Five Valuable Questions to Ask a Potential Flight Instructor
- Lima Flight Team
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 6
Congratulations! You’ve decided to pursue a private pilot license and you’re ready to
take flight. Now you just have to find the certified flight instructor that will get you where
you’re going.
Everyone learns differently and at different paces. Some students absorb and retain
information best through demonstration. Some prefer reading and writing when
working through new material. Others catch on more quickly through verbal instruction.
And still others grasp concepts more easily through hands-on experience.
Similarly, a low-key, methodical approach is right for some, while and others thrive on a
more energized learning environment.
You, like most aspiring aviators, will likely benefit most from a combination of teaching
techniques and a pace that can be adjusted depending on the particular task at hand.
But your own preferences are unique to you.
That’s why it’s important to find a CFI who naturally embodies the educational style that
works best for you and is also able to tailor their approach to maximize your own
particular learning experience.
When interviewing potential CFIs, ask the following questions:
(1) What do you value most in flight instruction? This question gives you the
opportunity to assess what a CFI prioritizes in teaching styles. See if you identify with
the answer and can envision learning in the way the CFI describes.
(2) Do you see yourself continuing to instruct after 1500 hours? The answer to this
question helps reveal whether the CFI is committed to instructing or is simply building
hours in order to move on to a different aviation career. Neither answer is wrong, but it
helps give you a sense of the extent to which a CFI enjoys being an educator.
(3) What are your go-tos when a student is struggling? This answer will provide you
with valuable insight on how a CFI plans for and manages learning difficulties and
whether you feel comfortable with his or her techniques.
(4) What do you enjoy the most about flight instruction? Listen carefully – the CFI is
revealing the essence of why they have chosen to do what they do. It’s an indication of
the goals they set for their students. See if it aligns with what you value about aviation.
(5) What are your personal minimums? This question pertains to overall safety mindset
and will help you understand the CFI’s safety protocol and risk management mindset.
Look for a less adventurous, more cautious approach to evaluating safe flying
conditions.
In sum, it’s important that you understand how you learn best. But it is also important to
understand how a CFI teaches best.
Taking the time to learn about an individual CFI’s values, priorities and communication
style greatly increases the odds that you will connect with an instructor who is a good fit
–one that will impart their aviation knowledge to you in an effective and enjoyable way.
This is one of the most important ways that you can ensure your aviation success.
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