CFI Renewal and FIRC

mattaxelrod

mattaxelrod

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Matt
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Hi all,

I'm sorry if this has been asked and answered--I did a quick search and there was way too much to go through.

I have what I hope is a pretty simple question: I am a non-active CFI. I haven't flown in years and probably won't be for a while. However, I have been diligent in making sure my CFI never expires by completing a FIRC every 2 years. With the no-expiration-date change, do I simply keep doing that every 24 months? Thanks.
 
First, has that actually passed? I knew it was in the works but I don’t recall if it is in effect now.

Second, with the change, your CFI is pretty much like every other certificate. It never expires but you do need to keep it current. That is by activity or by the refresher courses. What happens if you go non current? Add other CFI privileges to your certificate or do a refresher course. I am pretty sure you don’t need to do a full blown checkride again.
 
I haven’t renewed since the change, but I’m assuming that you’ll be issued a new certificate without expiration date when you complete your next FIRC.

As to your direct question, yes, just keep doing the FIRC every 24 months per 61.197(b)(2)(iii).
 
You do have a extra 3 month grace period to renew your certificate. You just can't instruct during the grace period. Once the grace period has expired you would need to either get an additional Instructor rating or take a renewal checkride for one of your current ratings.
 
jayhawk74 said:
You do have an extra 3 month grace period to renew your certificate. You just can't instruct during the grace period. Once the grace period has expired you would need to either get an additional Instructor rating or take a renewal checkride for one of your current ratings.
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That is worded kind of weirdly in the reg…basically within the last 24 months you have completed a FIRC within the last 3 months. It’s very different from the grace period wording in other regs.
 
Yes. There is no difference in what you do in terms od the question you asked. . The only real differences are that you don't get a new piece of plastic and your signature will have an "RE" date rather than an "Exp" date.
 
MauleSkinner said:
I haven’t renewed since the change, but I’m assuming that you’ll be issued a new certificate without expiration date when you complete your next FIRC.

As to your direct question, yes, just keep doing the FIRC every 24 months per 61.197(b)(2)(iii).
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Yep. Just did mine a few months ago. The new plastic doesn’t have an expiration date anymore
 
I renewed in November, so I have one of the last ones with an expiration date.
 
Language is dumb…. It still expires. If you don’t do a 24 month refresher, you have to take another checkride.
 
Skymac said:
Language is dumb…. It still expires. If you don’t do a 24 month refresher, you have to take another checkride.
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The reg is fine. Yes, the “RE” instead of “Exp.” recommended in the AC is silly.
 
midlifeflyer said:
For the need to take a reinstatement checkride if you don’t renew within the renewal windows? 61.199 has been there for decades.
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So in reality, NOTHING HAS CHANGED except the certificate no longer has an expiration date.

I thought there was more to it than that.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
So in reality, NOTHING HAS CHANGED except the certificate no longer has an expiration date.

I thought there was more to it than that.
Click to expand...

You are not alone. I’ve heard several CFI’s say “I’m so glad I don’t have to do those FIRC’s anymore.” Sorry, you still do.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
So in reality, NOTHING HAS CHANGED except the certificate no longer has an expiration date.

I thought there was more to it than that.
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If you read it, they have also expanded the renewal window and renewal options. But it’s bottom line was aligning the CFI certificate with most other airman certificates which have currency requirements rather than the issuance of new plastic every X months or years. I’m not sure what you EXPECTED to change.

Dave Theisen said:
I’ve heard several CFI’s say “I’m so glad I don’t have to do those FIRC’s anymore.”
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That’s ok. If a CFI can’t bother to read and understand a rule that applies directly to their own privileges and limitations, I’m fine with their privileges expiring altogether.
 
Dave Theisen said:
You are not alone. I’ve heard several CFI’s say “I’m so glad I don’t have to do those FIRC’s anymore.” Sorry, you still do.
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Well, I knew that you still had to do a FIRC but I thought that if you went past the 2 years, all you had to do was do a FIRC and be done with it.

Semi rhetorical question but WTH difference does it make if you FIRC a week before the 2 years or a week after? If one isn’t actively instructing anyway, I don’t see the benefit
 
Greg Bockelman said:
So in reality, NOTHING HAS CHANGED except the certificate no longer has an expiration date.

I thought there was more to it than that.
Click to expand...
There is also a grace period now. If a CFI goes beyond the 24 month limit for a FIRC or activity, he has three months to take an FIRC before having to take a checkride to renew. They can’t instruct during the grace period.
 
When they started talking about it, there was a lot of excitement over how the FAA was suddenly going to become extremely practical with regard to flight instructor currency instead of renewal. I think the law of primacy kicked in, and some people think that what they heard first was real, not just hopeful speculation.

But the end result is as @bbchien said, “semantic only.”
 
MauleSkinner said:
When they started talking about it, there was a lot of excitement over how the FAA was suddenly going to become extremely practical with regard to flight instructor currency instead of renewal. I think the law of primacy kicked in, and some people think that what they heard first was real, not just hopeful speculation.

But the end result is as @bbchien said, “semantic only.”
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I don’t recall any of that. The result was pretty much what I expected at the beginning, except for the nice expansion of the grace period.
 
Dusting this off -- now that AceCFI has soiled the bed (I've been a happy customer of theirs for years, but I'm really happy I missed their abrupt departure and potential threat to my instructor certs) -- is there a stable online similar "pay once, renew forever, small fee for them to do the paperwork every other year" service to consider now?

I've had a few multiples of the recommended adult dose of Martha King and would prefer "any other damn thing than King Schools" -- that I've heard of before and who may be around in a decade.
 
schmookeeg said:
…-- is there a stable online similar "pay once, renew forever, small fee for them to do the paperwork every other year" service to consider now?
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Have you tried American Flyers?

americanflyers.com

Online FIRC Course | American Flyers FIRC

The American Flyers FIRC course is online and allows you to go at your own pace. Pay once and revalidate for the rest of your career at no additional cost.
americanflyers.com americanflyers.com

Also, I hear Sporty’s has a FIRC, too.
 
Greg Bockelman said:
I’ve been doing American Flyers for years. Nothing special but it gets the job done.
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They changed it up a bit this year. I was halfway done when the change happened - had to redo half the work, but oh well. Still a decent value.
 
Dang I forgot about Flyers, thanks. That was in contention last time. Actually they were in contention for even getting my certs 10 years ago, I liked the idea of their collaborative program, but the timing didn't work right at the time.

"Nothing Special" matches my requirements perfectly :D It's traffic school. I wanna sit my 16 hours and get the stamp and move on with my life. Same as the IA renewal.
 
RyanShort1 said:
They changed it up a bit this year. I was halfway done when the change happened - had to redo half the work, but oh well. Still a decent value.
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Agreed, been taking the American Flyers FIRC free for over 20 years. This latest time (June 2025) the test changed for the good... faster and easier.
 
schmookeeg said:
Dusting this off -- now that AceCFI has soiled the bed (I've been a happy customer of theirs for years, but I'm really happy I missed their abrupt departure and potential threat to my instructor certs) -- is there a stable online similar "pay once, renew forever, small fee for them to do the paperwork every other year" service to consider now?

I've had a few multiples of the recommended adult dose of Martha King and would prefer "any other damn thing than King Schools" -- that I've heard of before and who may be around in a decade.
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AceCFI is out of business? I just used them to renew in April. Guess I’ll have to contact them and see what to do about my lifetime renewal plan
 
Another endorsement for the American Flyers FIRC. I just completed my second "renewal" with them this month. Their process is painless, they can handle the paperwork for a small fee, and the class is what it is to satisfy the FAA requirements.
 
schmookeeg said:
Dusting this off -- now that AceCFI has soiled the bed (I've been a happy customer of theirs for years, but I'm really happy I missed their abrupt departure and potential threat to my instructor certs) -- is there a stable online similar "pay once, renew forever, small fee for them to do the paperwork every other year" service to consider now?
Click to expand...
I don't think any will process the renewal for free, but among the free options for the course is Sporty's. And their instructor signup also give free access to their pilot training courses.
 
midlifeflyer said:
I don't think any will process the renewal for free, but among the free options for the course is Sporty's. And their instructor signup also give free access to their pilot training courses.
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No nor would I expect it, but since the content remains permanently stale, I'm much happier with "buy once cry once" for the content, and then kick them $35 to deal with IACRA for me each renewal.
 
jordane93 said:
AceCFI is out of business? I just used them to renew in April. Guess I’ll have to contact them and see what to do about my lifetime renewal plan
Click to expand...

It's apparently a hot hot HOT mess and they ghosted with renewals in flight. :oops:

avweb.com

AceCFI Disappears Without a Trace

Active students left without notice or explanation as formerly authorized online CFI refresher course provider, AceCFI, suddenly disappears.
avweb.com avweb.com
 
I've used American Flyers for almost 20 years. It doesn't do anything beyond check the appropriate boxes, but it's easy and painless.
 
Yup, just used Flyers as well to renew mine.
 
Doc Holliday said:
Thankfully I’ve never used a FIRC either in person or online.
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Since I’ve never been more than part time, I’ve used them for two decades. The in-person ones were more interesting. I did two or three of them early on. Discussions were generated. Friends were made. Like webinars, online courses tend to be one way with zero socialization.
 
midlifeflyer said:
Since I’ve never been more than part time, I’ve used them for two decades. The in-person ones were more interesting. I did two or three of them early on. Discussions were generated. Friends were made. Like webinars, online courses tend to be one way with zero socialization.
Click to expand...

Do they even have the in person type anymore?
 
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