What’s it really like to take a CFII (Instrument Instructor) checkride?

In this episode of Flight Tales, we sit down with Chaun Kraus fresh off passing his CFII checkride to break down the full experience — from the oral exam to the flight, the mistakes, the nerves, and the lessons learned along the way.

We talk about:

• The big gap between an instrument rating and a CFII checkride

• Why teaching instrument flying forces you to truly understand it

• IFR holds, wind correction, and why they trip up so many pilots

• How examiners catch teaching errors — and why wording matters

• Managing checkride nerves, snowballing mistakes, and self-doubt

• Explaining complex IFR concepts in a simple, student-friendly way

• Common regulation traps (alternates, approaches, and scenario questions)

• Why thinking out loud can save you on a checkride

• Lessons CFII candidates can apply before their own checkride

This episode is packed with real-world CFII advice, honest reflections, and practical teaching insights for:

• Instrument students

• CFII applicants

• Flight instructors

• Anyone preparing for an FAA checkride

If you’re working toward your CFII, struggling with holds, or wondering how to teach IFR more effectively, this one’s for you.

On this episode of Flight Tales, we get real about weather planning and aeronautical decision-making (ADM)—from using AviationWeather.gov and understanding winds aloft, to why TAFs can flip fast, and how personal minimums keep new pilots out of trouble. We talk about the stuff that actually matters when you stop flying local training blocks and start doing real cross-countries:✈️ How to plan weather days ahead (trend watching) vs. just checking the departure METAR🌫️ Fog season, temperature/dew point spread, and why forecasts can change overnight💨 Cold fronts, “clear sky = windy day” traps, and seasonal patterns that catch new pilots🧭 Commercial long cross-country planning: different terrain, different systems, different risks🟣 Using in-flight tools (ADS-B/ForeFlight/ATC/ASOS) to re-evaluate and divert early🧠 “Wild West Part 91” decisions (just because you can doesn’t mean you should)🎯 Why actual IMC feels nothing like hood time—and how that affects proficiency🤖 Autopilot: helpful safety tool… until it becomes a crutch

Bottom line: Plan on the ground, build margins, have a Plan B (and C), and don’t let external pressure make the decision for you.👇 Drop your questions or episode ideas in the comments—we’ll answer what we can.

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In this episode of Flight Tales, we dive deep into one of the most overlooked skills in private pilot training—mastering the paper navigation log.

New pilots often jump straight into ForeFlight and other advanced EFBs, but without understanding how those numbers are calculated, you’re setting yourself up for trouble on cross-countries, diversions, and your private pilot checkride.

🎙 What we cover in this episode:

Why every student pilot should learn paper nav logs before relying on automation

How understanding wind correction, dead reckoning, and pilotage builds real situational awareness

Why ForeFlight can help you—but also cripple you if it’s all you know

How to prepare for scenario-based private pilot checkrides

Weight & balance calculations during multi-leg cross-country scenarios

Why paper sectionals still matter (and what happens when technology fails)

Real-world stories and examples from training without GPS or ForeFlight

The importance of preflight planning, aviationweather.gov, and 1800wxbrief

Tips for navigating at night and avoiding common student pilot mistakes

✈️ Key takeaway:

Automation is an amazing tool—but it should be a luxury, not a crutch. Understanding the fundamentals makes you safer, more confident, and better prepared for anything a flight throws at you.