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Was a CFI, lost medical, now want AGI…

Asked by: 4215 views Flight Instructor

I have a Flight Instructor Certificate with CFIA, CFII, and MEI ratings, however it expired quite a few years ago along with my medical certificate due to having a benign brain tumor removed. Consequently, I lost my medical certificate and my Instructor ratings eventually expired. I have worked continuously for a major 121 airline as a pilot ground school instructor before, during and after my brain surgery. Now here's my dilema and question; I recently had a co-worker and friend offer me part time work teaching advanced ground school courses with him at a local community college. He believes I will need to obtain my AGI/IGI to be legally qualified (and I'm unsure). Now, I know that a Flight Instructor Certificate, (especially CFII & MEI) qualifies in-leu of the appropriate Ground Instructor certificates (AGI/IGI) so long as currency requirements are met (delivered ground training within the past 12 calendar months, etc.) But I'm unsure if my 121 job qualifies toward that requirement. And therefore unsure if my original Flight Instructor certificate is still good for teaching GA ground school courses?

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2 Answers



  1. Wes Beard on Feb 23, 2014

    The 121 instructor info is irrelevant to what you need to teach ground school classes. If it is a Part 141 school you will need to have an AGI for private, commercial and ATP ground schools and an IGI for instrument ground schools.

    If the school is a Part 61 school then you really don’t need anything except you cannot sign students off for the practical test. You may not be able to sign off the aeronautical knowledge areas either but that is typically covered again with their CFI.

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  2. Ray Salmon on Feb 25, 2014

    Your CFI is expired. That means you may not exercise any privileges of that certificate (including providing ground instruction) until it is renewed. A CFI can only be renewed (once expired) by passing a practical test.

    The currency requirements you mentioned are for the holders of Ground Instructor certificates and are not applicable in any way to the holder of a flight instructor certificate (who does not also hold a Ground Instructor Certificate). The only correlation is that both CFIs and GIs may give ground instruction within the privileges and limitations of their respective certificates. Additionally, for someone who holds BOTH CGI and CFI, the regulations allow for exercising the privileges of a CFI to keep the CGI current, but it cannot happen the other way around.

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