kinda interesting

[eman1200]

maybe it's been discussed before, but in 2012 there were about 98,000 active CFIs and about 119,000 active student pilots. not quite one for one, but close. that's it, that's my post!

 

[tonycondon]

define active

 

[eman1200]

define active

I pulled it from the faa website, and I think they said current medical, but I can go back and double check.

 

[ErnDollas]

Does that include those pursuing advanced ratings?

 

[eman1200]

http://www.faa.gov/data_research/aviation_data_statistics/civil_airmen_statistics/2012/

y'all can read the fine print on your own

 

[jesse]

I'd bet the number of instructors giving 50 hours of dual or more per year is a tenth or less of what the FAA defines as active.

 

[wabower]

If they measure currency by activity sufficient to renew, I'd agree. If they measure by current FIRC on file, the number could be anything. When I've attended the 2-day FIRC seminars in years past, only a small percentage raised their hands when the "are you active?" question was asked by the instructor.

If you assume that at least 4 such seminars are presented annually in Dallas and extrapolate that number to include all major cities, it's obvious that a very high percentage of card-carrying instructors are people who don't teach, don't fly and simply want to maintain their CFI currency "in case something happens where I'll need it."

I'd bet the number of instructors giving 50 hours of dual or more per year is a tenth or less of what the FAA defines as active.

 

[EdFred]

If they measure currency by activity sufficient to renew, I'd agree. If they measure by current FIRC on file, the number could be anything. When I've attended the 2-day FIRC seminars in years past, only a small percentage raised their hands when the "are you active?" question was asked by the instructor.

If you assume that at least 4 such seminars are presented annually in Dallas and extrapolate that number to include all major cities, it's obvious that a very high percentage of card-carrying instructors are people who don't teach, don't fly and simply want to maintain their CFI currency "in case something happens where I'll need it."

Mostly I retain it, because I don't want to have to do it all over again.