Challenge For All You CFI's

[Hung Start]

Ok, Boys and Girls.
The Reverand Hung Start, ESQ. has again renewed his CFI today. I received my Certificate more years ago than I really do wish to remember, (I'm 54 now), but, I want to challenge all of you folks to KEEP RENEWING!!

You all worked very hard for it, just because you become some jet jockey, never, ever, let it lapse.
Someday, your daughter, son, grandkids,, are going to want the best instuctor available,,, and THAT will be your defining moment.

Your esteemed councilor:

Hung Start.

By the way, I don't expire until November 30, the FAA guy typed September, and I argued. He claimed he never heard of the 90 day window. Stood my ground, he researched it and admitted he was in error. Know your stuff, and be confident!

 

[CFIcare]

I was a CFI for 1950.2 hours of dual given. That was over 2000 hours ago. I've renewed twice via American Flyers, though I haven't taught a student since 2004. I worked way too hard for those ratings and certificates. All the while I was in debt, broke, on living on Ramen and hot dogs and begging the DE to not cash the checkride check for 2 weeks or it would bounce. Heck no. Those years were hard but they taught me so much about flying, about people and about whether I really wanted to play this aviation game or not. Along the way I taught some great students and made a lot of friends, many of which I still keep in contact with today. I won't let my CFI expire because I remember working to hard to get it and it would be disrespecting all of that work and study to let it expire.

 

[7574EVER]

All the while I was in debt, broke, on living on Ramen and hot dogs and begging the DE to not cash the checkride check for 2 weeks or it would bounce.

CHECK??? Wow I didn't know that examiners knew what a check was. The only thing that any of mine would take was cash cash cash!!!

 

[LittleDeuce]

CFI Renewal

Great advise! I obtained my CFI in 1978 and I vowed I would never let it expire! Although I haven't instructed in a light aircraft in many years, I have always continued as an Instructor/Check Airman in my airline career.

If you have a relationship with a APM/POI in an airline training capacity, renewal by association is free and takes about 10 minutes!

 

[CFIcare]

CHECK??? Wow I didn't know that examiners knew what a check was. The only thing that any of mine would take was cash cash cash!!!

Fortunately, our school had a very good relationship with a few DEs and if we regularly paid up for our lessons, we could be trusted with checks! Thank goodness for that because cash was unheard of for me back then, unless you count the coins that I found between the cushions of the nasty FBO couch.

 

[The_Russian]

Check it!

http://www.nafinet.org/tools/renew.html

 

[nosehair]

Excellent reference, Ruski ! I saved it.

 

[rumrnr78]

I will never let mine expire!!

 

[landlover]

call me lazy but i am about to let mine expire. i haven't used them in over 3 years. i don't really have the time to renew them anyway.

 

[regionalcap]

I worked way too hard to let them expire. It takes just a few hours online to do the course. I spent many more hours during the initial training so it is worth it. I doubt that I will ever need them but you just never know. Many training departments require you to be a current CFI if you want to be a line check airman, etc.

 

[avbug]

Mine's expired twice over the years, but with the internet courses today, there's little excuse any more.

 

[landlover]

personally i'd rather let them expire now and then if i decide to instruct down the road have to take a re-instatement checkride. do you really think you are a proficient instructor because you did an online course every two years? i think i'd get confused if i had to use a vfr sectional, let alone teach with one. as far as the time issue, i am about to do a 14 day roatation. i wont be able to get to a fsdo before the end of the month.

 

[avbug]

Getting to a FSDO has nothing to do with recertification; you can do it over the internet.

Staying current is up to you.

If you haven't ever let yours lapse and then gone for reinstatement, you might want to rethink your plan.

There's no advantage in letting it lapse. None. I've done it twice, when I really was busy and gone constantly...ten extremely busy nonstop months on duty at a time and no way to renew. Today, there's really no excuse.

If you have time to post on an internet board like this, you have time to stay current, and certainly time to renew.

Trying to reinstate isn't going to make you proficient, either. It's just going to cost you money and time. We're talking about certification here, not proficiency. Two entirely separate issues. A recurrent training every two years is a small thing to keep it up; staying proficiency and knowledgeable...that's up to you.

 

[skyaddict]

I very much regret that I let mine expire 2-1/2 years ago. I had been faithfully renewing it online a few times but, furloughed from one carrier and in the middle of sim training / checkride prep at another, I "graduated" online fine but neglected to spend an extra $25 to have American Flyers handle the renewal paperwork with the FAA, electing instead to carry the graduation certificate "later" down to the local FSDO, which was just 5 minutes drive from my hotel.

Well, I didn't read the fine print- namely that I needed to bring it to the FSDO by the exp. date, not simply "graduate" online by that date. And I was not paying close attention to that due date while I was days from the checkride in the sims, so I accidentally let it expire. I kick myself now.

I plan to do a reinstatement ride next year, as a CFII checkride because it most closely resembles the type of flying I do all the time now, I'm up to speed on IFR as a matter of course, always enjoyed the headwork aspect of CFIIing, and last but not least because I don't have the time or money to go practice chandelles and lazy eights again. But you can be sure I will never, ever screw up an online renewal again.

On the positive side, I learned my Gold Seal and all my CFI ratings will be renewed if I just do a single CFI ride such as the CFII. It is pretty much guaranteed to be with a regular examiner and not an FAA inspector, because the inspectors are overworked with other duties and so normally only do initial CFIs.

Moral of the story though is to not let it lapse, and read the fine print and never cut the deadline too close.

 

[acaTerry]

I keep mine but am thinking of letting it go (thousands and thousands of hour os dual given). Here's why:
1) The "academies" that are popping up like weeds. They come to your local airport, flood the place with kids dressed up like airline pilots (yet let them keep the long hair, goatees, etc) and run the local flying schools out of business. Then, for the formerly employed CFI's who have been at the airport for years its either A) sorry, we only hire our graduates or B) yes, you can instruct but you are worth the same 17 bucks as our graduates are, even though you have thousands of hours of experience to share.
2) Lawyers!!!!!
3) TSA and Homeland Security farce. They've made it nearly impossible for the airport to be enjoyable. No more kid at the fence watching planes. Arrest that boy! Get outta here! etc...
It's just plain sad.

 

[landlover]

well you guys will be proud of me. i renewed it again. and yes it was you avbug that talked me into it.

 

[The_Russian]

Me too.

I will be starting my MEI in mid-November. Not only will it renew (CFII-A), but I will have an additional qualification. Getting back into instructing at this stage in my career is very exciting. It seems as though we have more to give to the aviation community now, than we did as brand new CFI's.

Can't wait. Lots to learn!