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CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2019 7:03 pm
by kaputt16
First post here, pretty excited to be getting the opportunity to be a part time Sport instructor at my local airfield.

Been working on studying for the written, and I was curious if anyone had used the Sheppard Air CFI airplane test prep to help them for the CFI Sport? From what I have gathered, the CFI and CFI Sport tests pull from the same question bank, with the CFI-S test having less questions due to things that aren't applicable (but adding a few Sport specific items).

The nice thing about Sheppard Air is only having to study what it going to show up on the test. If anyone has taken both and could compare the questions that showed up between the two, that would be awesome!

Thanks!

Re: CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:17 pm
by TimTaylor
kaputt16 wrote:First post here, pretty excited to be getting the opportunity to be a part time Sport instructor at my local airfield.

Been working on studying for the written, and I was curious if anyone had used the Sheppard Air CFI airplane test prep to help them for the CFI Sport? From what I have gathered, the CFI and CFI Sport tests pull from the same question bank, with the CFI-S test having less questions due to things that aren't applicable (but adding a few Sport specific items).

The nice thing about Sheppard Air is only having to study what it going to show up on the test. If anyone has taken both and could compare the questions that showed up between the two, that would be awesome!

Thanks!
Welcome. Obviously, you need to know all the material to be a good instructor and to pass your practical test. Personally, I don't like the concept of studying just to answer the written test questions. If you know the material, the test questions don't matter. You'll know the answers.

Re: CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 10:48 pm
by bryancobb
Hi kaputt16,

Congratulations on getting as far as you have. You'll find many opinions on here and that's exactly what you get...opinions.

My opinion is that the written is merely a hurdle that you must jump over. In life and as a flight instructor, you are not expected to be able to fly or teach perfectly immediately after getting the rating. Your level of knowledge does not have to be all-encompassing.

My opinion is that you should make yourself familiar with the things the examiner MUST test you on (EX: Cockpit Distractions and Runway Incursions) and then get feedback from CFI's that have sent candidates to THE DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINER (DPE) that YOU will be doing your checkride with. These instructors will be very familiar with that DPE's typical things they do in the air and ask on the ground.

If someone tells you to "know everything," they are causing you an unjustified amount of anxiety. You should bring the books and know how to look things up in them to answer oral questions. The PTS does NOT require the DPE to evaluate your ability to memorize a large amount of info. What you WILL (and should) be evaluated on is your ability to keep a ham-fisted primary student from getting into an unsafe situation. The DPE may play the role pretty well and expects you to be the intervening force.

Here's my "opinion" of the books you should bring and be familiar with their quick use as reference-pubs:
* FAR/AIM
* PRACTICAL TEST STANDARDS FOR THE RATING YOU ARE GOING FOR
* AIRPLANE FLYING HANDBOOK
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policie ... ndbook.pdf
* AVIATION INSTRUCTOR'S HANDBOOK
https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policie ... 083-9A.pdf
* AIRPORT FACILITIES DIRECTORY (HAS A NEW NAME NOW)
* BOOK OF LESSON PLANS FOR CFI'S
http://jasonblair.net/wp-content/upload ... uinlan.pdf

My "opinion" is...it's better to look up things you are not CERTAIN of before you answer incorrectly from memory.

Good Luck.

Re: CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2019 11:26 pm
by drseti
bryancobb wrote: * AIRPORT FACILITIES DIRECTORY (HAS A NEW NAME NOW)
Correct. It's now called the Chart Supplements.

Re: CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 12:47 am
by kaputt16
Realized I never came back and updated this. Having now taken both the regular CFI exam and the CFI-S exam, I can accurately claim that Sheppard Air will not help you for the CFI-S. There are some overlap questions, however many of the questions on the CFI-S exam were not in the Sheppard Air prep.

For what its worth, I did not use Sheppard air for the CFI-S exam, and studied "the old fashioned way". I am glad I did that.

I am currently pressing with getting my CFI-S over my CFI as I am going to be a part time instructor and see CFI-S as a good way to dip the toe in the water. Local flying club has mostly Sport aircraft. I also have my tailwheel endorsement, and the club now has a tailwheel aircraft, so I'm hoping I can maybe specialize in some tailwheel training.

Re: CFI-S Wrriten Test - Sheppard Air?

Posted: Thu May 30, 2019 10:38 am
by TimTaylor
Since you're also looking at getting an MEI, why not get subpart H CFI instead of CFI-S? Why limit yourself to Sport and multi-engine.