Certified Flight Instructor


A Certified Flight Instructor is authorized within the limitations of that person's flight instructor certificate and ratings to give training and endorsements that are required for, and relate to a:

(a) Student pilot certificate
(b) Pilot certificate
(c) Flight instructor certificate
(d) Ground instructor certificate
(e) Aircraft rating
(f) Instrument rating
(g) Flight review, operating privilege, or recency of experience requirement of this part
(h) Practical test, and
(i) Knowledge test

Requirements for the Flight Instructor Certificate


FAR §61.183 Eligibility Requirements

(a) Be at at least 18 years of age;
(b) Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English Language. . . .
(c) Hold either a commercial pilot certificate or airline transport pilot certificate with
(1) An aircraft category and class rating that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought; and
(2) An instrument rating or privileges on that person's pilot certificate that are appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought, if applying for--
(i) A flight instructor certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating:
(ii) A flight instructor certificate with an airplane category and multiengine class rating;
(iii) A flight instructor certificate with a powered-lift rating; or
(iv) A flight instructor certificate with an instrument rating.
(d) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on the fundamentals of instructing . . .
(e) Pass a knowledge test on the areas [of the fundamentals of instruction]. . .
(f) Pass a knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas for a recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificate. . .
(g) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on the areas of operation listed in FAR 61.187. . . .
(h) Pass the required practical test. . .
(i) Accomplish the following for a flight instructor certificate with an airplane or glider rating:
(1) Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor indicating that the applicant is competent and possesses instructional proficiency in stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery procedures after providing the applicant with flight training in those training areas....
(2) Demonstrate instructional proficiency stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery procedures. . . .
(j) Log at least 15 hours as pilot in command in the category and class of aircraft that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought; . .
Before flight training begins, please check out this page -TSA Alien Registration.

FAR §61.185 Aeronautical Knowledge

A person who is applying for a flight instructor certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on the fundamentals of instructing on [the learning process, elements of effective teaching, student evaluation and testing, course development, lesson planning, and classroom training techniques] . . .

FAR §61.187 Flight Proficiency

(a) A person who is applying for a flight instructor certificate must receive and lo flight and ground training from an authorized instructor on the area of operation [listed below for an airplane category rating with a single-engine class rating. See below how to access the on-line FAR for more information about other ratings.]
(b) Areas of operation
(1) For an airplane category rating with a single-engine class rating:
(i) Fundamentals of instructing;
(ii) Technical subject areas;
(iii) Preflight preparation;
(iv) Preflight lesson on a maneuver to be performed in flight;
(v) Preflight procedures;
(vi) Airport and seaplane base operations;
(vii) Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds;
(viii) Fundaments of flight;
(ix) Performance maneuvers;
(x) Ground reference maneuvers;
(xi) Slow flight, stalls, and spins;
(xii) Emergency operations; and
(xiv) Postflight procedures.

 

For more detailed information about the Flight Instructor certificate, click here.

We can also prepare you for your CFI-I (CFI-Instrument)