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4 Answers

Requirements to train Sport CFI

Asked by: 2822 views Flight Instructor

What qualifications does a CFI need to train someone to a CFIS level? Is it a combination of time as an instructor and number of hours of training completed I have see 150 of instruction experience and two years. Does a CFI with 400 training hours also need calendar time?

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4 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Dec 11, 2017

    Where have you seen “150 of instruction experience and two years?” AFAIK, there are no hour or calendar limitations on a CFI providing CFI-S instruction (unlike the limits placed on teaching initial CFI candidates other than CFI-S).

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  2. RACINE on Dec 11, 2017

    Can\’t remember where I saw or maybe heard it but from what I remember a CFI needed to have two years experience to train another CFI. I think in order to qualify for CFI training you need to have at least 150 hours.

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  3. Russ Roslewski on Dec 11, 2017

    You need 150 hours as a sport pilot (or higher) to be eligible to become a CFI – Sport Pilot in airplanes (along with some other requirements). That’s where the 150 number comes from.

    Once someone is a CFI-SP, there does not seem to be any time or experience requirement for them to be able to train someone else to be a CFI-SP. 61.413 and 61.415 do not mention anything like this.

    NON- CFI-SP (“regular” CFIs?) must have been a CFI for at least 24 month and given at least 200 hours of flight instruction to train other pilot for their initial “regular” CFI certificate (in airplanes) (61.195).

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  4. Mark Kolber on Dec 12, 2017

    Russ is correct. The “senior” CFI described in 61.195 is part of the requirements for training an initial CFI other than a sport CFI.

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