Teach Others To Fly An Airplane

Flight Instructor Certificate

Unlock a world of opportunities and fast-track your flight experience with our CFI & CFII Academy, designed to mold you into a competent and skilled Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). As a CFI, you'll not only become a role model in the aviation community but also embark on a fulfilling career that allows you to share your passion and knowledge while earning a paycheck.

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Program Overview

Our comprehensive program focuses on building fundamental knowledge and refining your teaching skills to ensure you excel as an aviation instructor. With the FAA already certifying your competence as a commercial and instrument-rated pilot, our mission is to equip you with the tools and expertise needed to become a well-prepared CFI.
Over the course of 30 days, you'll undergo 104 hours of academy-style classroom training, delving into the crucial aspects of your responsibilities and privileges as a CFI, regulations, endorsements, teaching techniques, and more. This intensive theoretical instruction will lay the groundwork for your future success as an instructor.
The program goes beyond theoretical learning, offering daily "workshops" that allow you to put theory into practice. You'll have ample opportunities to practice teaching, develop effective lesson plans, enhance your simulator skills, and collaborate with fellow classmates, creating a supportive and dynamic learning environment.
Of course, flight training is a crucial component of becoming a CFI, and we've crafted a comprehensive syllabus that includes 14 hours of dual instruction in a C172 and/or C172RG. This training will prepare you to handle flight maneuvers, both for private and commercial ratings, as well as perform IFR approaches, holds, and other essential procedures, all from the right seat.

CFI & CFII Syllabus

104 Hours Classroom Instruction

To help you find the help you need and build a network of fellow CFIs to collaborate during your CFI training, most lectures are conducted in a class setting as a group. You can share the information you receive with your cohort and use practice on lessons together. Group lessons on CFI trainings has shown far more effectiveness and pass rate than individual trainings.

10 Hours Individual Ground Instruction

Some skills require one-on-one teachings, but this segment of your CFI training is for you to teach your instructors on select areas to get you more comfortable to speak in front of a group as well as helping you find your teaching style.

14 Hours of Flight Time

From lazy eights and steep spirals to spin endorsements, your flight training takes on new meanings as you advance your skills are sharpen using lower minimums and acceptable levels of performance. The flight portion of your CFI training is explicitly focused on making you to become of the bests flight instructors upon graduation.

6 Hours Dual Simulator Time

Get real feel with an instructor acting as your student. Teach as you go and stop to ask all the questions you need to refine your teaching techniques. FAA Approved Aviation Training Device. Based on the popular Cessna 172, our One-G Foundation simulators are model specific FAA Approved Aviation Training Device that are designated as platform for integrated instruction.

Unlimited Solo Simulator Access

Use the simulators as much as you need to practice your maneuvers, procedures, and teaching techniques to feel comfortable on the airplane. Our simulators are model specific FAA Approved Aviation Training Device that are designated as platform for integrated instruction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should I Become a Certified Flight Instructor?

Numerous factors influence pilots' decisions to become CFIs, and the primary motivation often revolves around accumulating experience and amassing flight hours. In the realm of aviation, especially within the context of coveted roles like commercial airline piloting, a stipulated quantum of flight hours is imperative for qualification. Many aspirants consciously opt for engaging in flight instruction for students, enticed by the dynamic and fast-paced milieu that consistently augments their flight hour tally. Instructing students not only imparts the skill of safe and proficient aircraft operation but also cements the knowledge acquired through personal flight training endeavors. Over the course of time, flight instructors metamorphose into erudite aviators, exuding finesse and adeptness, while simultaneously enjoying the privilege of mentoring and authorizing fellow pilots for FAA practical assessments.

How Long Does It Take to Earn a Flight Instructor Certificate?

Although a precise timeframe for transitioning into a flight instructor role remains absent, it's imperative for all prospective flight instructors to secure a minimum of a commercial pilot license to fulfill their eligibility prerequisites. The attainment of a commercial pilot license mandates a cumulative flight duration of 250 hours, accompanied by an array of interrelated auxiliary criteria. Right from the outset of embarking on flight training, an individual aspiring to assume the mantle of a flight instructor is effectively laying the groundwork for this responsibility, diligently catering to the requisites of each rating, akin to pivotal waypoints, throughout their journey.

What Are the Different Types of Flight Instructor Certifications?

Additional significant achievements lie in wait within the realm of flight instruction, granting you diverse classifications:

  • Accredited Flight Mentor (AFM): Guiding students in the intricacies of single-engine aircraft operation.
  • Certified Flight Mentor – Aerial Navigator (CFIAN): Instructing aspiring pilots in the nuances of instrument-guided aviation.
    Polyengine Pedagogue (PEP): Nurturing adeptness in the operation of multi-engine aircraft through adept instruction.
What Is a Certified Flight Instructor's Salary?

The remuneration allocated to flight instructors displays a wide spectrum across various states, intricately tied to the company of your affiliation, and profoundly influenced by your personal credentials. While certain enterprises extend an annual salary to CFIs, the predominant mode of compensation rests upon hourly wages. Moreover, the recompense per hour can diverge for distinct forms of instruction dispensed. For instance, the compensation might be elevated for flight sessions compared to ground and simulator (AATD) guidance.

According to prominent digital recruitment platforms, compensation for CFIs spans from $15 to $50 hourly, encompassing an annual range extending from $28,000 to well beyond $65,000. Within this compensation framework, the pathway to earning higher as a certified flight instructor is underpinned by cultivating advanced, sought-after qualifications and sustaining a consistent stream of enthusiastic students, facilitating a continuous provision of instructive guidance.

Program Requirements

Flight Instructor Certificate Eligibility

Requirements for becoming a Certified Flight Instructor are:

  • Be 18 years of age.
  • Read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
  • Hold either a commercial pilot certificate or an airline transport pilot certificate and an instrument rating.
  • Have logged at least 250 hours of flight time.
  • Hold a valid FAA 3rd Class Medical Certificate (or higher).
  • Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on the fundamentals of instructing.
  • Pass a knowledge test on the aeronautical knowledge areas appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.

Reference 14 CFR §61.183 for the entire list of eligibility requirements.

FAA Medical

FAR 135.338(b)(5) states that flight instructors (aircraft) must hold at least a third-class medical certificate; however, FAR 135.338(e) states that an airman who does not hold a medical certificate may serve as a flight instructor in an aircraft if functioning as a non-required crew-member.

If you are under the age of 40, this is every 60 months. While if you are over the age of 40, you must renew your medical certificate every 24 months.

Start with an Introductory Flight

Get your first experience of taking off, flying, and landing an airplane with a certified flight instructor by your side. Later, meet the team and current students to ask all the questions you have about becoming a pilot.

Start with a Virtual Consultation

Our Zoom consultations are the most convenient way of answering all your questions about starting your flight training to becoming a pilot. Zoom consultations are free of charge, but we require advance scheduling.