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My CFI Book

How to Edit Content

Editing a Book Page or lesson plan is similar to working in a word-processing application. The editor organizes paragraphs, headings, lists, images, and other content into blocks that can be added, formatted, and rearranged separately.

Book Pages and Lesson Plans

Book Pages contain the detailed subject information used throughout My CFI Book. Most subject-matter editing belongs in a Book Page.

Lesson plans organize how that information will be taught. They add objectives, instructor guidance, scenarios, assessments, and other lesson-specific material, then reference the applicable Book Page sections for the lesson presentation or briefing. The selected material is not stored as a separate copy, so the source content can remain consistent wherever it is used.

When available, the View Options menu on a Book Page or lesson plan can display its related lessons or related Book Pages. For instructions on selecting and arranging lesson references, see How to Customize Lesson Plans.

Open and Save Content

The Dashboard

The dashboard is the part of the website used to create and manage content. Open it from the main menu. The available menus and actions depend on your editing access.

For quicker access while viewing the website, open your dashboard profile and enable Show Toolbar when viewing site. The WordPress toolbar then provides contextual links for content you can edit or customize.

Add or Edit Content

  • To change an existing Book Page or lesson plan, open it on the website and select its Customize link.
  • To create content, open Book Pages or Lesson Plans in the dashboard and select Add New. Only the options allowed for your account are shown.
  • To continue earlier work, open the applicable Book Page, lesson plan, customized page, or customized lesson from the dashboard.

Publish, Update, Drafts, and Trash

Select Publish when new content is ready or Update to save changes to existing content. Review the page after saving, especially when its headings, columns, media, or lesson references changed.

A draft keeps work in progress out of the normal Book Page or lesson-plan listings until it is published. Moving content to the Trash removes it from normal use but keeps it available for restoration until it is permanently deleted. Restored content returns as a draft.

Work with Blocks

Each paragraph, heading, list, image, video, or other content element is a separate block. Selecting a block displays its toolbar and outline.

Add, Select, and Move Blocks

  1. Select the block inserter (+) and choose a block type. In an empty paragraph, you can also type a forward slash (/) followed by the block name.
  2. Select a block to edit it. Use List View when you need to see the complete page structure or select a block that is difficult to reach in the editing area.
  3. Use the block toolbar's move controls or drag the block in List View to change its position.
  4. To remove a block, select it and choose Delete from its Options menu.

Keyboard tip: Press Escape to select the current block, then press Enter to return to editing it.

Block and Page Settings

Select the Settings button in the upper-right corner of the editor to show or hide the settings sidebar. The available controls change according to whether you are working with the page or a selected block.

Use the editor's Undo and Redo controls to reverse or restore recent changes. Publishing or updating remains the final step that saves the current content.

Headings and Content Consistency

Book Page headings help organize the website, PDFs, slideshows, and lesson references. Use a Heading block instead of making ordinary paragraph text look like a heading.

  • Use Heading 1 for each main reusable Book Page section. A section may be selected and displayed in a lesson plan, so it should remain understandable when read outside the complete Book Page.
  • Place Heading 2 sections under the applicable Heading 1, Heading 3 sections under Heading 2, and continue the hierarchy without skipping levels.
  • Let the website control fonts, text sizes, colors, and spacing. Choose the appropriate block and heading level for the content's meaning instead of applying local styling to imitate it.
  • Bold a term when defining it. Use other emphasis sparingly and consistently.
  • Use an unordered list when sequence does not matter and an ordered list when the steps must be followed in order.
  • Write displayed checklist responses and control positions in uppercase, such as OFF, UP, or AUTO.
  • Keep a subject's main explanation in one Book Page and use a cross-reference instead of duplicating it elsewhere.

Personal content may follow the style that is most useful to you. Content contributed for other members should follow the contributor guidelines.

AI Generator

When the AI features are available, select the magic-wand icon in the upper-right corner of the editor to open the AI Generator sidebar. Select one or more compatible text blocks before opening a rewriting tool.

The available tools depend on the selection and may include Simplify, Shorten, Add detail, Check spelling, Rephrase, Add example, and Create review questions. You can also insert a custom prompt below the selected block and use it to generate new content.

Always review AI-generated text before using it. Confirm its accuracy, remove unsupported claims, verify references, and revise it to meet the site's writing standards.

Multimedia

Images, audio, and video can be added to Book Pages and lesson plans. Supported media can play on the website and in slideshows. Files may be uploaded to the Media Library and reused without uploading another copy.

Audio, Video, and Embeds

Use the applicable Audio, Video, or Embed block. For a YouTube video, add the YouTube variation of the Embed block and paste the video's URL. Select existing media and use its toolbar controls when you need to replace the file or change its URL.

Sample video: Stall Recovery in Unusual Attitudes

Images and the Media Library

Add an Image block, then upload a new image or select one from the Media Library. Provide concise alternative text that describes the image's purpose unless the image is purely decorative.

Do not display an image directly from another website. The image may later disappear, its use may not be authorized, and the external website remains in control of the file. Use approved media with clear usage rights and store it on MyCFIBook when long-term availability is required.

References

MyCFIBook can create links for recognized publications and uploaded reference files when their names follow the established reference formats.

Reference Lines

Place references immediately after the applicable Heading 1. Begin the line with Reference: for one source or References: for multiple sources. Separate multiple references with commas.

Example: References: 14 CFR 1.1, AIM 7-1-15, AC 61-65, Aircraft Fuel Brochure

Uploaded Reference Files

Document files in the Media Library can be used as reference files. Open Media, then Reference Files, to see the names available to you. Upload the document and use its displayed name in a reference line.

The reference resolver ignores differences in capitalization, spaces, hyphens, underscores, and file extensions, but the authored name should remain clear and consistent.

FAA Handbook References

Federal Aviation Administration handbook references may include the handbook number, an optional PDF page number, and an optional description. Do not include the handbook's revision letter.

  • FAA-H-8083-3
  • FAA-H-8083-3 p95
  • FAA-H-8083-3 p95 (Description)

The page value is the PDF page number used to generate the link.

Recognized handbook numbers include:

  • FAA-H-8083-1 (Weight and Balance Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-6 (Advanced Avionics Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-9 (Aviation Instructor's Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-15 (Instrument Flying Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-16 (Instrument Procedures Handbook)
  • FAA-H-8083-19 (Plane Sense)
  • FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)
  • FAA-H-8083-27 (Student Pilot Guide)

Inline References and Cross-References

  • Use (ref: 14 CFR 61.311) when one source belongs within a sentence.
  • Use (refs: 14 CFR 61.311, AIM 4-3-1) for multiple inline sources.
  • Use Related: Book Title: Heading Title to direct the reader to existing book content instead of repeating it.

See the contributor guidelines for publication order and additional supported reference formats.

Page Breaks for PDFs

Add a Page Break block only when the following content must begin on a new PDF page. The same marker appears as a horizontal divider on the website. Avoid unnecessary page breaks that create large blank areas in generated PDFs.