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FAA to modify FOI exam changes, re-grade tests
The FAA will immediately reverse some of the changes made to the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) knowledge test, review others, and re-grade tests taken since February when pass rates plummeted. (Since the new Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) exam was released on February 14, 2011 the failure rate had jumped from 14% to 59%.) (www.aopa.org) More...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
An older article describing the details of the impact of the changes is in [http://www.examiner.com/general-aviation-in-national/faa-releases-surprise-revision-to-pilot-knowledge-tests this examiner.com article from March 7]. The FOI knowledge test is a part of the CFI testing requirement.
So.....instead of making the tests harder and making CFI applicants study harder, we just make the test easier? Great job! :-/
When a portion of the test is material that has never been presented, or available for the applicant to study, there is a ploblem with those particular questions.
I applaud the AOPA, the National Association of Flight Instructors, the experts in test writing and validation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Liberty University, Professional Aviation Board of Certification, University of North Dakota, University of Oklahoma, and Western Michigan University, and everyone else involved in this policy reversal...for their great self control and professionalism and for not laughing their asses off at the stupidity of the FAA, AND especially for not saying, "I told you so, stupid."
So was the problem that the questions were actually incorrect and/or ambiguous, or that the prep courses were using outdated material? I would think that the 2008 edition of the Aviation Instructor's Handbook would be in widespread use by now. If applicants and instructors were relying on outdated prep materials that did not cover developing knowledge in the industry, the blame does not rest solely on the FAA.
Or is the industry questioning the actual Handbook? That raises much larger issues...
Or is the industry questioning the actual Handbook? That raises much larger issues...
I recently took the FoI exam and passed easily. I did use test prep software, but I also actually read the Aviation Instructor's Handbook. I'm willing to bet that a lot of CFI candidates aren't even reading the AIH, and consider the theory therein to be a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.
True, if you're going to teach at a school that already has a syllabus, you don't really need to know how or why the thing's put together. However, you're at a disadvantage if you don't know that stuff because you're missing an important tool for self-reflection as an instructor.
True, if you're going to teach at a school that already has a syllabus, you don't really need to know how or why the thing's put together. However, you're at a disadvantage if you don't know that stuff because you're missing an important tool for self-reflection as an instructor.