April 2025 ⚡
This month was a big one—and the biggest change by far? A complete reformat of the CFI & MEI lessons! While the core content hasn’t changed much, the new layout is a huge improvement and sets the stage for even more enhancements moving forward.
📝 CFI & MEI LESSONS
• Reformatted for better readability, structure, and flow
• No more walls of text—easier to scan, digest, and teach from
• The "CFI Condensed Lessons" are now simply CFI Lessons—designed for teaching, with Extra Detail versions available for added context and nuance
• Consistent DPE feedback: It’s very easy to just read the Detailed lessons, but they need to see you teach—these updates help strike that balance
🛩️ MEI ADD-ON
• Now includes all required checkride tasks (steep turns, endorsements, and more!)
📚 PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL ACS REVIEWS
• Added oxygen system info under I.G. Operation of Systems
🎯 SLIDE UPDATES
• III.A. Pilot Qualifications: Corrected Sport Pilot requirements (was showing Recreational)
• VIII.C & D. Climbs & Descents: Fixed typos and corrected the descent forces slide (was showing climb instead)
🔜 WHAT’S NEXT
• Transitioning other docs to the new format
• Continuing to refine and build on the new layout
• Professionally refreshed MEI slides are on the way
• A few of your emailed suggestions are already being implemented—thank you! 🙌
March 2025 ⚡
🚀 NEW Energy Management Content
-Added to the CFI, CFI-I, & MEI appendices
-Summarizes key points from Airplane Flying Handbook, Chapter 4
-References added to related lessons
📖 NEW CFI Initial Syllabus
-Roadmap for training an initial CFI
-First draft uploaded with more detailed, content, and explanations coming!
✈️ CFI & MEI Content
-Updated links to AC 91-55 & 91-60
-III.A. Pilot Qualifications: Fixed Commercial Privileges and Limitations slide to align with lesson content
📋 ACS Reviews
-Updated to reflect changes to BasicMed
📚 Syllabi Updates
-All syllabi reflect the new Energy Management content
🔜 What's Next
-Professionally refreshed MEI slides
-CFI ACS Review
-Updates & additions to the CFI syllabus
-With more to come!
February 2025
✈️ CFI & MEI Content
-⚡NEW professionally refreshed CFI slides (PowerPoint & Keynote) uploaded!
-II.K. Endorsements & Logbook Entries: Reflects new citizenship endorsement CFR - 1552.15(c)
III.A. Weather Information: Fixed TAF typo
📋 Private & Commercial ACS Reviews
-I.B. Airworthiness Requirements: Reorganized required certificates & inspections (sections 1.B & C.)
📋 Instrument ACS Review
-I.A. Pilot Qualifications: Fixed FAR 61.65 links (section 1.A.)
🔜 What's Next
-Professionally refreshed MEI slides
-Instructor syllabus
-Instructor ACS Reviews
More exciting updates are in the works - stay tuned!
December 2024
CFI CONTENT
-II.G. National Airspace System: Added images for different types of Class E airspace
-Mac Pages Lessons: Corrected table formatting—several tables had shifted, but they’re now back in place.
CFI-I LESSONS
-VIII.D. Circling Approach: Updated "enhanced" to "expanded" circling minimums.
-Mac Pages: Corrected table formatting.
CFI-I SLIDES
-II.A. Instruments & Nav Equipment: Clarified lines of magnetic flux.
-VI.H. Unusual Attitudes: Fixed the nose-low recovery slide.
-VIII.D, E, X: Corrected typos and barbed arrow PT timing.
WHAT'S NEXT
-Expect the professionally refreshed slides in early 2025 (happy new year!)
-Instructor ACS Reviews
-And many more ideas in the works!
November 2024
ALL CONTENT
-⚡New Mac Pages & Keynote documents for ALL content!
-⚡New account layout breaking the content down by PC (Word & PPT), Mac (Pages & Keynote), or PDF to grab whatever document(s) fit your device(s)
CFI-I LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
-II.E. Flight Controls & Systems: Reorganized Oxygen system into its own section
-II.K. Endorsements & Logbooks: Reflects new recent experience requirements & rules on providing instruction to initial instructor candidates (effective Dec 1)
III.A. Pilot Qualifications: Updated new BasicMed privileges (effective Nov 12)
-Updated links to new AC 61-65J, 61-98E, & 61-83K
CFI-I LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
II.A. Instruments & Nav Equip: Added sections on transponders, autopilot, and electronic flight displays
WHAT'S NEXT
-Professional updates to the CFI & MEI PowerPoints are moving along nicely
-Requests for Instructor ACS Reviews
-And many more ideas in the works!
October 2024
CFI-I LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
-⚡NEW individual files for the PowerPoints & Lessons
-Updated all PowerPoints to improve the visuals, basic design & structure, and to clean up the formatting
-Added pictures to various lessons
WHAT'S NEXT
-Mac friendly documents are in the works (CFI & MEI are almost done)
-Professional updates to the CFI & MEI PowerPoints are underway
-FAA Instructor certificate expiration and currency changes
September 2024
CFI & MEI LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
-⚡NEW individual files for the PowerPoints, CFI Detailed and now the Condensed lessons
-⚡NEW individual files for the MEI & MEI Add-On lessons and their PowerPoints
-Updated all PowerPoints to improve the visuals, basic design and structure, and to clean up the formatting
WHAT'S NEXT
-These PowerPoints have been sent over to the designer for more improvements
-CFII updates & individual files
-Mac friendly documents (the hope was to have them in this update, but they’re still on the way!)
August 2024
CFI LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
-⚡NEW individual files for the Word, PDFs & PowerPoint documents
-Updated a number of PowerPoints in preparation for the professional designer's updates
WHAT'S NEXT
-Continued PowerPoint improvements
-Mac native documents (Pages, Keynote)
July 2024
-CFI & MEI LESSONS & POWERPOINTS
-⚡NEW - Annotated every single ACS required Knowledge & Risk Management task
-Reorganized Risk Management & Common Errors to better fit the ACS & for smoother teaching
WHAT'S NEXT
-PowerPoint improvements
June 2024
-ACS REVIEWS
-All (Private, Instrument & Commercial) ACS Reviews updated to the newest ACS requirements
WHAT'S NEXT
-Focus on the PowerPoints
May 2024 (Update #2)
CFI & MEI LESSONS
-Cleaned up, expanded on, and/or added to, and annotated, all Risk Management concepts in the CFI & MEI lessons
-Added an ADM, CRM, & SRM lesson to the Appendix. This coincides with updates to the Commercial & Private syllabi ground training
-⚡NEW - Added "case studies" and associated YouTube videos to the Runway Incursion lesson and the Flight Deck Management lesson
PRIVATE & COMMERCIAL SYLLABI
-Updated to the match the new ACS lesson plans
WHAT'S NEXT
-Updates to the ACS Reviews
-More updates to the PowerPoints
-The ball is rolling again with the PowerPoint developer (improved design, navigation & color)
May 2024
CFI & MEI LESSONS
-⚡NEW CFI & MEI ACS PowerPoints matching the updated ACS lesson plans!
WHAT'S NEXT
-A review & clean up of the new Risk Management concepts
-PowerPoints are close to heading to the developer for new design, color, and navigation
April 2024
CFI & MEI Lessons
-⚡NEW - Updated to the new Instructor ACS layout and content!
What's Next
-PowerPoints to match the ACS content are already in the works
-Once they're complete, they'll be sent to the developer for new professionally designed PowerPoints!
February 2024
CFI, CFII & MEI
-Updated the Weather Theory lesson with new graphics as well as information on vertical motion and cloud formation, cloud forms, and mountain/valley & freezing fog
-Created new PowerPoint slides for the Weather Theory lesson
SYLLABI (Private, Instrument & Commercial)
-Updated to include suggested Flight Training Device (FTD) flight lessons based on the FAR FTD hour allowances
What's Next
-Professionally designed PowerPoints - we're talking to different developers
December 2023
CFI
-Added Cirrus SR20 Operation of Systems & Systems and Equipment Malfunctions lessons
-Added Piper Archer III Operation of Systems & Systems and Equipment Malfunctions lessons
-Removed references to the ACs incorporated into the Aviation Weather Handbook
CFII
-Sections VIII, IX, X & XI: Overhauled all PowerPoints with new pictures, content and layouts (minimal changes to the lesson eBook to coincide with PPTs)
-Removed references to the ACs incorporated into the Aviation Weather Handbook
ACS Reviews
-Removed references to the ACs incorporated into the Aviation Weather Handbook
What's Next
-A new website!
-With the CFII PowerPoint overhaul complete, we'll move on to the CFI and MEI PowerPoints
-Syllabi improvements & updates
October 2023
CFI & MEI
II.B. Runway Incursion Avoidance: Added a section on low visibility operations
III.C. Operation of Systems (Generic): Added turn indicator information & picture
CFII
-V.XX. Low Visibility Taxi: New lesson & PowerPoint focusing on low visibility operations (not PTS required)
-Sections V, VI & VII: Overhauled all PowerPoints with new pictures, content and layouts (minimal changes to the lessons to coincide with PPTs)
July/August 2023
-CFI & MEI
-Minor updates to terminology
CFII
-Updated all PowerPoints in Sections I, II, and III
-Expanded content, a lot more pictures, and more modern and engaging design and layout
-Updated lesson plans to coincide with new PowerPoint presentations
What's Next
-The rest of the CFII PowerPoints followed by the CFI and MEI
-Syllabi improvements and additions are in the works
-Continued updates to coincide with the anticipated Instructor ACS
-Updates based on YOUR feedback
May/June 2023
-We're continuing to update our CFI lesson plans to coincide with the FAA's latest pre-release of the Instructor ACS (haven't seen an official release date for the Instructor ACS at this point)
CFI & MEI
-Added a Download All Content zip file for easier downloads
CFII
-Added a Download All Content.zip file for easier downloads
-II.A. Instruments & Navigation Equipment: Updated the entire lesson and added pitot/static blockage content
All Users
-Creating accounts and logging in has been simplified! You can now use your -Shopify account to login to your account and access the content from the website
What's Next
-Continued updates to coincide with the anticipated Instructor ACS
-More modern and improved PowerPoint presentations
-Updates based on YOUR feedback
April 2023
-We've started updating our CFI lesson plans to coincide with the FAA's latest pre-release of the Instructor ACS
CFI & MEI:
-II.K. National Airspace System: Reorganized ADS-B info, added SFRA & Special VFR info
-II.M. Logbooks & Endorsements: Reorganized lesson, added info and examples
-III.B. Weather Information: Added Aviation Weather Handbook to references
CFII:
-II.A. Instruments & Navigation Equipment: Added info on GPS backup nav requirements
-III.A. Weather Information: Added Aviation Weather Handbook as a reference
-III.B. Cross-Country Flight Planning: Updated RNAV & GPS backup nav requirements
February / March 2023
-New Commercial Pilot Syllabus added!
-Designed around our CFI lesson plans & PowerPoints, and Commercial ACS Reviews
-Added to all products containing the CFI Lesson Plans
CFI & MEI Content:
-XV.C. Common Carriage: Added a Common Carriage lesson to the appendix to supplement the new Commercial syllabus
CFII Content:
-II.A. Instruments & Navigation Equipment: CDI deflection update
January 2023
-New Instrument Rating Syllabus added!
-Designed around our CFII lesson plans, PowerPoints, and ACS Reviews
-Added to all products containing the CFII Lesson Plans
CFII:
-Numerous updates to supplement the Instrument Syllabus
-II.B. Aeromedical Factors: Added Illusions
-II.C. Regs & Pubs Related to IFR: Expanded IFR specific AIM references
-III.A. Weather Information: Added section on recognizing weather hazards
-V.A. ATC Clearances: Reorganized and added information for clarity
-V.B. Compliance with Procedures: Reorganized and added ATC required pilot reports
-V.X. The ATC System: New lesson to supplement the instrument syllabus
-VIII. Lessons A, B, C & D: Added Safety & Efficiency section to match ACS req.
-XI.A. ADM, CRM, & Risk Management: New lesson to supplement syllabus and ACS req.
CFI & MEI:
-II.B. Runway Incursion Avoidance: Added LAHSO info
-Private Pilot Syllabus: Added numerous lesson plan references to the GND/FLT lessons
November 2022
-New Private Pilot Syllabus added!
-Private Pilot syllabus designed around our lesson plans, PowerPoints, and ACS Reviews
-Added to all products containing the CFI Lesson Plans
CFI & MEI:
-Updates to coincide with the new syllabus training schedule
-II.C. Scanning & Collision Avoidance - Added CFIT information
-II.J. 14 CFR & Publications - Added info on FAR Parts 21, 39,43 & 67 as well as NTSB notification requirements, and links to FAR 61 subparts to facilitate teaching
September 2022
-All Lessons and ACS Reviews:
-Added VOR MON (Minimum Operating Network) information and new service ranges
-Added MOS (Model Output Statistics) weather information
June & August 2022
All Lessons:
-Updated NOTAM (Notice to Air Mission) terminology
-Added content on preflight self-briefings and AC 91-92
CFI & MEI:
-Updated downwind leg to reference approach end of runway
-Added note for incorrect text on trim tab picture from Airplane Flying Handbook
May 2022
All Lessons:
-Updated NOTAM information
CFI & MEI:
-Added airfoil design characteristics info to II.D. Principles of Flight
-Removed WAC and added Walling Planning Chart to lesson II.G. Navigation & Flight Planning
-Rephrased pitch correction terminology in VIII.D. Straight & Turning Descents
-Added the ACS stall definition to XI.A. Slow Flight
April 2022
All Lessons:
-Updated to latest convective outlook chart information
-Updated/reorganized information to coincide with PowerPoints
MEI:
-Added propeller feathering system information to XIV.A. Operation of Systems
March 2022
-Uploaded NEW PowerPoint Presentations for all CFI, CFII and MEI Lessons
February 2022
All Lessons:
-Updated all FAR links
CFI & MEI:
-Updated elevator terminology in II.E. Airplane Flight Controls
-Added a generic systems & equipment malfunctions lesson to section XIII
