Certified Flight Instructor, and beyond...

At last, it's finished! Or rather, it's begun! After months of gathering resources and preparing lesson plans, flying maneuvers, and cramming regulations and numbers into my head, I took and successfully passed my CFI helicopter check ride this month. Doing so was an overwhelming sense of satisfaction and relief, but at the same time a definite feeling of anticipation and excitement towards new things to come. Having put all my efforts toward this certification for so long, I'm really enjoying now being able to focus on future opportunities in the industry, and on beginning to put my CFI certificate to work.

While working on my instrument rating one of my instructors once warned me it was one of the hardest check rides to get through. What was the easiest, I asked? For him, he said it was his CFI. And now, having gone through it myself, I can see why. It wasn't that it was easy, per se, it's just that I was very prepared and confident in my abilities, so that it wasn't stressful. Unlike previous check rides when I arrived at the airport with butterflies in my stomach, this exam, even including a 4 hour oral portion, didn't frighten me. That is thanks in large part to my instructor, Damiano Lupieri, who really did a great job of demanding high standards from me. And it paid off. My lessons went flawlessly, and the in-flight portion was smooth and successful.

Now, as I said, it's time to move forward, which is a great feeling. I'm already putting my name out there and looking for potential new students. And in the interest of not losing my momentum, I've been visiting the airports regularly to talk with other pilots and try to stay in the loop. Networking, as in all industries, is key to finding opportunities, I think. And where better to hang out when you're not working than at an airport?