About the Course

Prerequisites: Commercial Pilot Certificate with a Glider Rating, Fundamentals of Instruction -- OR -- Certified Flight Instructor Rating in Airplanes

This course uses the books, Flight Training Manual for Gliders, and Glider Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, as the core of the curriculum. You will need either hard copies or the online version of the books to take this course.

In this course, I will walk you through all the steps necessary to become a Certified Flight Instructor in Gliders. When you complete this course you will have all the knowledge, skills, and materials needed to pass the CFI-G Practical Test.

The information in this course can also be a useful reference for new, or even experienced CFI-Gs. The course provides links to all of the reference material an instructor will need, including FARs, ACs, FAA Manuals, Endorsements, Progress Records, Phase Tests, Training Checklists, and Flight Review materials. In addition, you can download over 180 illustrations that you can use for teaching both the flight and knowledge areas to your students.

You can learn the details of what the course covers by reading the "Overview" of each of the sections in the curriculum.

The bulk of this course consists of information that a CFI-G applicant must know before taking the practical test and is designed to be self-studied. For the areas requiring flight training, you will need to partner with a current CFI-G so that you can safely get your flight skills up to the necessary level, and practice the "Instructor Actions" as your CFI-G plays the role of a student.

You will have access to this course for three years from the date of purchase.

This course does not include the material covered in the "Fundamentals of Instructing" knowledge test.

Please Note: This course is designed for use by a single individual. It is against the Terms of Use to share this course, in part or whole, with other users. However, customers who pay for this course are permitted to use any of the downloadable materials, including the contents of the “Instructor Notebook”, the progress records, the phase check materials, and the flight review materials to teach their own students who are preparing for a private or commercial glider rating, or a flight review. The time and effort that goes into the development of these courses is immense. To ensure that we will be able to offer more courses, we need to collect a fee from every student who takes a course. Thank you for supporting our effort!

About the Course

Course curriculum

  About the Instructor

  • Russell Holtz

    Russell Holtz

    Russell is the author of two well-respected and widely-used soaring flight training books in the United States - the Glider Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge and the Flight Training Manual for Glider Pilots.

    Russell grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering.

    He obtained his Private Pilot Certificate in gliders in 1995, in airplanes in 1996, his Commercial Certificate in Gliders in 1998, and his Certified Flight Instructor rating in gliders in 1999. He completed the FAI Silver Badge requirements in 1997, and the Gold and Diamond requirements in 1998. Russell has given over 2,800 hours of primary, cross-country, contest, and aerobatic flight instruction, and has over 4,000 hours total time in gliders.

    Russell's passion for understanding and communicating soaring knowledge is evident in his teaching.

Reviews

  • Outstanding Guide to Becoming a CFI-G!

    Rand Baldwin

    Outstanding preparation for a CFI-G candidate! This course is extremely thorough, clear, well-organized, and complete. The included instructional materials alone are worth the price of the course, and the practical tips Russell shares for using hi...

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    Outstanding preparation for a CFI-G candidate! This course is extremely thorough, clear, well-organized, and complete. The included instructional materials alone are worth the price of the course, and the practical tips Russell shares for using his texts, checklists, and progress records are invaluable. I enthusiastically recommend it for ALL CFI-Gs.

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  • 71 yr. Old Becomes CFI-G

    Thomas Beckenbauer

    The "Guide to Becoming a CFI in Gliders" is OUTSTANDING! I MOST HIGHLY RECOMMEND this course, and all of Russell Holtz’s materials for anyone preparing to become a CFI-G! By methodically addressing all the subject areas in the PTS and providing ex...

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    The "Guide to Becoming a CFI in Gliders" is OUTSTANDING! I MOST HIGHLY RECOMMEND this course, and all of Russell Holtz’s materials for anyone preparing to become a CFI-G! By methodically addressing all the subject areas in the PTS and providing extensive materials and references,Holtz provided just what I needed to answer all the questions posed by my examiner. When asked about the curriculum I was going to use, I presented Holtz’s "Instructor’s Guide - Training Session Plans and Instructor Actions", "Flight Training Manual for Gliders" and the "Glider Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge". These materials, coupled with the accompanying Progress Records, demonstrated to my examiner that I had a comprehensive glider training program and tracking system to use as I begin to instruct. Tom Beckenbauer CFI-G

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  • I didn't realize how much I needed this

    Colleen Koenig

    I used this for studying for my CFIG, now instructing I come back over and over for reference material, tips and guidance. Thank you for such a well thought out course.

    I used this for studying for my CFIG, now instructing I come back over and over for reference material, tips and guidance. Thank you for such a well thought out course.

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  • Good CFIG course

    Ulrich Neumann

    I took the course over a few month and it is the most complete collection of information relevant for an aspiring CFIG I have come across so far.

    I took the course over a few month and it is the most complete collection of information relevant for an aspiring CFIG I have come across so far.

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  • Hugely helpful in providing a structured pathway in becoming a CFI-G

    Mark Philip

    Clarity on the role of the CFI, a really solid framework on what a CFI-G should be teaching, backed up by clear, practical material to guide the journey. Very motivating - it can be done!

    Clarity on the role of the CFI, a really solid framework on what a CFI-G should be teaching, backed up by clear, practical material to guide the journey. Very motivating - it can be done!

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  • Great syllabus for becoming a CFI.

    JEFFERY GOODING

    There aren’t any other online training courses like this out there. Really helped to prep me for my practical.

    There aren’t any other online training courses like this out there. Really helped to prep me for my practical.

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