Wednesday, August 29, 2007

CFI School Update from Las Vegas

It's week two in North Las Vegas, Nevada at CFI school. We operate out of North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT). Before coming to Las Vegas, everyone at ATP hears that the CFI course is the toughest part of the program, and from experiencing it first hand, it is definitely true. I haven't ever studied or worked this hard, even through my college years. The material being presented, although mostly review, is extremely overwhelming. The main instructor, who teaches the week-long CFI class, is a good instructor and knows his information well. I would say, though, that he lacks the small things that students look for in an instructor (motivation, encouragement, etc.). This may be a tactic of his to make us study as hard as we can, but in the end the checkride isn't nearly as bad as he makes it, from what I hear.

My checkride is this Friday. I've studied like crazy last week and this week and I feel prepared. I was lucky enough to get the same examiner as my roommate and flight partner when he attended the CFI course the week previous. He was gracious enough to write me a gouge on him. With that gouge, plus the two others that other students wrote, I can expect what the oral and flight portions of the checkride will be like. I'm still nervous, though. I want to pass and go back to California more than anything. And with the stress and overwhelming feeling I have, I know it will be all lifted off once I pass.

My last flight is tomorrow, and we'll be just flying the pattern. Flying wise, I feel prepared. I just don't know what will be asked during the oral. This is a big step in receiving my ratings and once I have this accomplished, I have a few more which will be down hill from here. I've also decided that I will most likely be teaching locally at the FBO at which I received my PPL. I'm not sure if I would enjoy teaching for ATP. A big part of which is not being be home with my wife. I'm looking forward to teaching, though, and I even have some future student prospects once I get back.

Thursday, August 09, 2007

Moving right along

Today I passed my checkride for my commercial certificate in the Seminole. I’m very pleased with the progress up until now and I’m looking forward to the last two weeks of the program in Las Vegas.

I was originally supposed to take my checkride last Saturday and then go to Las Vegas for the CFI course Monday the 6th. However, there were a few problems during the checkride. For one, there was a date that was incorrect on my application which the examiner caught and therefore we had to redo the application. This particular examiner is adamant about the paperwork being correct and ready upon the beginning of the checkride. He’s known to have charged people for them not correctly filling out their application. Luckily, he didn’t charge and we were able to redo the application and move on. The second problem occurred when he was checking my log book for the appropriate entries to be applicable for the commercial checkride. One of the flights my instructor and I made a few months previous had not been signed. The other flight that same day was signed, but not this particular flight. It is part of the regulations that this flight be completed before taking the commercial checkride, and with out a proper flight instructor endorsement, the flight is void. So, the examiner said that we’d have to reschedule and the earliest time was the following Thursday.

I was very disappointed because I was set on going to CFI school on the 6th, expecially because I had prior engagements the week after I would have been done. I’m over being upset about it now, there’s nothing I really can do. And I’m happy that I’m a commercial pilot now. Strangely enough, I’m only a commercial pilot in a twin engine plane, not a single engine plane. But I will get that certificate later during CFI school in Las Vegas.

Rumors are that the initial CFI certificate is the most difficult checkride yet. I’m not looking forward to that, but I’m sure I’ll get through it fine.