Worth it to renew CFI?

[Vne]

You 'paid' for the ticket and you worked for it . A renewal every 2 yrs. either through a 'clinic' or a "friendly fed" is as easy or hard as you make it. IMHO- Keep it intact in the long run you will not regret it. I've been(cfiaime) current and 'not used much' for the past 30 years and glad I still have it....fwiw

 

[Iceman07]

I let mine (CFII/MEI) lapse a few years ago, after giving about 2,000 dual. I really didn't think I would ever use it again. Big mistake. I did a reinstatement a couple of months ago with a DPE. No, it was nowhere near as bad as the original, but it was a heck of a lot more expensive than if I would have just renewed it.

I agree 100% with woutlaw, I will never, EVER let mine lapse again.

 

[340drvr]

Renew, absolutely, no question!
A lesson learned years ago, don't ever let any kind of cert. you carry in your wallet expire, especially if the renewal is relatively painless and inexpensive. You just never know when something will come up.

 

[indefinitehold]

No, it's not a POI can issues/reissue a CFI certifciate because he feels like it.[/quote]

As it is explained to me from the Inspectors, it is at their discretion. They do not have to do it.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Thanks for the insight, everybody. And thanks for the breakdown, Midlife...it helped clear up that question 100%. It seems like $300 now would be easier and cheaper than $1,000 and a reinstatement ride later.

Having worked to get it, seems that there's no good reason not to renew.

But there seems to be two discussions going on here: renew (before expiration) and reinstate (after expiration). Let's separate them. I'll stick with renewal (before it expires).

Check out 61.197. Relatively painless. Can be done online from a number of providers.

The infamous "POI Renewal" used to be for 121 captains and used to be treated by some as an "acquaintance" renewal - we had a beer together so let's renew. I doubt it was really ever supposed to be that way. The reg was changed as part of the 1997 Part 61 rewrite. Here's what it says now:

==============================
91.197(a) A person who holds a flight instructor certificate that has not expired may renew that certificate by -
(2) Presenting to an authorized FAA Flight Standards Inspector -
(ii) A record showing that, within the preceding 24 calendar months, the flight instructor has served as a company check pilot, chief flight instructor, company check airman, or flight instructor in a part 121 or part 135 operation, or in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots
==============================

It's that last part that remains of the old POI Renewal and applies to 135 as well as 121 pilots. Here's what FAA Order 8700.1, the GA Inspectors Handbook Vol 2, Chapter 11, Section 1(C) has to say about it (the reference to the "old" rule is the way the FAR provision read before the 1997 revision):

==============================
Section 61.197(a)(2)(ii). Individuals have asked FAA about the intent of the statement, “. . . in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots” in § 61.197(a)(2)(ii) and whether it has the same meaning as the old provision in § 61.197(b). The FAA rewrote § 61.197 to expand the renewal provisions, mainly to include other PICs. For example, the following PICs, who regularly evaluate pilots, have the same reward provisions as a PIC in a part 121 operation:
• A PIC of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft under part 135
• Corporate PICs of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft under part 125 or 133
• U.S. military pilots who are PICs of a multiple pilot flightcrew aircraft
• U.S. military instructor pilots and examiners who regularly evaluate pilots under part 125 or 133
• Flight instructors who actively instruct in part 61 schools

NOTE: FAA ASIs should review evidence of the applicant’s employment, which should clearly show that the applicant is in a position involving the regular evaluation of pilots. ASIs also should have personal knowledge of the applicant’s flight instructing capabilities and qualities before renewing that applicant’s flight instructor certificate.
==============================

So the requirements for a "POI Renewal" are:

1. in a position that involves evaluation of pilots, such as captain of a multi-pilot crew
2. some record that shows what the pilot's position is and her evaluation duties
3. personal knowledge of the pilot's instructional capabilities.

No, it's not a POI can issues/reissue a CFI certifciate because he feels like it.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Thanks for the insight, everybody. And thanks for the breakdown, Midlife...it helped clear up that question 100%. It seems like $300 now would be easier and cheaper than $1,000 and a reinstatement ride later.

$300? That sounds like a live FIRC. There are much less expensive alternatives. Gleim, my personal preference, is about $125 including taking care of the paperwork. And American Flyers apparently charges close to the same for a lifetime of renewals, although I've heard mixed reviews of that one.

Good luck!

 

[skygod75]

$300? That sounds like a live FIRC. There are much less expensive alternatives. Gleim, my personal preference, is about $125 including taking care of the paperwork. And American Flyers apparently charges close to the same for a lifetime of renewals, although I've heard mixed reviews of that one.

Good luck!

+1 for the Gleim. I just did mine this year and will probably NEVER give an hour's worth of dual again. In fact, taking the FRIC is the only real aviation thing I do these days. Would I give dual to a student? No way, I know better. However, as another poster said, I paid for those certificates so letting them go would make me sad.

 

[CopilotDoug]

+1 for the Gleim. I just did mine this year and will probably NEVER give an hour's worth of dual again. In fact, taking the FRIC is the only real aviation thing I do these days. Would I give dual to a student? No way, I know better. However, as another poster said, I paid for those certificates so letting them go would make me sad.

My CFI is done at the end of this month. I typically pay the $300 and do the live FIRC as Midlife said...for me, it just takes two solid days and it's out of the way with. With the on-line refresher...Do you have to FINISH it before your cert expires? I'm not implying I'd intentionally put it off, but if you finish it June 3rd...does it not count?

 

[midlifeflyer]

With the on-line refresher...Do you have to FINISH it before your cert expires?

Yes (although I don't know what you mean bu June 3). But you have so much advance time. there should be no reason to butt up against the deadline. I usually do mine the month before expiration taking some time here and there over a week or so until it's done.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Yes (although I don't know what you mean bu June 3). But you have so much advance time. there should be no reason to butt up against the deadline. I usually do mine the month before expiration taking some time here and there over a week or so until it's done.

Sory, meant to say July 3rd. So it sounds like there is no grace period...fair enough. I might as well get cracking on applying on-line.