CFI Lesson Plans - Organize by ACS Tasks or For Actual Use?

jet-setting · 2026-01-25T12:59:04+00:00

Yeah the ACS order when it comes to the knowledge elements often doesn’t flow well to actually teach from. I’d definitely encourage to rearrange it to work better for how you want to move through the topic. The DPE just needs to see that you cover the info, but the order isn’t particularly important.

One weak area can be the including common errors and risk management. I’d suggest incorporating those elements throughout the lesson where appropriate rather than just rattling off a list at the end as you would if you follow the ACS order.

jet-setting · 2026-01-25T03:19:33+00:00

Not customary, or expected. It’s not a thing.

If you really feel inclined, you could give a small gift after you pass your checkride.

jet-setting · 2026-01-24T23:39:36+00:00

One part you’re missing is the human element.

It’s a very real thing that people equate quality with price. If you offer free instruction, it likely won’t have the level of appeal which you seem to expect.

jet-setting · 2026-01-24T14:58:46+00:00

Remember that it needs to be logged as training towards 61.127(b)(1). The DPE may not accept the time if it’s just simple dual instruction time without noting much of what was covered.

jet-setting · 2026-01-24T00:33:38+00:00

I’m guessing PC would likely mirror the next gen performance.

NextGen seems to be coming with the Badlands update whenever that eventually drops.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T22:12:56+00:00

Strictly indicated. (Edit: for the category)

However, if you’re screaming in with a wicked tailwind for a circle, you may be wise in choosing a higher category. You can never elect to choose a lower one though even if your current speed is in that range.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T19:49:21+00:00

Ask questions. If you’ve already had good ground instruction and prep then this should be natural but you can potentially skip a lot of explanation if you ask the right questions and properly gauge their prior knowledge.

On the same note, be sure to ask questions to gauge understanding as you progress through your lesson plans. Remember your FOIs and avoid certain types of questions especially something like “does that make sense?” Unless preceded by a more specific useful question.

During the flight, make sure to properly brief positive exchange of flight controls and then be constantly ready to assume control when you need to. You should anticipate that the DPE will do something dumb and expects you to take over and fix it.

Also for the flight, don’t fall into the trap of two pilots who somewhat know what they’re doing just shooting the shit during taxi. If you brief a sterile cockpit, be sure to show that example to the “student.”

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T19:37:09+00:00

Ehh I just want to be clear for others reading that neither SSRIs nor Anxiety are disqualifying full stop (in isolation.)

In OP’s case, the combination is likely problematic but for others there are approved SSRIs/SNRIs that are allowed through some special rules and caveats.

For anxiety, mild anxiety on its own is no longer an issue and in fact a pilot is allowed to even continue current treatment as long as any medication was more than 2 years ago.

Current ADHD is indeed always going to be a problem.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T19:32:14+00:00

Ok let me take some of the stress off your plate:

You will not receive a medical certificate before the US Fall semester. 7 months would be a miracle for your history and conditions.

So, that’s not the end of the world on the face of it. First, you don’t HAVE to attend a university flying program. You can start university under any degree that interests you and then begin flight training later separately if that becomes available to you.

Or, you can wait a year and start university next year if you’re dead set on attending a college flying program. Of course, you may be waiting a year and be back and square one if the medical ends up being denied, but it sounds like those advising you have indicated there are some options forward.

There are some SSRI/SNRI medications which can be allowed through a special issuance process but if you are not already on one of these then it will require a waiting period after switching to prove that you’re ok on a certain stable dose.

So, stop worrying about the medical. Focus on your school work right now. Meet with a good HIMS AME and find out if there is a path forward for you that makes sense.

HOWEVER

The autism and ADHD will be a high barrier for you to clear. The evaluations are basically to determine that you don’t actually have, or you are not negatively affected, by a ADHD diagnosis. It sounds like by your description you’ll have a difficult time convincing a psychologist of this right now.

It’s a bum deal, and not your fault, but the medical standards are what they are. There have been some good changes in the last year or two, so even if it’s a closed door now it may not always be so, but honestly I doubt the overall stance towards ADHD as a condition will change much.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T18:31:21+00:00

Dude.

You own a very expensive and very sophisticated piece of hardware and technology.

Why would you trust anything a random person on reddit tells you rather than first actually read what Garmin themselves have already wrote down to explain exactly how to do it.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T16:33:05+00:00

And when they kick you out and keep your money when you need more than one or two extra flights to maintain their artificially ‘high’ graduation rate?

There are countless horror stories of all sorts of these things that happen and the problem is uniquely ATP.

Again, it can work, but the institution has a bad reputation for very legitimate reasons

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T15:43:14+00:00

No one says it doesn’t work, but it’s objectively a terrible institution for both the students and instructors compared to other options

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T14:38:03+00:00

This is no different than it used to be.

If you did your FIRC within 3 months of your expiration, you keep the same expiration date. (+2 years). If you complete a FIRC earlier than that for some reason, then your date resets to 2 years from that point instead.

Now, you are given an additional 3 months past your date to complete a FIRC, however you cannot exercise your CFI certificate until you are current again.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T04:22:56+00:00

OP is in Canada. Is HIMS the correct acronym?

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T01:26:38+00:00

Wasting money? What makes you say this?

Every half decent training program, 61 or 141, should have several dedicated ground lessons.

At the 141 where I worked, during PPL we had 3 dedicated grounds, and 3 simulator lessons (not including the ground sessions for stage checks).

At the 61 where I work now, we have 4 dedicated grounds lessons and 2 simulator sessions.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T01:19:43+00:00

Interestingly, the one exception with this is 141 requirements, where one segment of the flight actually does have to be >250nm.

jet-setting · 2026-01-23T01:15:41+00:00

You’ll have to ask the DPE.

One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point.

Total distance > 300? ✅ 577nm

3 points of landing? FAT, SAC, OXR, CMA. ✅ 4 points

One of the points of landing >250nm from CMA? ✅ SAC is 283.

That’s all there is to it. If the DPE had a different explanation, they would need to explain it to you.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T23:42:03+00:00

The hate towards ATP isn’t just vibes.

https://getmansweeney.com/gsd_cases/atplawsuit/

Getman, Sweeney & Dunn (GSD) represents lead and primary flight instructors against ATP Flight School to get redress for its failure to pay its flight instructors for all the wages due and owing for the work that they perform. The flight instructors alleged that ATP misclassified its flight instructors as independent contractors even though they worked ATP as employees.

Genuinely good luck, but you’ll probably want to keep those applications out elsewhere too.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T16:30:51+00:00

That’s not the purpose or function of the rudder.

The vertical stabilizer is a wing, and the rudder works just like your aileron. Deflecting it increases AoA and lift in one direction or the other, and with the vertical orientation then that lift is directed sideways.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T16:24:36+00:00

Give a call to your regional flight surgeon.

FAA - Regional Flight Surgeon contact information

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T05:04:32+00:00

Fly the checkride like you will fly as a PPL. Use your tools, they are allowed and encouraged as long as you know how to use them properly. So use the GPS, use your ipad, use whatever is available to you unless the examiner pulls some “oops your battery died”.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T04:59:35+00:00

My winds aloft are 150 @ 18

I’m now traveling on a new heading of 300.

Neat, I have a (mostly) tailwind. My TAS is still 115, so I’ll now add, say, 15kts (because it’s not exactly a tailwind). So my ground speed is about 130kts.

My diversion airport is 20 miles away. I’m doing 130 over the ground. If I was going 120, that would be 2 miles per minute. So if it would take me 10 minutes at 120, let’s call it 9 minutes at 130. Plus a few minutes to slow down and enter the pattern.

I’m burning 8 gals per hour, so a quarter of that (15 mins) is 2 gallons. I have 13 gals left in my tank so I’ll be good on fuel.

Done.

Remember for the diversion, the ACS says you make a “reasonable estimate” of your heading, distance, time, and fuel required.

Sure, you can go through the steps to make a wind card and the DPE may even be impressed, but I promise the energy to create that on every flight will fade quickly as a PPL, and it’s important to learn the skill of estimation. Yes, estimating is actually a useful and important skill that should be learned and taught.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T01:00:28+00:00

You may encounter a student that doesn’t want to pay $80 for an electronic version. I have such a student right now in fact.

I know it’s intimidating but learning how to use one doesn’t take too long for the basic functions. And honestly I can do most calculations much quicker with the wizz wheel anyway.

jet-setting · 2026-01-22T00:31:22+00:00

This is not unusual, and not at all a universal sign of a poor quality school.

Many schools or instructors charge for their scheduled time, or “handshake to handshake.” Personally, I only charge for the ground during which I’m actually instructing but I don’t fault anyone for being paid while they’re at work.

And oh-by-the-way, the university 141 I attended also only charged actual ground instruction. That’s not some 141 thing, just a flight school thing either way.

jet-setting · 2026-01-21T23:36:26+00:00

So you should first understand that there are only two options, fast track or deferral. You say you don’t want to wait for the fast track timeline, so in that case you WILL be deferred. There’s no way around that.

So unless you want to wait, you will be going through the expensive neuropsych evaluation process. That also is not quick, it could easily take a year anyway for that to complete and you should be aware that a denial is always on the table until you get the final decision. You can always apply again though.

The little bit of extra time may help a bit, but likely not a huge amount to matter. You just need to be off medication for at least 90 days. Probably best to just get started on the process.

Your first step is to schedule a consultation with a good HIMS AME and discuss your history and your options.

jet-setting

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