Training & resources
Learn how to think.
I want you to be really good in your airplane. Capable. Not just qualified.
Mastery over mediocrity.
Knowing the answer is a start. I want to hear how you got there. What matters? What could change? What are you going to do about it?
We connect understanding with practice. Brief it, fly it, debrief it. Find where the workload started and work on the cause. I want you to leave able to think for yourself.
Plan.
Do the demanding thinking while you have time. Work through the route, weather, airplane and alternatives. Decide what would make you change the plan.
In practice: brief the destination and an alternative before departure. Explain the conditions that would make you wait or go somewhere else.
Execute.
Use the panel and EFB with intention. Set up, brief, verify and fly. Normal operations should leave you attention for what is happening around you.
In practice: change the clearance during a simulator session. Work through the setup and verify what the avionics will do next.
Overcome.
Recognize what changed, keep your priorities straight and use the resources available. Sometimes the right answer is to simplify, divert or stop.
In practice: debrief a simulated equipment problem. What did you notice? What options remained? What would you do sooner?
Build the foundation before the workload.
The simulator lets us pause, repeat and ask questions. Your airplane lets us connect that practice to your equipment and the flying you actually do.
That approach applies whether you are earning an instrument rating or refining the skills you already have. The starting points and training plans are different.
Reliable, not reliant.
Independence includes knowing when to ask for help. I want you to understand the decision, use your resources and know your limits. Confidence should have something behind it.
How we work on go/no-go judgmentOriginal program notes & supporting details
These notes preserve information from my original website. Package versions, prices and continuing benefits in these notes need to be confirmed with me before booking. They are not a separate booking offer.
Aircraft specializations include (not limited to) Sling TSi, Piper PA32 series, and Cessna Citation 500 series.
“Keeping our fellow pilots, who are made in the image of God, alive.”
I help busy airplane owners become bonafide Aircraft Commanders and lead every flight with confidence, clarity, and control.
We believe in Mastery over Mediocrity:
Mental Mastery: so that you know how to think instead of just what to think with the clarity to make meaningful decisions.
Physical Mastery: so that you can master the art of making your airplane do precisely what you want it to do… with ease.
Master the Planning: so that you can have complete clarity on the entire mission and execute with ease.
Master the Execution: so that you can fly with intent, operate your airplane like a pro pilot, and get the job done right, the first time.
Master the Overcoming: recognize what changed, keep your priorities straight and adapt the plan.
I believe in extracting the maximum opportunity from our airplanes without accepting unnecessary risks.
Training should connect your airplane’s capabilities with your own skills, limits and judgment.
Original program notes & supporting details
These notes preserve information from my original website. Package versions, prices and continuing benefits in these notes need to be confirmed with me before booking. They are not a separate booking offer.
Please read first:
Who this is for
This is for the airplane owner that wants to master IFR flying in a real and meaningful way, not just pass the check ride, or go fly “under the hood” with a local CFII for 40 hours only because it’s “required.”
Build the foundation in the simulator, then apply it in the airplane on meaningful missions.
What this is not
This program is built around proficiency as well as checkride readiness.
Simulator work and aircraft training serve different parts of the learning process.
Meaningful training in your airplane, not just pass the check ride.
How to think instead of what to think. Plan with clarity, execute with intent and adapt when the situation changes.
This training is where I bridge the gap between accelerated instrument training that doesn’t waste your time, with real world training that brings you up to speed on the reality of being at the helm during conditions that us professionals deal with every day.
What I want for you
I want you to understand the decisions and make them for yourself.
Build clarity, skill and command through practice.
Success Story:
Read my original instrument-training case study for one pilot’s experience.
Read his case study:
Thus my method was born:
Train in a simulator, in your house, before you touch the airplane, mastering hand flying, avionics, ATC, ForeFlight, and procedures, then take a mock check ride.
Then connect that preparation to aircraft training, cross-country flying and your mission.
Here is the recommended setup for the home flight sim:
Home Flight Sim Training Solutions
Training Process
The syllabus connects instrument control, navigation, procedures, planning and checkride preparation.
Instrument Flying Skills: Develop precision and control using flight instruments.
Instrument Navigation Skills: Learn to navigate en route with confidence.
Instrument Procedures Skills: Master approaches, holds, departures, and arrivals.
Instrument Flight Planning: Build proficiency in weather assessment, alternate planning, and route optimization.
Instrument Checkride Preparation: evaluate readiness and work on remaining gaps.
Access the Instrument Syllabus Here.
How it works:
Complete IFR ground school and begin oral exam prep
Start with remote lessons in the sim w/ Toby
Practice solo lessons in sim w/ various written and video assignments
Debrief dual and solo sessions using CloudAhoy and screen recording software
Learn autonomy in the sim, practicing being PIC on “missions” (PilotEdge ratings, etc.)
Complete mock IFR check ride in the sim w/ remote CFII/DPE
Go practice with safety pilot in your plane as desired
Begin ~10 day in-airplane training with Toby to put it all together and Master IFR
After training completed, take check ride with DPE in your airplane
Receive graduation certificate from Master CFII
Program Details:
Unlimited Instruction for a flat fee.
Prerequisites
Completed Written Test
Complete Aircraft Logbooks, Annual, and IFR Checks
Current GPS data
Current Flight Review
Current Medical or BasicMed
Valid U.S Passport or Birth certificate
20 hours of PIC Cross-Country Time
50 hours in Your Airplane (preferred only)
Home flight simulator with internet connection (example here)
Investment
$20,000 training fee.
Travel expenses, lodging expenses, and $100 per diem (or expensed receipts) for meals if I come to you.
Price applies to single-engine piston airplanes. Contact for investment requirements for turbines and twins.
Timeline
7-14 days of IFR MASTERY training in YOUR airplane.
Next Steps
FAQs
Why flight sim first?
The simulator lets us pause, ask questions, repeat a task and debrief without the distractions of the real airplane. Then we apply the practice to the airplane and your mission.
Can I do the remote training with Toby but do the flying with someone else?
Yes
Can I go through this program as an already-IFR-rated pilot to master IFR?
Yes
Can I use this program for my entire instrument rating?
Yes
Can you travel to my location to help me setup my simulator?
Yes, for an added day rate. Remote support via Zoom/etc is included in the price of the program.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Start with your airplane. And your goals.
A few details first. A more useful conversation next.