ABOVE: The previous arbitrary 24 month expiration on a FI certificate will be replaced by experience-based renewal requirements

The FAA has passed a long-awaited rule removing the expiration date on a Flight Instructor (FI) certificate (effective from 1 December) with renewal requirements to now ‘become recent experience requirements, which flight instructors must establish at least once every 24 calendar months’.

The amendment to part 61 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) brings instructor certificates in line with other airline certificates (including those for private and commercial pilots), explained the FAA, which require maintenance of proficiency rather than imposing an arbitrary expiration date.

Under a new rule, flight instructors may also establish recent experience by serving as a flight instructor in a FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency programme. They may also reinstate their flight instructor privileges by taking an approved flight instructor refresher course (FIRC), providing their recent experience has not lapsed by more than three calendar months. Previously, lapsed flight instructors would have to take a check-ride to renew their privileges.

The FAA described the current process of printing and issuing a physical certificate every 24 months (for every renewal or reinstatement) as ‘burdensome, inefficient, and costly,’ citing ongoing industry support for the legislation just passed. Advocates of the change have asserted that ‘an expiration date on a flight instructor certificate is overly burdensome, costly, and provides no safety benefit,’ stated the FAA.

The FAA added that that it estimates this rule to result in $5.6 million of saving (implemented over five years) to itself and to industry. Additionally, with a 2000 AOPA petition highlighting that ‘flight instructor certificate expirations have substantially reduced the number of otherwise qualified and experienced part-time flight instructors,’ it should help address what the FAA also recognises as ‘the need for more qualified instructors to train new flight instructor applicants’.

IMAGE: CHRIS ROSE VIA AOPA