Certified Flight Instructor Requirements

Entering the aviation employment sector can be challenging with different demands depending on the role pilots want to fill. Acting as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) can be a way to grow as a pilot and gain many of the requirements for future advancements in the field. The goal of becoming a professional flight instructor inspires the question of how to become one.
Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) are commercial pilots with training focused on the methods and skills needed to train aspiring pilots.

Becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)

Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) must meet specific requirements:

• AGE: 18 years old, minimum
• LANGUAGE: literate and fluent in the written and spoken English language
• PILOT CERTIFICATION: Commercial Single-Engine/Multi-Engine License (CSEL) and Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate
• RATINGS REQUIRED: Instrument Flight Rating (IFR)
• FLIGHT TIME: 250 hours documented
• FAA MEDICAL CERTIFICATE: 3rd Class Medical
• ENDORSEMENTS: Logbook endorsement on instructing fundamentals
• WRITTEN EVALUATION: knowledge-based tests (FIA and FOI) on relevant aeronautic information.
• CHECK RIDE: practical flight and verbal exam.

Flight instructors need to have licensing in the same avenue as the area pilots want to teach – single-engine, multi-engine, or instrument rating. They should also log a minimum of 15 hours of time as the Pilot in Command (PIC) of the aircraft appropriate for the avenue sought.
If you have full-time availability and a strong desire to become a professional pilot, the P3 Program can have you certified as a flight instructor in fewer than 10 months!

P3 Professional Pilot Program’s Timeframe:

• 0-10 Weeks – Private Pilot License (PPL) – training to fly a single-engine aircraft in visual flight conditions when the weather is clear
• 11-18 Weeks – Instrument Flight Rating (IFR) – training to fly in conditions that require instruments for communication and navigation – at night, at higher altitudes, and at low visibility
• 19-30 Weeks – Commercial Single-Engine and Multi-Engine License (CSEL/CMEL) – training to fly at mastery level to be able to fly passengers or cargo in exchange for payment
• 31-38 Weeks – Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) – training to be able to train others to fly.

This accelerated program does have prerequisites to apply. The following list details the qualifications that we believe are essential for successful completion of the P3 Program:

• 18 years old
• High school graduate or GED recipient
• One professional and one personal character reference
• Clean driving record
• Clean criminal background
• Passed cognitive/behavioral evaluation
• Clean FAA record
• FAA 1st Class Medical Certificate
• Fluent and literate in the English language
• Full-time availability to attend 4-5 flight lessons and 10-20 hours of ground training each week
• Ambitious, driven, and honest personal characteristics.

Financial Obstacles Overcome

When money stands in the way of dreams, it’s heartbreaking, but it doesn’t have to stand in the way of you becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Not only is the P3 Program condensed and more affordable than other options, but we can also help you sort out the different financial resources and secure the right package for you! Whether you qualify for student loans and grants, aviation scholarships, GI funds, or personal lending, allow us to put our experience and contacts to work for your benefit.
Click here to learn more about the P3 Program at Paragon Flight and how it can help you meet the FAA-mandated Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) requirements. As a flight instructor, you can master skills while making a living doing what you love!