Instrument Flight Instructor (CFII) Checkride Prep

Most Common Oral Exam Topics

Based on reports from pilots who completed their CFII checkride, these topics came up most frequently during the oral portion:

• Lost communications procedures and scenarios
• Approach plate symbology and chart interpretation
• GPS and avionics systems (G1000, WAAS, RAIM)
• IFR cross-country planning and alternate requirements
• Endorsements and instructor responsibilities
• Instrument currency, proficiency, and IPC requirements
• Emergency and system failure scenarios
• Regulations — IFR-specific (91.167, 91.169, 91.175, etc.)
• VDP calculations and approach minimums
• Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) — especially for combined CFI/CFII rides

What to Expect on the Flight

The flight portion of the CFII checkride consistently involves multiple approaches — typically three or more — often at different airports. Expect a mix of precision and non-precision approaches, with at least one partial panel segment and unusual attitudes under the hood. Several reports mention circling approaches, self-vectoring on missed approach procedures, and scenarios where ATC changes or unexpected clearances test your adaptability in real time. Holds, course intercepts, and tracking are standard fare, and some examiners will throw in a stabilized approach evaluation or a single-engine ILS if you're in a multi-engine aircraft.

The defining feature of the CFII flight portion versus a plain instrument checkride is the teaching expectation. Multiple pilots report that DPEs want you verbalizing throughout — explaining what you're doing, why, and how you'd teach it to a student. Some examiners will role-play as a student, ask questions mid-maneuver, or evaluate whether you can correct errors while instructing. Reports specifically warn against just narrating procedures like a radio call; you need to actually teach concepts as you fly.

DPE tendencies vary. Some examiners (like Bernie Consol) are known for deep chart symbology dives and expecting you to verbalize everything. Others (like Ken Sheppard) emphasize systems mastery and will quiz you on compass errors, failure modes, and approach plate details. A few reports note examiners who will correct you mid-checkride or test your ability to adapt when they change the plan. The common thread: demonstrate calm, structured instructional ability under pressure.

Preparation Tips from Pilots Who Passed

• Prepare lesson plans for key topics (approaches, holds, lost comms, unusual attitudes) and practice presenting them as if teaching an instrument student — multiple DPEs expect a lesson plan format during the oral.
• Know your approach plates cold: every symbol, every note, VDP calculations, and how to brief them aloud. Chart symbology deep-dives appear in numerous reports across different examiners.
• Practice partial panel flying and unusual attitude recovery until they're second nature — these show up on nearly every CFII flight and are a common area where candidates get surprised.
• Study lost comms procedures thoroughly and be ready to walk through multiple real-world scenarios, not just the textbook 91.185 answer. Examiners love layering complications into these.
• Know IACRA, endorsement requirements, and the specific paperwork an instrument instructor needs to provide — at least one report flags this as an unexpected deep-dive area.
• Dial back the 'CFI chatter' — there's a difference between teaching and narrating. Explain concepts and correct errors rather than just calling out what you're doing.
• Review alternate airport requirements (1-2-3 rule) and be ready for tricky scenario questions about when an alternate is and isn't required, including edge cases.
• If you're flying with GPS/G1000, know the system deeply — WAAS vs. non-WAAS, RAIM, CDI scaling, and what happens when the system degrades. Multiple examiners test avionics knowledge well beyond button-pushing.

Frequently Asked Questions