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Flight Instructors Weigh In on FAA’s Proposed Changes to Certificates

Many who have commented on the NPRM are in favor of removing the expiration date on flight instructor certificates, calling the need to renew "burdensome."

FAA's proposed changes would remove expiration dates on flight instructor certificates and alter experience requirements for instructors who can administer training to initial CFI applicants.[File Photo: Adobe Stock]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The FAA's proposed rulemaking (NPRM) aims to eliminate the 24-month expiration date for flight instructor certificates, replacing it with recent experience requirements.
  • Many instructors support removing the expiration date, calling it "burdensome" and believing it could help address the CFI and pilot shortages, though some critics foresee new issues.
  • The NPRM also proposes altering experience requirements for instructors training initial CFI applicants, a change strongly opposed by groups like SAFE who warn it could lower professionalism and compromise pilot quality.
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Comments are starting to pour in on the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would make several changes to the regulations regarding flight instructor certificates. 

Among the most noteworthy changes is the removal of an expiration date and altering the experience requirements for instructors who can administer training to initial CFI applicants.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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