CFI Prep Course

Q: Will I get my CFI endorsements from this course?

No, this course is designed to supplement your formal training, not replace it. While we focus on refining your knowledge, teaching skills, and confidence , official checkride endorsements must come from your primary instructor. In the future, we may expand to offer formal CFI ground training and endorsements, but for now, we're here to help you fine-tune your skills and get checkride-ready with expert mentorship and support.

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$ 245.00

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Class Start Date: January 31 - 15:00 PT

January 31 - 15:00 PT February 1 - 13:00 PT

CFI Prep Course

$ 195.00

$ 245.00

CFI PREP COURSE

Struggling with structure, unsure where to start, looking
for a head start, or just want to sharpen your skills?

Our NEW CFI Prep Course is designed to give you the confidence,
teaching skills, and structure you need to excel as a flight instructor.

This 4-week live Google Meet course (meeting every Sunday) is the perfect way to
supplement your training, refine your teaching abilities, and get checkride-ready.

Highlights

Course Structure:

Format: Live Google Meet sessions (1.5 hours each)
Duration: 4 weeks, meeting weekly
Days: Saturdays or Sundays (varies by cohort)
Class Size: Limited to 4 students for personalized instruction

Each session is designed to:

Learn & Apply the FOIs: Build a foundation of effective teaching skills
Practice Teaching: Gain confidence with real-time instruction & feedback
Ask & Answer Questions: Get clarity on challenging CFI concepts
Receive Feedback: Improve with direct, constructive insight from experienced instructors

Select your cohort start date above to see specific schedule details.

Meet your Instructor

MARCUS
Gold Seal CFI | Assistant Chief | FAASTeam Rep | USAF Vet

Marcus is the instructor every future CFI wants - experienced, clear, and fully invested in your success.

With a wealth of aviation expertise, from flight instruction and USAF combat missions to commercial jet operations, Marcus brings real-world insights to your training. His extensive experience includes:

Gold Seal CFI
Part 141 Assistant Chief Instructor
FAASTeam Safety Rep
ATP with an A320 type rating
3,000+ hours (1,000 in combat) as a USAF KC-10 Flight Engineer

Whether preparing for your first checkride or honing your instructional style, Marcus knows exactly what it takes to create outstanding instructors. He delivers the mentorship and depth you need to excel.

Small Group Learning

We want to ensure a close knit personalized learning experience to allow for meaningful interaction, and ample time and opportunities to ask questions, practice teaching, and give and receive feedback.

With that said, classes can fill quickly!

Training Schedule

Week 1: Fundamentals of Instruction

Learning theory & its application
Prep a Ground lesson for Week 2

Week 2: A Practical Ground Training Session

Present and listen to ground lessons
Prep a Flight lesson for Week 3

Week 3: A Practical Flight Training Session

Present and listen to flight lessons
Prep a lesson for Week 4

Week 4: Briefings!

Pre & Post Flight Briefings
Present & listen to lessons & briefings

Questions

Interested, but have questions or need more details?
Reach out to info@thebackseatpilot.com. Always happy to help!

FAQ

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Who can benefit from this course?

We're confident that anyone preparing for an instructor checkride, or looking to build and refine their instructing abilities, can benefit from this course!

More specifically, we received many emails from CFIs struggling with a lack of structure and inadequate instruction, making the CFI preparation process more stressful & challenging. That's specifically why this course was designed - to provide the structured guidance, expert instruction, and mentorship you need from a seasoned CFI so you can feel confident and prepared for your checkride.

We're targeting the Part 61 students that don't have the structure and/or support needed to confidently navigate their CFI rating, but are 100% open to helping anyone who needs it!

Will I get my CFI endorsements from this course?

No, this course is designed to supplement your formal training, not replace it. While we focus on refining your knowledge, teaching skills, and confidence, official checkride endorsements must come from your primary instructor.

In the future, we may expand to offer formal CFI ground training and endorsements, but for now, we're here to help you fine-tune your skills and get checkride-ready with expert mentorship and support.

What if I'd like more instruction?

We have a few options!

Jump in another CFI Prep Course to really solidify your skills heading into your checkride
Join our CFI Class Pass for access to our live (zoom), weekly training courses designed to get you sharp and confident
Reach out to Marcus for 1:1 training

Bargain price for the Value.

Marcus was great. This was a helpful and engaging prep course for the CFI check ride. Marcus is professional and fun to interact with. Highly recommend!!

Amazing experience!!

I had an absolutely fantastic experience with this CFI prep course! Marcus, the lead instructor for the course is incredibly humble, extremely knowledgeable, and brings a great sense of humor that makes the entire process enjoyable. I also love the fact that he’s both a veteran and an airline transport pilot — he’s got a wealth of experience, real-world insight, and a teaching style shaped by years of doing it at the highest levels.

It’s inspiring to see where he came from and the impact he’s had on the pilot community. I’m grateful to have him here sharing his expertise.

I highly recommend this course to every CFI applicant — it’s absolutely worth your time and will elevate your preparation.

5/5 — Strongly recommend!

Excellent head start to becoming a CFI

True story: I skipped the 4th week’s session because I passed my CFI checkride earlier that day.

I felt confident enough to schedule my ride after the second class. By the third class, I’d already presented two lessons, received valuable feedback, and—most importantly—gained the confidence to teach.

While the course is by no means a comprehensive resource for everything you’ll ever need as a CFI, it was absolutely enough to get me across the finish line. Our instructor brought years of teaching experience to each meeting and offered exceptional insight into our lesson plans, along with immensely helpful feedback I could immediately apply.

For less than the cost of an hour in a 172 today (yikes!), this course offers tremendous value to anyone working toward—or even just considering—their first CFI rating. I’d recommend it without hesitation.

Just do it

The CFI Prep Course was honestly one of the best training experiences I’ve had. We had a small group of four students, which made it very personal and interactive. The instructor, Marcus, was extremely helpful and informative, always tying the material back to real-world flying and his own experience. He didn’t just “get through” the slides – he stayed with us extra time when needed, answered every question, and made sure we actually understood the concepts.

On top of gaining a ton of knowledge, I also walked away with new friends from across the country, which made the whole experience even better. I truly recommend this course to anyone working toward their CFI. In the future, I’d love to see an expanded version that goes through each ACS item step by step and dives deep into every task and scenario.

Jacob, thank you so much for taking the time to write such an awesome review. It means a lot to hear that the course made a real impact and that the small-group style helped bring everything to life. I’m grateful you trusted me with your CFI prep, and it’s even cooler knowing you walked away with both knowledge and new friends. I appreciate you, brother, and I’m always here if you need anything as you continue your journey. Keep killing it.

Great course and instructor!

This course for new flight instructors is outstanding. Marcus was clear, practical, and engaging, equipping new instructors with essential skills and confidence. Highly recommend!

Thanks so much, Samuel! I really appreciate your feedback. It was great having you in the class and seeing how you approached instruction with such professionalism and insight. I’m glad you found value in the course and hope it adds even more tools to your already strong teaching skill set!

Always happy to help!

Contact or info@thebackseatpilot.com

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Great Class

This class has prepared me for my checkride so much more than I expected. The format was great, and the ability to learn within a group of 4 was integral. I had no idea how effective learning is in small groups. The instruction was top-notch, as well as cultivating, personable, and professional. It would be even better if we had our own grading rubrics to use on each other. To have a physical or digital sheet to fill in while grading our peers would help give us elements of teaching to look for that we would have missed otherwise. Implementing the rubric later on could be proven to be more effective than implementing it at the very beginning. Allow learners to give an honest, raw opinion of their peers before the aid.

This is a must-have if you can afford it and have the time.

CFI class pass is amazing!

I just started the CFI class pass and I am really impressed with the ability to interact with the instructor and thoroughly move through the mass of information needed to obtain a new rating. I have been able to customize what I need to work on a Marcus is so helpful. Thank you!

The Whole Shebang

Excellent product. Definitely saved time during my efforts to earn my CFI ticket. Well worth the cost as the time saved is immeasurable.

What a great way to prepare for your CFI.

I have really enjoyed learning with Marcus. He is a wealth of information. He always keeps the lesson on track and interesting. I'm really looking forward to each lesson.

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CFI Prep Course

CFI PREP COURSE

Struggling with structure, unsure where to start, looking
for a head start, or just want to sharpen your skills?

FAQ

Customer Reviews

Let customers speak for us

CFI Prep Course

CFI PREP COURSE

Struggling with structure, unsure where to start, looking for a head start, or just want to sharpen your skills?

FAQ

Customer Reviews

Let customers speak for us

Struggling with structure, unsure where to start, looking
for a head start, or just want to sharpen your skills?