Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

7 Answers

AGI/IGI logging

Asked by: 3522 views ,
General Aviation, Instrument Rating, Private Pilot

I recently earned my Advanced Ground Instructor and Instrument Ground Instructor ratings.  In order to renew this certification, I will need to keep track of all ground instruction that I teach over the next 2 years.  Can you suggest a format for logging that instruction?

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

7 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Nov 28, 2019

    A ground instructor certificate is issued without an expiration date. You do not need to renew the certificate.

    However, see 61.217. There is a recency of experience requirement and it is a 12 month period, not 24. 61.51 only requires logging to meet recent flight experience requirements.

    If you have or are planning to get a flight instructor certificate, that activity would keep you current. If not, I would think a statement in your log that you had conducted ground training in the past 12 months would suffice.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. Mark Kolber on Nov 29, 2019

    The simplest thing I can think of to show 61.217(a) or (b) activity is your calendar. These days, most folks use a calendar and put appointments in them. Including “ground with” or “ground at” or some other descriptive word would seem to fit the bill. Whether digital or paper, keep the calendar for the previous year. If digital, you even have export and filtering options.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. Pilot46 on Nov 29, 2019

    Kris and Mark,
    Thanks very much for the answers. I want to take a moment to respond. First, the time period is correct at 12 months—my bad. I was thinking that it was the same as for a CFI. But, 61.217 makes it clear at 12 months. Second, I like both of your ideas for logging my ground instruction time. I am a retired college instructor, and I am not interested in getting my CFI. I know that many CFI’s don’t like teaching ground school, whereas, that is my forte. I am hoping to fill that gap in a fun way. One further thing of concern in reading 61.217 closely is the fact that if, for some reason, I am not able to teach any ground school within the next year, that effectively shuts off my ability to teach ground school. In other words, I can’t teach ground school if I haven’t taught a ground school within the past 12 months. With most ratings, there is a way to get re-current. But, the only way I see to do that in 61.217 would be to have another CFI attest to my ability to teach a ground school. But, it isn’t clear if that really replaces my lack of recent experience. With all the other ratings, there is some mechanism for re-currency. But, am I missing something here with the AGI and IGI ratings? Also, I want to mention that I realize this issue is not a biggee in the grand scheme of questions for a CFI, and I apologize to everyone who might think that. I truly appreciate the feedback from you two.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. ayavner on Nov 29, 2019

    Put a flyer up at some of the local airports, you should have no trouble at least getting some sort of interest each year. Failing that, surely your spouse would like to learn the basics of aerodynamics? Or a grandchild/niece/nephew? Not sure it needs to be formal for it to count, if the idea is keeping you current.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. John Scarry on Nov 29, 2019

    I‘m not sure why you are confused about keeping current since the FARs are pretty clear about it. It should be pretty easy to get a CFI to endorse your logbook—whoever did your first endorsement probably knows you well enough to sign you off. It may also be useful to take a CFI refresher course—that”s what I plan to do even though I’ve been giving ground instruction.

    §61.217 Recent experience requirements.
    The holder of a ground instructor certificate may not perform the duties of a ground instructor unless the person can show that one of the following occurred during the preceding 12 calendar months:

    (a) Employment or activity as a ground instructor giving pilot, flight instructor, or ground instructor training;

    (b) Employment or activity as a flight instructor giving pilot, flight instructor, or ground instructor ground or flight training;

    (c) Completion of an approved flight instructor refresher course and receipt of a graduation certificate for that course; or

    (d) An endorsement from an authorized instructor certifying that the person has demonstrated knowledge in the subject areas prescribed under §61.213(a)(3) and (a)(4), as appropriate.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  6. Pilot46 on Nov 29, 2019

    John, et.al.
    Thanks for your thoughts. The AGI and IGI ratings did not require a CFI endorsement. I had to go to the local FSDO to submit my paperwork, and I am still awaiting my permanent license. So, I don’t have a CFI endorser to go to. However, you are right about taking the refresher course—I had forgotten about that provision. And, that will be pretty easy to do. So, my concerns are generally all resolved. Thanks to you all for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  7. Kris Kortokrax on Nov 30, 2019

    I think there is a bit of a misunderstanding here. While there is no endorsement required to acquire the AGI or IGI, the endorsement mentioned in 61.217(d) is required prior to you exercising the privileges of the certificate, unless you meet one of the other 3 criteria. Given that you just got the ground instructor certificate and have no flight instructor certificate, that would narrow your options.

    There is no practical test to start a clock for recency as there is for a pilot certificate for a flight review or for an instrument rating for instrument currency.

    The reg requires one of the four options within the 12 month lookback from whatever day you want to teach ground school.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.