Do you keep your CFI current?

[pianoman]

I just finished mine again. (Got the American Flyers lifetime program) Was very easy if a little dull.

Wondering if anyone else bothers with this? I know there's next to no chance I'll ever instruct again but I just can't see letting it lapse after all that work and a miserable oral.

 

[twepilot]

after what I went through to get it, you bet I'm keeping it current!

RV

 

[WSurf]

Let mine go years ago!

 

[southernpilot]

Pianoman,
I'm with you. It was too hard to get, and too hard to get again. My employer pays for the renewal.
SP

 

[Dumb Pilot]

What for? And please don't come up with the "resume builder" theory, because if you need to show that you can run around the pattern with a student to bump your resume. That is sad

 

[wmuflyguy]

You never know, later in life you may buy a plane and your son, daughter, wife, nephew, etc.. may take an interest and want to learn to fly. You would save some cash in the long run.

Not sure if having a CFI would get you lower insurance premiums.

And hell I paid way too much for mine, so the 120 bucks it costs to keep it the rest of my life is fine with me

 

[NuGuy]

Heyas,

Just renewed mine via the AOPA/Jeppesen. Worked to hard to let it go

The AOPA renewal was actually worthwhile.

Nu

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I thought the Gleim renewal was the easiest and fastest. They'll even submit the FSDO paperwork for you.

 

[The_Russian]

What for? And please don't come up with the "resume builder" theory, because if you need to show that you can run around the pattern with a student to bump your resume. That is sad

Not at all. Only a portion of us want to work with the airlines for our entire career. The CFI/II/MEI, or any combination, is actually a great compliment to a resume and is required or expected for some positions.

 

[CitationLover]

What for? And please don't come up with the "resume builder" theory, because if you need to show that you can run around the pattern with a student to bump your resume. That is sad

one simple reason:
some training departments require a current CFI/II/MEI if you want to go down that path.......

gleim is definitely the fastest (unless a Fed can sign you off which is by far the fastest, I ask every time we have one in the j/s) as you do not have to wait for the timer to expire like american flyers.

 

[Yuppyguppy]

no next job i get won't be in aviation and for the kids flying...ha

 

[Black Hawk]

What for? And please don't come up with the "resume builder" theory, because if you need to show that you can run around the pattern with a student to bump your resume. That is sad

Even if a pilot doesn't plan to teach in the future the fact that they bother to keep their CFI effective says something positive about that pilot's involvement with aviation. Aviation needs pilot's willing and interested in "bumping around the pattern with a student" that needs help. We've all been that student that needed help before.

 

[AlbieF15]

I kept my CFI/CFII current (actually renewed it back in 2000) for several reasons. The first was so I could log time for my wife and daughters should they decide they want to learn.

Another reason was that although I had a military background, during my interview I wanted to highlight the fact I ALSO had some time outside the military--flying jumpers, working as a CFI, etc. What if they guy I was interviewing with never flew in the military? Instead of just being another F-15 jock, I was guy who perhaps had something in common with the interviewer... It is a nice ice-breaker, as MANY of us in aviation have done the "dual given" thing for while in our careers.

And yeah...I still like flying GA, and having a CFI means sometimes somebody wants you to jump in with them and show them something.

 

[GuppyWN]

OK.... back up. Will the feds renew your CFI just cause they rode your jumpseat? On what basis? I'm all for that.

Gup

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Just renewed mine. American Flyers online course. It's dull, but the price is right.

I may teach the kids if they show an interest, or teach part-time in retirement. Like others have said. I worked hard to get it, and don't want to lose it.

 

[DrewBlows]

I keep mine current. I give my uncle a flight review every other summer and if I have any kids who want to learn to fly, I'd like to do it myself.

 

[Charlie Brown]

OK.... back up. Will the feds renew your CFI just cause they rode your jumpseat? On what basis? I'm all for that.

Gup

Gup,

Yeah some will. An evaluation flight by a Fed is one of the ways to renew, and if they are going to be up there anyway you might as well get something to show for it. Sure doesn't hurt to ask. The trouble is most of them don't carry 8710s or their temporary certificate books, so you may have to do a follow up email/phone call, etc. If you are a CA at SWA (or any 121 carrier) a lot, but not all FSDO's will renew based on the fact you are responsible for evaluating other pilots at an air carrier. Some interpret this as being a check pilot only, however you are required to fill out probationary pilot forms, etc. and most Feds will renew based on that fact. I am too lazy to look up the reg but is in there somewhere in part 61 I believe.

As for me I keep mine current because of the reasons mentioned. It cost too much and was too much a pain to get to just throw away.

 

[CitationLover]

OK.... back up. Will the feds renew your CFI just cause they rode your jumpseat? On what basis? I'm all for that.

Gup

it's not as prevalent as it used to be, but the answer is yes. if you are involved in "evaluating" in any means within your company (ie as a captain filling out probationary pilot eval forms) then they will renew it with a simple 8710. sometimes they would renew it for FO's as well, depending on the fed. it cannot hurt to ask.

we had the POI for eagle in the jumpseat (he was simply going back home to DFW from doing a station inspection) and in between small talk i simply asked if he had an 8710. he asked why and i told him my CFI was expiring in two months and was wondering if he would kindly renew it. he said sure, but alas he did not have one. he then gave me his business card wrote the name of a fed at the ORD FSDO and his direct number and told him to call him and tell him i flew with him. i did and the fed renewed it for me, a simple 8710 signed off by him. this was as i was a first officer and they said well technically you must be evaluating yadda yadda yadda, but all right.

 

[your_dreamguy]

I keep mine current. As with the other posters, it was a pain in the @$$ to get. Also, I still like to fly GA every once in a while. Just don't have that much time to do it. The biggest thing with me is who'll I'll fly with. I had to beg for students in the past and got placed in bad situations. Now, I'll only fly with extremely safe and anal GA pilots that I know.

 

[TWA Dude]

I still renew via the American Flyers lifetime deal. Haven't instructed since 1995 and don't plan on doing it again -- but who knows.

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

Just renewed mine.
If you ever let it expire and have to take a checkride to renew, you will know why its best to keep it current.
ORD FSDO saw me again a few months ago for this renewal.
PS they moved, so get detailed directions.
PSS they won't be happy unless you call for an appointment.
The basis of my renewal was ongoing pilot evaluations of First Officers.

 

[elag777]

Gup,

Yeah some will. An evaluation flight by a Fed is one of the ways to renew, and if they are going to be up there anyway you might as well get something to show for it. Sure doesn't hurt to ask. The trouble is most of them don't carry 8710s or their temporary certificate books, so you may have to do a follow up email/phone call, etc. If you are a CA at SWA (or any 121 carrier) a lot, but not all FSDO's will renew based on the fact you are responsible for evaluating other pilots at an air carrier. Some interpret this as being a check pilot only, however you are required to fill out probationary pilot forms, etc. and most Feds will renew based on that fact. I am too lazy to look up the reg but is in there somewhere in part 61 I believe.

As for me I keep mine current because of the reasons mentioned. It cost too much and was too much a pain to get to just throw away.

61.197 for those interested.

 

[CaptWidgeon]

i came across what i consider good justification to keep it. was looking for a taildragger to rent, found a school that was in the process of getting one but they said if/when they get it they will only rent it out with an instructor. i asked 'em what if i was an instructor. with a shocked look on their face they said, 'well, i don't know.' then they wanted to know if i would be interested in doing some teaching. they were a little to flakey so i blew 'em off, but having the instructor rating i'm guessing would have allowed me to rent the thing once i was checked out with their instructor.

i agree that if you're going to keep it do the am flyers lifetime thing. one more justification to keep it, pay once, only cost ya' a little time from then on.

cheers y'all

 

[regionalcap]

I just think back about how time consuming it was to get my intial CFI rating. It only cost me a little bit of time to go online every 2 years and renew it. It seems like a waste to let it lapse. Like someone said earlier, many training departments at the airlines require you to be current if you want to teach.

 

[IFLYSIU]

Sweet. My minutes are passing by for Chapter 1 renewal, with American Flyers, as I tally the groups consensus. Seems like most of us desire to keep it as a way to give back or for the effort put forth to receive it.

I, as well, do a lot of GA and keep my Dad and Co-owner in good standing. It's always fun!

Ok, back to Chapter 1.

marathon fever.

 

[Charlie Brown]

61.197 for those interested.

:beer:

 

[dirkdigler]

You never know.......

You bet I keep them current. I used to work for the biggest flight instruction company and did tons of CFI revalidation for those poor souls who got hired at the company but had let the ticket expire. Ex airline pilots, ex military guys, etc. They sure were wishing they kept up with it. Almost every one of them had to redo the entire process all over again -- or no job!

 

[Varig]

If you let it expire and when you revalidate it, do you have to do the oral again?

 

[dirkdigler]

Ol' FOI

If you let it expire and when you revalidate it, do you have to do the oral again?

It would be like taking CFI initial check ride again. So, you would still have to meet PTS standards. Oral and all. However, you wouldn't have to take additional check ride for the additional ratings, i.e. Once you pass a check ride again, you would get back all the ratings you used to have, as I recall.

If you are thinking about doing it, here's my advise: It's all about ol' FOI. If you know it well and can apply it, you're golden. Incidentally, when I did instructor standardization for my company, it was ALL about FOI. That was their business, after all......

 

[Varig]

Thanks for the answer dirkdigler.