Use this page as a starting point for help with MyCFIBook.com. The links below provide detailed instructions, and the sections that follow explain the main features and account options.
Find the Help You Need
- Editing Book Pages and Other Content: Use the editor, work with text and media, save changes, and understand publishing options.
- Editing Lesson Plans: Understand the parts of a lesson plan, select lesson references, and arrange lesson elements.
- Using Slideshows: Open, navigate, and present slideshows, and adjust your slideshow settings.
- Using Group Accounts: Learn how group owners, editors, and members use shared content and account features.
- Contributor Guidelines: Review the writing and formatting standards used for edits submitted to improve the default content.
- Membership and Billing Support: Find information on renewals, payments, receipts, and account details.
If you are unsure where to begin or do not find the answer you need, use the contact form.
General Site and Account Support
MyCFIBook.com is an online membership service. No software needs to be installed, and your available features depend on your membership and assigned access level.
Read-Only Access is intended for viewing the available material. Individual Membership and Group Sponsorship can provide editing and customization features. Within a group, the group owner determines which members receive editing access.
Email and Account Messages
MyCFIBook.com sends account, order, membership, and other service-related messages when needed. If you do not receive an expected email, check your spam or junk folder and confirm that the email address in your account is correct.
Book Pages and Lesson Plans
How the Content Is Organized
My CFI Book is organized into Book Pages. Lesson plans use selected Book Page headings and content to build each lesson. This shared structure keeps the lesson display, slideshow, and generated PDF connected to the current material.
Short markers identify content intended for a particular audience or operation. These include [CFI] and [CFII], [VFR] and [IFR], and [ASEL] and [AMEL]. Content without a limiting marker generally applies more broadly.
Editing and Personal Customizations
Users with editing access can follow the edit link shown on a Book Page or lesson plan. Your first edit creates a customization of the default content. Future default-content updates remain available without overwriting your customized version.
Use Editing Book Pages and Other Content for general editor instructions. Lesson plans also have a Lesson Outline for selecting and arranging the material used in the lesson; see Editing Lesson Plans for that process.
After you customize a Book Page or lesson plan, the View Options menu includes a comparison link. The comparison highlights differences between your version and the current default content. Moving a customization to the Trash removes it from use so the current default version can be displayed again.
Sorting Pages, Lessons, and Lesson Elements
Users with editing access can enable Page Sorting on the Site Settings page. When enabled, users can drag Book Pages and lesson plans into a different order within their category. Turn the setting off again when you finish to prevent accidental changes.
Group owners and group editors arrange the shared content their group uses. View-only group members cannot change that order.
You can also rearrange the elements displayed within a lesson plan without rewriting the lesson. The resulting order is used when the lesson is displayed and when related materials are generated. See Editing Lesson Plans for the difference between arranging the displayed lesson and changing the lesson outline in the editor.
Custom Categories
Four optional custom categories are available for both Book Pages and lesson plans. They remain hidden until you assign at least one page or lesson to them. When editing content, choose the appropriate category in the editor's category settings.
Custom-category content can be sorted and used with the site's lesson plan, slideshow, and PDF features where applicable. For group accounts, group owners and editors manage the shared category names and content; group members can view the results.
Contributing Improvements
Users with editing access can choose whether to submit eligible changes for review. The Contributor Settings tab on the Site Settings page controls the general preference. When available, the editor's Contribute panel includes an Include as contribution option for the current customization.
Submitted changes are reviewed before they are added to the default content. Approved contributions may receive contribution points based on their value, scope, and adherence to the Contributor Guidelines. You can view progress and submission information in the dashboard.
Content Updates and Version Numbers
Book Pages and lesson plans are updated periodically by default. Members automatically receive the current default material, while their personal or group customizations remain separate.
Version numbers help identify the material being viewed. An x at the end of a version number identifies a customized Book Page or lesson plan. Use the comparison option to review how a customization differs from the current default version.
Slideshows, PDFs, and Printing
Slideshows
You can present most Book Pages and lesson plans as a slideshow. Slideshows are created from the current content, so applicable edits and lesson reference changes appear automatically.
Manage your slideshow theme and related preferences from Site Settings. See Using Slideshows for navigation, presentation controls, and additional guidance.
PDFs and Printing
You can print book pages and lesson plans from the browser or download them as PDFs. Browser printing is convenient for a small amount of material. PDFs are better for saved copies and larger print jobs.
PDFs are available for individual Book Pages and lesson plans, categories, and supported combined collections. The combined lesson plan PDF contains the lesson plan material without repeatedly including all referenced Book Page content.
Some category and combined PDFs are arranged for two-sided printing and may contain intentionally blank pages so major sections begin on the correct side. For the most reliable print quality, download the PDF and open it in a current desktop PDF reader before printing.
Group Accounts
A Group Sponsorship lets an organization use shared content on MyCFIBook.com. Group owners manage the group and its membership. Group editors can help maintain shared content, while group members have view-only access.
For instructions on inviting members, assigning editors, managing group settings, and understanding shared content, see Using Group Accounts.
Membership and Billing Support
Extending or Renewing a Membership
Paid memberships do not renew or rebill automatically. You can extend an active membership or renew an expired membership as long as you have an account on MyCFIBook.com. A completed renewal adds one year to the applicable membership.
Log in and open the My Membership page. Use the Extend Term button for an active membership or the Renew option for an expired membership. Any available renewal pricing is shown before checkout.
When a paid membership expires, access to membership-restricted content and features ends until you renew. The site may eventually remove saved customizations and uploaded material associated with an inactive account, in accordance with the site's terms and conditions.
Cancellations and Data Removal
Because paid memberships do not rebill automatically, no advance cancellation is required to prevent another charge. To request account or stored-data removal, submit the contact form using the email address associated with the account. Refund and service terms are explained in the terms and conditions.
Payments, Receipts, and Invoices
The site accepts credit and debit cards through its secure checkout. To review a previous purchase, go to My Account > Orders. Open the order to view details, or use the invoice option for a printable copy.
Still Need Help?
Submit the contact form and include the page or feature you were using, what you expected to happen, and any error message you received. Those details will help identify the problem more quickly.