Category: CFI Program

Put a fork in me. I’m done! Today’s checkride went very well. I was up at 5:30 and at the airport by 7:00 a.m. By 10 a.m. I had the new temporary airman certificate in my pocket and had said my goodbyes to the ATP staff as I headed out the door. So much work. And all for a little… Read more →

The end is in sight! Tomorrow is the final checkride. In fact, 24 hours from now I should be back in Orange County. You know, these two weeks have flown by (no pun intended). And yet in many ways I feel as thought I’ve been in Las Vegas for months. The program started with such a bang, and yet seems… Read more →

Not much to report on day twelve. Only made one flight today, and it went fine. I was having a bit of trouble remembering the commercial maneuvers since I haven’t done them since… well, since I got my commercial certificate circa 9/11/01, but the cobwebs are slowly clearing. You know, I’m starting to think that Lazy Eights are the non-aerobatic… Read more →

I’m sitting in the ATP office and the place is empty. Just a week ago, the scheduling board was so full you almost couldn’t see any white space on it. Now there’s just a few flights left. Some of those flights are mine, and that’s why I’m still here. All but one other member of my class has finished the… Read more →

Wouldn’t you know it? Just when I was getting used to the 5:00 a.m. flights, they’re over. I took my multi-engine instrument instructor checkride this morning. And passed, thank you very much. In fact, everyone in my class has passed every test so far. Three of us took MEII checkrides this morning. As I recall, Casey departed at 1:00 a.m.,… Read more →

The system must be broken, because they let me slip through the cracks: I am the world’s newest FAA certified flight instructor! (Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.) The checkride was a textbook flight. Once we got in the air, that is. The DE thought he heard something odd coming from the left engine, pehaps a stuck starter. So we… Read more →

The first checkride is officially upon me. The oral portion of the practical test for my initial flight instructor certificate was this afternoon, and it wasn’t that bad. It only lasted perhaps two or three hours. The flight portion is tomorrow. I’ve heard stories of CFI orals taking eight or ten hours, which seems a bit excessive to me. On… Read more →

Despite my longstanding reputation as a night owl, I’m actually getting used to being up at 3:00 a.m. Maybe it’s just the Vegas effect, but when you’re flying at that hour, it doesn’t really matter if it’s early or late. In reality, it’s both. You’d think that walking through the casino at that hour, the place would be empty. You’d… Read more →

Okay, getting up at 1:30 a.m. wasn’t as bad as I thought. Flying in the middle of the night has it’s advantages, especially in the desert. I’ve never seen the air so smooth. It makes the flying easier and more enjoyable, but of course it also leaves a pilot with little excuse for deviations in altitude or heading. McCarren Int’l… Read more →

I’m starting to form an opinion on ATP’s instructor program. I’ll reserve final judgement until I’ve completed the course, but my thoughts thus far are that your average pilot is probably not going to be well equipped or well served by this kind of thing. Allow me to explain. My class is comprised of five people of widely varying experience.… Read more →