Category: Podcast

Choosing a flight instructor is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as you work to become a pilot, and later as you work on additional certificates and ratings. And that’s because having the right CFI can be one of the biggest factors in your success. Not that you can’t succeed with an awful flight instructor, but it’s so much easier if you’re with the right flight instructor.

Most likely, you’ll get to choose a new flight instructor multiple times, either because your first flight instructor has moved on, or you’ve moved to a new location, or you’re working on advanced training in some aircraft in which your previous flight instructor doesn’t specialize. And the flip side of all of this is firing a flight instructor, which we’ll talk about later.

Since choosing the right flight instructor is so important, you’ll want to give this a lot of thought and not just sign up with the first flight instructor you come across, or your friend, or your employee who’s been itching to get you to fly with them.

Unfortunately, in some cases, you won’t get to choose your flight instructor. If you learn to fly in the military or in a Part 141 school, you probably won’t have a choice of flight instructors. Though you will probably end up flying with multiple instructors. And that’s a good thing. As every CFI tends to put more emphasis on some things and less emphasis on others. And by flying with multiple instructors, you’ll pick up on nuances that your primary instructor never mentioned, or didn’t put much emphasis on.

Ultimately, when you’re working on a pilot certificate, or a new rating or certificate, or transitioning into a new aircraft, you’re working to assimilate a body of knowledge to help you become the best possible pilot. Your goal is not just to pass a checkride. Your goal is mastery of the aircraft. And to do that you’ll pull from many resources. You’ll try to be a sponge and learn as much as you can from books, online courses, and videos. And you’ll try to learn something from each of the flight instructors you fly with.

Choosing a flight instructor is not a precise science; there’s no textbook-like process or formula for choosing that person. Ultimately, it’s a subjective process, and that’s appropriate, because there’s no one flight instructor who’s perfect for everyone. A flight instructor who was ideal for a pilot friend of yours… may not be the right one for you for a variety of reasons.

Please Support the Show
Aviation News Talk is a listener supported show. So if you listen, please sign up and join the club to support the show! Make a monthly donation via Patreon and get various goodies, or make a one time donation at PayPal.

Support the Show by buying a Lightspeed ANR Headsets
Max has been using only Lightspeed headsets for nearly 25 years! I love their tradeup program that let’s you trade in an older Lightspeed headset for a newer model. Start with one of the links below, and Lightspeed will pay a referral fee to support Aviation News Talk.
Lightspeed Delta Zulu Headset $1099
Lightspeed Zulu 3 Headset $899
Lightspeed Sierra Headset $699
My Review on the Lightspeed Delta Zulu

Send us your feedback or comments via email

If you have a question you’d like answered on the show, let listeners hear you ask the question, by recording your listener question using your phone.

News Stories

• Former FAA aviation safety inspector sentenced for bribery
• Mid-Air Collision at Oshkosh
• The FAA approves largest uncrewed aircraft system in the US
• Close call at Boston’s Logan Airport
• Pilot avoids helicopter hovering over runway
• NTSB: FedEx Boeing 757 lands on wrong runway at TUL
• Southern Airways Express Is Suing Former Pilots For Training Costs
• FLYING Acquires 5 Major Aviation Media Brands
• NTSB updates accident investigation database
• Mystery of helicopter crash at Sacramento: FBI search warrant offers clues

Mentioned on the Show
Catalina Airport
Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area
Oceano Airport

Max’s Books – Order online or call 800-247-6553 to order.
Max Trescott’s G3000 and G5000 Glass Cockpit Handbook
Max Trescott’s G1000 & Perspective Glass Cockpit Handbook

If you love the show and want more, visit my Patreon page to see fun videos, breaking news, and other posts in the Posts section. And if you decide to make a small donation each month,  you can get some goodies!

Free Index to the first 282 episodes of Aviation New Talk – click to download

So You Want To Learn to Fly or Buy a Cirrus seminars
Online Version of the Seminar Coming Soon – Register for Notification

Check out our recommended ADS-B receivers, and order one for yourself. Yes, we’ll make a couple of dollars if you do.

Get the Free Aviation News Talk app for iOS or Android.

Check out Max’s Online Courses: G1000 VFR, G1000 IFR, and Flying WAAS & GPS Approaches. Find them all at: https://www.pilotlearning.com/

Social Media
Like Aviation News Talk podcast on Facebook
Follow Max on Instagram
Follow Max on Twitter
Listen to all Aviation News Talk podcasts on YouTube or YouTube Premium

“Go Around” song used by permission of Ken Dravis; you can buy his music at kendravis.com

If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.