Flight Instructor Certificate
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Program Overview
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.