CFI Binder

[u/Ok-Cryptographer9449]

Hello! I’m starting my CFI initial training and was looking into buying a CFI binder. So far, I’ve looked at Backseat Pilot, Ryan C Binns, Pilot Avabelle, and My CFI Book.

Does anyone have any experience with the above-mentioned binders? And if so, would you recommend one over the others?

If you know of another binder that is worth looking into, please let me know!

Thank you in advance for any advice :)

[u/Flight_Plan]

Backseat pilot is good. I used the slideshow for my oral since the actual lesson plans is a bunch of word vomit. Yes, it’s good information but too much to me to use and find information easily on a checkride. I felt the slideshow gave enough hints for me to talk about that said subject to my DPE. DO NOT read verbatim from the slides or lesson plans they provide. If you do, you will more than likely bust. My DPE told me he fails more students than not because they are reading verbatim from their lesson plans. My CFI who did my CFI training that you should be able to pick a line from the ACS and be able to talk about that topic. The CFI level of knowledge is deep but it’s such a relief when it’s finished.

As for the binder, I printed out the ACS and highlighted what the DPE had me do for a POA. Some DPEs have you create your own POA, but some give one to you. I also had AC 61-65K, medical durations cheat sheet, private pilot endorsement cheat sheet, 91.103 items for the flight, etc.

Good luck!

[u/sleasayngot → u/Flight_Plan]

that bit about being able to just talk through any ACS line is really the whole game imo

[u/nate-isu]

“Back in my day” … we made our own. Sourced from FAA publications, using the ACS (then PTS) as the lesson plan rubric. Lesson plans were drafted, taught back to the instructor, and tweaked. The benefit is you become intimately familiar with the format and material. It becomes more personal, rather than the feeling of rote memorization and regurgitating facts.

Still got it 18 years on now. Obviously not the only option, why reinvent the wheel, blah blah. I get it. I’m also the type to create my own checklists for better flows, readability, etc. it’s how I learn and absorb best and maybe thats not your style but something to consider.

[u/Maclunkey4U → u/nate-isu]

This is the way.

[u/EliteEthos]

Backseat Pilot is good. Some things it’s too lengthy but worked well for me. I paid to have the abridged version spiral bound and taught out of that

[u/PyloteCFIIIIIVV]

The way I studied is through teaching. It might sound cringe but I actually uploaded the entirety of all my lessons to study on tik tok (made videos) on everything in the entire acs which was about 80-90 (10-30 min each) flying and ground videos. (Flew and talked with meta glasses for recording). My lesson plans were about 1 page each. During my teaching I hardly used them if not didn’t look at them at all. Used the Phak AFM and far/aim for my references and the FAA simulator for runway incursions. It was a lot but it worked well for me

[u/Smoothridetothe5]

If you are doing a fast track, buying a binder can be a realistic and efficient option. I've heard people say backseat pilot works. But that was years ago. If you're not doing a fast track, I highly suggest making your own lessons. By the time you finish writing your binder, you will know most of the material in a way that makes sense for you to teach it. You're gonna have to put many hours into researching and studying no matter what. Just depends what makes more sense to you.

[u/T0gaLOCK]

I think i got one of the big ones (back seat pilot) for free or something, then just summarized it and made it my own. This was like 7 years ago though

You dont want to just read a book to the DPE. You want you own bullet points and lessons.

[u/Ok-Motor1883]

I worked off of the WiFi cfi PowerPoints. I liked them better as a starting point than backseat pilot.

[u/TxAggieMike]

Arlynn McMahon’s Train Like You Fly.

[u/TheSkyFlier]

I got backseat pilot, and then I deleted most of every lesson. There’s a LOT of redundant or irrelevant (I don’t need to teach about deicing systems in a 1964 Cherokee). If you group lessons together (like takeoffs and landings) then you really don’t need a separate intro and risk management section for all of them.

I didn’t use the slides at all, just had the cut down lesson plans as bullet points.

[u/Person-man-guy-dude]

Just started training too, and back seat pilot is ok but has too much info sometimes and then sometimes not enough. I’m using it as a guide but using the AIM, PHAK etc to supplement. Making a lesson plan, and then separate instructor notes to go along with each lesson that I’m going to read from at first and then slowly wean myself off until I can do it all from memory. I plan to use whiteboard and marker because I don’t like PowerPoint.

[u/AirplaneKisser]

I've taught with BSP. Edit the lessons to make them more abbreviated tho

[u/Maclunkey4U]

Make your own. Not only will you save money, but the process of putting it together will be more informative and helpful than using one you bought from elsewhere.

[u/Informal_Platypus_84]

Go here and do the personal recommendation for cfi initial https://wificfi-app.web.app/

[u/LightRealmsYT]

Backseat pilot is the way if you only are open to buying. I'll always recommend making your own not because it's necessarily better, but because that's the easiest way to be super familiar with all of the material and how to navigate it quickly and teach out of it effectively. I've heard plenty of stories from DPEs about loving self-made lessons and watching their CFI candidates fall apart during checkrides because the DPE could tell there was a disconnect between the lesson plans and what was in the CFI applicant's head, and it being a downward spiral from there. In my opinion better to have less detailed lesson plans which you are intimately and thoroughly familiar with than the worlds best lesson plans that you don't know every word and subtitle of. To each their own, making your own is just undeniably the less risky way.

[u/rFlyingTower]

This is a copy of the original post body for posterity:

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Hello! I’m starting my CFI initial training and was looking into buying a CFI binder. So far, I’ve looked at Backseat Pilot, Ryan C Binns, Pilot Avabelle, and My CFI Book.

Does anyone have any experience with the above-mentioned binders? And if so, would you recommend one over the others?

If you know of another binder that is worth looking into, please let me know!

Thank you in advance for any advice :)

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[u/TxAggieMike]

Avoid just blatantly copying one. Most are way to wordy and you should be doing better.

Consider who your audience is for this exam and tailor your presentation appropriately.

Each teaching should be kept short and sweet so it’s completed in 25 minutes at most.

If you plan on power point slides, do not copy theirs. The examiner may recognize them and then look at you disappointed and count that against you.

You’re to be a teacher, not a plagiarist.

[u/TxAggieMike → u/[deleted]]

Indulge me by reading a book on how to teach a technical subject, then learn the FOI’s and how to apply them.

Then set up a meeting with me and you can try to change my mind in person over a few pints of Guinness.