Too Much, Too Fast
The title pretty much sums it up. I started CFI ground school today and just now made the decision to drop it until next month's class. Why?
The past week, I have been preparing for my Commercial Single Engine rating. Since switching to Part 61, the emphasis has been strictly on flying. Up until two days ago, I had not had a ground brief with an instructor since EARLY November...and that was an instrument re-orientation which is part of my school's Part 142 Commercial Multi Engine training. Since then, I have been through 3 instructors, 100 hours of flying and persistent rumors of insolvency.
Right now, I find myself 90% prepared for the check ride. 110% is where I expect to be when I complete the 8710 form applying for the rating and ordering the check ride. It's one thing to have a plan and a schedule. It's another to be in such a hurry that a busted check ride would be the result of too much, too fast.
The ground brief was eye-opening. If I were to fly the practical test tomorrow, I am certain that I would pass with ease. However, the oral portion is where I am severely lacking. The stuff that is OK:
- Commercial Pilot qualifications
- Rules & Regs
- Weather
- Systems (well, maybe except for drawing a constant speed prop system)
- Navigation
- Cross Country Flight Planning
- Aeromedical Factors
What I'm not OK with is Aerodynamics. It was as if I had absolutely no concept of aerodynamics...no training whatsoever. I had forgotten many concepts through disuse. After some studying, I'm able to recall most of it. However, it's going to require a lot of repetition to be able to fully correlate everything.
I'd like to put all of the blame on the school. Granted, they've really screwed things up for me and a lot of students. The responsibility lies with me. I should have continued studying all Commercial PTS on my own. In the end, everyone is responsible for their own success and failure.
I've spent the last few days gathering all of my study materials for Commercial and arranged them all in a 3-ring binder, separated by subject. It's nearly 200 pages! When I do get around to CFI, it should make lesson plans a little easier.
With the CFI monkey off my back, I can focus on my Commercial Single and multi-engine add-on during January. Once that is out of the way, I'll crack open the Fundamentals Of Instruction (FOI) material and be well prepared for CFI ground school.
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Grovel: If anyone has any aerodynamics training materials they are interested in sharing, please let me know! Format doesn't matter. Any and all content appreciated!
4 comments:
You might find this link to UND on-line training apps helpful:
http://www.undaerospace.com/software_trainers.asp
You can register for free (required to access the apps). The apps provide nice views of forces in a turn, Vx/Vy relationships, static/dynamic stability, weight and CG, rate of climb/density altitude, and for multi-engine ops, aerodynamics with an engine inoperative.
If you are doing the practical test in an Arrow, just be sure you know the aircraft systems inside and out.
Good luck!
Thanks John. I really like the UND site, especially the multi-engine trainer with its drag and VMC demos. They helped me pass the multi-engine portion of ground school.
One thing that would really help me is a V-G diagram for the Arrow II. I could probably make one with Excel, but don't think I have enough time. Do you know a good resource for that?
As far as systems go, learning to draw and comprehend the constant speed prop was my weakness with systems. McCauley Props has some good reference materials for constant speed props and full feathering constant speed props. That site really helped me with my systems learning.
Great site Mike, you're already doing what I do!
Rand
I have some stuff on the constant speed prop and full feathering system. My instructor is HUGE on being able to draw that, fuel, and hydraulic systems. If I can find a machine I'll copy it for you. As for aerodynamics...ask the DE if you can stick our hand out the window :).
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