CFI Question

Danos

Line Up and Wait
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i And I Survive
If CFII or MEI is done before CFI does it have to be done with a FSDO?
 
If CFII or MEI is done before CFI does it have to be done with a FSDO?
Just about all FSDOs are requiring any initial CFI ride to be done with them. Add-ons can later be done with a DE authorized to do CFI rides.

So, if you go for CFII first where you must demonstrate the FOI, it will likely be required by the FSDO. Likewise with the MEI.

There are a few FSDOs around not yet requiring it. Good luck finding one. The exception is usally if they cannot get to you within 14-28 days, they will issue a letter for you to go to a DE. You can request that but may have to first give them the two-week waiting period.
 
No. Some DEs can/will do the ride. Check with your local examiner to get their opinion.
 
As stated earlier, it's general policy for a FSDO to issue the initial flight instructor certificate, and require a ride with an inspector. If they can't get to you in a reasonable time, they MAY issue you a letter to go take a ride with a DE.

So it will depend on your FSDO's resources.
 
No. Some DEs can/will do the ride. Check with your local examiner to get their opinion.
To the contrary, my CFI ride was done there in Chattanooga. Ben informed me his time for doing CFI-Initials was short-lived. Nashville FSDO was ramping up at the time to begin doing all CFI-Initials. The funny thing was he did a couple early check rides on one of the inspectors who would be taking over.

Atlanta and Birmingham were well in-house on all initial rides and that's the standard to be nationwide per Washington. I understand it's not too hard to get a letter from Houston but only because they are backlogged. Look for that to change.
 
Interesting, Ken. Thanks for the update. I knew Ben Carr had done some rides earlier but didn't know if he was continuing to do so.
 
Just about all FSDOs are requiring any initial CFI ride to be done with them.

Not Grand Rapids. I don't think they've done a CFI ride in almost 4 years. I did mine two years ago, and they had been shopping them out to DE's for about 2 years prior to that.
 
Not Grand Rapids. I don't think they've done a CFI ride in almost 4 years. I did mine two years ago, and they had been shopping them out to DE's for about 2 years prior to that.
Probably still staffing issues as is the case with Houston.
 
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