Oh, instead of signing “Joe Instructor 1234567CFI exp 8/31/25” probably “Joe Instructor 1234567CFI effective 8/31/23” or some such, I would think. Has anyone gotten dinged for using ‘exp’ instead of spelling it out? Would think that ‘effective’ or some variation would end up having a shortened inscription.
(What was more worrying…was all the inscriptions of social security numbers from various instructors we’re all carrying about if we’ve been flying for a while…or teaching when they used that as your license number.)
This is a nothing burger change. Hasn’t changed the requirements we CFIs have to follow to keep our certificated privileges…just whether we’re shifting plastic cards in our wallets every 24 months…For such a small change (eliminating one print line on a card), it certainly has gotten a lot of ink spilled talking about it. About time, I’d say.
1 reply
Does this mean your certificate is still valid even if you go out of 24 month currency? You don’t have to go through reinstatement? If that’s the case then I understand it’s purpose. If not, I don’t understand the energy put into the change.
1 reply
A welcome change long overdue
No. You still will have to go through reinstatement if you let it lapse. The change is that there is a 3 month grace period to renew with an efirc,etc after the 24 months is up.
It seems like this is a cost savings in printing cards every 2 years with 3 month grace period for renewal, along with confusion in the interim for everyone wondering about expiration dates and how to sign logbooks.
1 reply
Proof of activity via wings is a renewal method available right now, so this is nothing new. The issue is that very few people know about it and you need to give specific activities to qualify. Give 5 students instruction with wings activities (total of 15 needed across the 5 students).
" Renew your CFI by giving WINGS training. Here’s how:
** (1) Hold a flight instructor certificate that has not expired.*
** (2) Hold a current phase of WINGS (at any level) at the time of application.*
** (3) Have evaluated at least 15 WINGS-accredited flight activities (any level) during which the CFI evaluates at least five different pilots, and make appropriate endorsements in the logbook of each pilot for each activity.*
** (4) Apply to the FAA – see AC 61-91J."*
That’s because every single time the FAA tries to be an actual ‘regulator’, big industry and one or more politicians get in the way.
You can continue taking the Flight Instructor Revalidation Course (FIRC) every two years to keep your certification active. The expiration date should be clear to all after completing the course.
Where are you seeing the 3 month grace period? That’s keeping the expiration date, but “we’re giving you some extra time.” That’s quite a bit different than “eliminating expiration dates” as the article describes.
I intentionally let my CFI expire a couple of years ago. I just was not using it, and life got in the way of doing an online FIRC - just too much going on. (I also have to admit that the Online FIRCs were a joke. They accomplished next to nothing as far as my readiness to actually instruct.
So if I decide down the road to get back in to it, would I basically have to start over with the knowledge tests and practical exams at this point?
1 reply
The summary section of the rule has it. Basically, if you miss the end of the 24 months, you have a three month grace period to do an efirc.
For your case, you need to do a reinstatement, and I think it’s just prep for a checkride and the checkride itself. Per 61.199
" SUMMARY:
This action removes the expiration date on flight instructor certificates to align with other airman certificates. Additional amendments include updating renewal requirements to recent experience requirements, introducing a new method for establishing recent flight instructor experience, and allowing instructors with a lapse of no more than three months to reinstate privileges via an approved flight instructor refresher course instead of a practical test. This final rule also adds two new methods for flight instructors to qualify to train initial applicants. Finally, this final rule relocates and codifies the requirements for relief for U.S. military and civilian personnel who seek to renew their expired flight instructor certificate."
1 reply
So, basically, they’ve just extended the 24 months to 27 months and that’s it.
Hmm! It seems like most agree the change is minor and doesn’t greatly impact how instructors maintain certification, viewing it more as an administrative shift than a real improvement. About 60% of the comments reflect this view. Around 20% see positives, like the three-month grace period and less frequent card replacements, while the remaining 20% value the extension and the option to use the FIRC for maintaining certification. However, for instructors comfortable with detailed tracking and paperwork, the WINGS Program can still be a valuable tool.
My initial assumption from the headline was that currency requirements like the refresher course would no longer be required. But as Raf said, not much change except the 3 month extension. That’s a nice change just in case. But, since our certificates have an expiration date on them now, will we get new cards with that removed? I renewed with American Fliers this past spring again. A major part of the course related to GPS and Glass, so much so that this Aeronca guy from many years back was lost, never see that stuff, and certainly can’t instruct anyone about or with it. One size certainly doesn’t fit all.
I hope AC 61-65 will update to show how we now sign dual given and endorsements.