The Same. But Different.

This past week has been a blur.  I started on the American Flyers CFI Academy, a 4 week long boot camp for future Certified Flight Instructors.  The first 2 weeks are spent on instruments and the "Fundamentals of Instructing", or FOI.  The second 2 weeks are spent on Airplane flying and regulations.  By the time the torture test is done, you have both the CFI-Instruments, and CFI-Airplane ratings, and if you want them, the Ground Instructor Airplane and Instrument certificates as well.

You also have to fly the schools Cessna 172's from the right seat, while instructing (also known as talking about everything you are doing), and flying IFR to the FAA Practical Test Standards (PTS).  Phew - that's a lot.  My first flight was in real IMC, with a 25 knot wind, in an airplane I hadn't flown in 15 years, on a real flight plan in the busy DFW airspace.  At the end, I looked like I'd been beaten up by a pack of very wet assailants.

Still, I did it.  I even coped with ATC changing my clearance in the air, the turbulence, and a GPS unit I'd never seen before.  If I can do that, I can do anything.

I hope.