Left Seat - Practical CFI Check Ride Preperation

I’d like to add the last blog entry was only about the written portion of the test from the FAA for the CFI rating. I still have quite a bit of practical training in the left seat, where the instructor sits, learning to teach the maneuvers. The last portion of the CFI rating is the oral exam and the practical flight check ride with the FAA designated examiner. I have no allusions; this is going to be one tough check ride. Sitting on the left side of the helicopter feels strange at first especially since all my training has been on the right side. I’m getting the feel for it though as Corey (my instructor) puts me through all the paces and flight maneuvers. He’s also trying to prepare me for potential student mistakes that he comes across from the average student. But that’s going to be hard to prepare for mainly because each student is different. That’s where learning to be half psychologist comes into play and very important. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about flight instruction lately, and what it’s really going to be like. I think Jeremy Vandersluis sums it up best in his humorous book; They're All Trying to Kill Me!: (Or How I Manage to Survive as a Flight Instructor). From Jeremy’s point of view each student is a potential assassin so you better watch them close. Even though he instructs in an airplane the principle is still the same, but it’s going to be trickier in a helicopter, especially in the R-22 where reaction time is critical. 

Another excellent and valuable resource that I recommend for the flight instructor is a book by Gregory N. Brown, called: The Savvy Flight Instructor: Secrets of the Successful CFI.

Okay back to studying, I really need to get the written test out of the way.