CFI written tests - some require instructor signoff?

[scooter]

I'm getting ready to take the initial CFI written.

Looking at the FAA matrix (http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/media/testing_matrix.pdf), it seems I can take that test (code FIA) without any kind of instructor endorsement/signoff.

Looking ahead to when I add on the instructor instrument airplane rating (additional rating test code AIF), the matrix says I actually need an instructor signoff to take that written test.

That makes no sense to me...why would a written test for an additional rating require a signoff, whereas the test for the initial instructor rating does not require a signoff?

 

[neilki]

you want the FII exam. and do the IGI too while your at it, and the AGI. Needed for Gold Seal. Same questions bank (OK, ALMOST the same..)

 

[RussR]

You'd be taking the FII test for your CFI-Instrument Airplane rating. The AIF is for if you already had a CFI-Instrument rating in some other type of aircraft (i.e. CFI-Instrument Helicopter).

So you'll see that there is no endorsement required for that test.

I have no idea why you would have to have an endorsement to take the AIF test though, if you were already a CFI-Instrument Helicopter and had therefore passed the FIH test. The matrix is really confusing, though - Page 8 says that there is no authorization required for "tests listed above" of which AIF is one of them, but then the next page explicitly requires an endorsement for the AIF.