Flight Instructor Guide 

The Flight Instructor Guide is an online resource to assist new and aspiring C-category instructors. It provides briefings, whiteboard layouts, and diagrams.

This is being revised in 2021. All the briefings below, and the diagrams download file, have been completed. The downloads for the print version and whiteboard layouts are yet to be completed, and a new theory section will be added.

Before we produce a new print version, we'd really like your feedback on the revision. Please email katrina.witney@caa.govt.nz with your comments by 30 September 2021.

For rotary, see the Helicopter flight instructor manual.

Briefings

All the briefings have been revised in 2021.

Basic concepts

These first seven lessons are provided in this recommended order. Please refer to your CFI for the order your organisation uses.

• Taxiing
• Effects of controls
• Straight and level
• Climbing and descending
• Medium, climbing and descending turns
• Slow flight
• Basic stalling

Circuit training

The order for the following ten lessons will be dictated by the conditions on the day, the student’s ability to learn the new material, and their progress in mastering the skills.

All of the circuit lessons must be completed before the student can achieve their first milestone – first solo.

In order for the student to be sent solo in the training area they must have shown their competency in all of the manoeuvres, particularly the solo circuit consolidation training.

Please refer to your CFI for the order your organisation uses.

• Circuit introduction
• Circuit considerations
• Engine failure after take-off
• Flapless landings
• Crosswind circuit
• Glide approach
• Vacating and joining at aerodromes
• Radio failure
• Forced landing without power – pattern
• Forced landing without power – considerations

Advanced manoeuvres

The order of the next ten lessons will be dictated by conditions on the day. It's expected that the student be sent solo to practise these manoeuvres in the training area on a regular basis between dual lessons. Please refer to your CFI.

• Steep turns
• Advanced stalling
• Maximum rate turns
• Wing-drop stalling
• Short-field take-off and landing
• Low flying introduction
• Low flying consolidation
• Precautionary landing
• Terrain and weather awareness
• Basic mountain flying

Instrument flying

These instrument lessons will be dictated by conditions on the day. It's expected that the student be sent solo to practise these manoeuvres in the training area on a regular basis between dual lessons, however they will need a safety pilot for any simulated instrument flight. Please refer to your CFI.

• Compass use
• Instrument flying introduction
• Limited panel
• Unusual attitudes
• Night flying

Downloads

The Flight Instructor Guide is being revised in 2021. All the briefings have now been revised as well as the diagrams download. The downloads for the whiteboard layouts and print version are still in progress.

Diagrams [ZIP 6.6 MB] Revised 2021