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.