CFI Protect Renewal Process | American Flyers (2024)

FAQs

CFI Protect Renewal Process | American Flyers? ›

FAR §61.197 outlines the renewal requirements for a CFI. These include: Passing a practical test, a flight instructor rating. Submit proof to the FAA that you have signed off at least five students for a practical test within the last 24 months, and at least 80% of those signed off passed on the first attempt.

$99 – Pay Once, and Renew Your Flight Instructor Certificate Every Two Years, At No additional Cost! For those of you interested in renewing on your own time and at your own pace, American Flyers' online FIRC for Life Program is the perfect solution. Pay once and revalidate for free for the rest of your life.

A CFI practical (flight) test, including a renewal test, counts as a flight review.

Unfortunately, if 24 calendar months have passed since you obtained your certificate, your only option to renew your certificate is to take another instructor check ride with the FAA or with a designated pilot examiner. Basically, you're starting from scratch as if you'd never held an instructor rating before.

However, it is essential to note that §61.197(b)(ii) states that “the approved flight instructor refresher course must be completed within the three calendar months preceding the expiration month of the current flight instructor certificate.” This means that if you wish to keep your current expiration date, you can ...

Section 61.19 prescribes the duration of pilot and instructor certificates and privileges. Currently, under § 61.19(d), a flight instructor certificate expires 24 calendar months from the month in which it was issued, renewed, or reinstated, as appropriate.

In 2021, FAA data showed that 78% of all PPL pilots passed on their first attempt. In that same year, 79.5% of pilots passed their commercial pilot checkride, and the pass rate for CFI checkrides was 77.9%. Although these numbers are high, it is evident that many pilots failed on the first try.

To keep your license current, the FAA requires a biennial flight review with a Certified Flight Instructor – CFI every 24 months. The FAA requirement for your Flight Review is to complete a minimum of one hour of ground instruction and one hour of flight instruction.

I already mentioned there are things that count as a flight review, such as passing a checkride for anther certificate or rating. However, the FAA also sponsors the Pilot Proficiency Award program, which encourages continued pilot training by issuing awards for completing program phases.

How much do American flyers cost? ›

The approximately three-year program at American Flyers will cost $87,120, which includes training, testing and study materials, and uniforms. The CTI program will cost $72,855, and the CAE program will cost $89,165.

This endorsem*nt expires 90 calendar-days from the date the flight training at night was received. DATE CFI CFI NO. EXP. Aeronautical knowledge test: §§ 61.35(a)(1), 61.103(d), and 61.105.

The FAA Gold Seal Instructor designation is awarded to CFIs that go above and beyond the normal requirements for being a flight instructor. With over 80,000 CFIs in the United States, just a small percentage hold this prestigious designation.

An authorized instructor may log PIC time while acting as an authorized instructor in flight. A student pilot may log PIC time only when he/she is the sole occupant of the aircraft (exception for airship category) while training for a pilot certificate and has a current solo flight endorsem*nt.

§ 91.1059 Flight time limitations and rest requirements: One or two pilot crews. (1) 500 hours in any calendar quarter; (2) 800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters; (3) 1,400 hours in any calendar year.

In any 24-consecutive-hour period, a flight instructor may not conduct more than 8 hours of flight training.

The estimated total cost of a CFI training course is around $6,500-$8,000. However if you are doing a 141 CFI program expect to pay considerably more because it has rigid flight requirements.

Fees were a little heftier for initial CFI practical tests, and spread across a broader range. The largest percentage of respondents (16 percent) said the cost was between $551 and $650, whereas nearly 15 percent said they paid between $751 and $850. Another 14 percent said they paid between $951 and $1,050.

Total Minimum Costs: about $10,900. Your costs will vary, of course, depending on your needs and availability. Typically, if you are able to dedicate more time and complete the program within a shorter period of time, the fewer hours you'll need to accumulate for a successful check ride.