific about using written references: Page 4-1, "Preparation of the lesson plan may be accomplished after reference to the syllabus or practical test standards (PTS), or it may be in preprinted form as prepared by a publisher of training materials." Page 10-5, "A mental outline of a lesson is not a lesson plan. A lesson plan should be put into writing." Page 10-7, "Commercially developed lesson plans are acceptable for most training situations, including use by flight instructor applicants during their practical tests."
If you have an interest in teaching, don't let the challenge of obtaining a CFI certificate stop you. You will always appreciate the long-term benefits that accrue.
Ralph Butcher, a retired United Airlines captain, is the chief flight instructor at a California flight school. He has been flying for 43 years and has 25,000 flight hours in both fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. Visit his Web site ( www.skyroamers.com ).
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