CFI Excellence   
"Better CFIs For Safety!"

CFIs are #1 "Safety Influencers" in aviation.

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David, SAFE Executive DIrector

"Aviation educators are the essential point of contact with pilots and #1 "Aviation Influencers" creating safety. Their skill and professionalism (or lack of it) determine the quality of all our future pilots. Here are some immediate, actionable ideas on how to build your own professionalism and/or inspire CFIs you work with."

Why do we still have an unacceptable 80% drop-out rate during initial pilot training?

Why can’t a certificated pilot (easily) rent an airplane anywhere like you rent a car?

Why will some schools *not* rent to pilots they just trained and tested?

Why do pilots pass the “FAA Test” but insurance companies really are the ones who “set the standards!”

How can we expect CFIs with less than a year of total experience (teaching and sometimes even flying) to be “professional educators?” How “masterful” is *your* CFI?

Why do YouTube “CFI Rockstars” (with very little experience and “dual given”) perpetuate such terrible teaching technique?

80% Drop Out My Instructor Said... My Instructor Said... CFI Primary
✈ Looking at flight training from an objective viewpoint it clearly is a broken system! (We all were trained with this process but need to objectively analyze and fix it.) An 80% drop our rate with terrible customer-service leaves plenty of "opportunity for improvement!" Flying is not (and has never been) cheap or easy or fast...please don't try to sell that myth. Also, no one can guarantee results; every learner has different needs and speeds.

start with honesty

✈ Being a CFI is very different than being a pilot; these are two separate certificates and approaches! (Get used to "flying sideways" and *no* micro-managing!) The "pilot personality" is well-documented and not consistent with effective education. Teaching can be frustrating; it requires patience, creativity and compassion. Not usually part of the Pilot Personality (known to be low in Emotional Intelligence - HERE!)  

Two Certificates

✈The FAA specifies the lowest acceptable standard (Minimum Viable Product) for all certificates and ragings in the ACS/PTS. They do not define mastery or excellence.   "Perfection is not the standard!"
Your front-end representative defining your school and business (newly-minted CFI) may be "FAA-approved" but rarely are they ready to be an effective educator or representative of your flight school without additional training. 2/3rds of active flight instructors have taught for less than a year (time-building)!

Young CFI

Don't ever scare a student (or other training pilot). *ALL* learning shuts down if the brain goes into "911 mode." This is the same as the "startle" response. Not only will learning totally stop, you will probably lose a customer. Proceed carefully, at your clients proper level of challenge; teach ground reference *before* stalls for more "confidence-building/acclimation" time!

X-Wind Landing

✈ There *is* a technique to make amazing pilots - skilled/knowledgable/confident (to explain this fully, ask for that presentation: "Incremental Mastery") Ultimately, the CFI should become superfluous (like parenting?) Our job as CFIs is to get out of the plane one step at a time!

Incremental Mastery CFI Primary

✈ Effective flight training must be “learner centered.” The person paying the bills deserves your full attention/devotion/compassion. New, often young flight instructors form the majority of our active educators (90%). Professional aviation educators are rare (and under-appreciated!) 

Superfluous CFI

✈ The FAA has no continuing education or recognition program for CFI improvement (a FAA Gold Seal is a "one off") SAFE's Master Instructor Program is celebrating 25 years of success

Master Instructor

How People Learn

More Resources: FREE App!

How People Learn
How People Learn
Talent Code
Drive
Scary Pilots

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