Removal of the CFI Expiration Date: What it Means to You

14 CFR §61.197 goes into effect 12/01/2024

The Federal Aviation Administration’s final rule regarding flight instructor certificates signals an important change for certificated flight instructors across the nation. With the removal of expiration dates, the rule aims to streamline the certification process.

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The rule takes effect in two phases: the first phase on December 1, 2024, and the second phase on March 1, 2027.

The first phase removes the expiration date printed on the CFI certificate. The second phase amends the appropriate Federal Aviation Regulations to eliminate mention of a CFI expiration date.

Note, while the expiration dates will be removed, CFIs are still required to complete their 24-calendar month recency of experience as outlined in 14 CFR §61.197 to maintain their instructional proficiency.

Key differences for certificates issued before December 1, 2024, and certificates issued on or after December 1, 2024:

CFI certificates issued before December 1, 2024, will have expiration dates printed on the certificate that remain in effect until the end of the expiration calendar month. CFIs will then receive a certificate without an expiration date printed on it and must comply with the recent experience end date requirements every 24 calendar months.
CFI certificates issued on or after December 1, 2024, will not have an expiration date printed on the certificate. Instead, CFIs must comply with the recent experience end date requirements every 24 calendar months.
In addition, effective December 1, 2024, all CFIs will benefit from a 3-calendar month reinstatement period. This 3-calendar month reinstatement period will be granted once the recent experience end date (or expiration month) has passed and the CFI did not comply with the 24-month recent experience end date (or 24-month renewal) requirements. During this reinstatement period, the CFI will not hold instructional privileges but will have the opportunity to reinstate instructional privileges via a flight instructor refresher course. If the 3-calendar month period passes without completing a flight instructor refresher course, the CFI will need to take a practical test to have their instructional privileges reinstated.
NOTE: If your certificate expires August 31, 2024, or sooner you MUST comply with your expiration date. Do NOT wait to renew until 12/1/2024 or you will have to take a practical test.

Dec 2024 CFI Ruling Calendar Sample

All CFIs will still be required to complete and submit an 8710 application in IACRA to track their recent experience every 24 calendar months. This form must be processed by an FAA certifying officer. If a CFI forgets their recent experience end date, they can easily verify it by checking the FAA Airmen Registry, where their information is publicly available. Additionally, CFIs have the option to contact the FAA Airmen Certification Branch for assistance.

It’s also important to note that this final rule will not impact the high standards of instructional safety that certificated flight instructors are expected to uphold when training pilots.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Per a January 1st 2025 FAA Clarification letter, CFIs with September, October, or November 2024 do receive the addition 3-month reinstatement period and can use this period to reinstate their CFI privileges through the completion of a FIRC. This is based on a three-calendar look back from the ruling published date allowing the reinstatement period as follows for CFIs that have expiration dates before Dec. 01, 2024.

October 2024 expirations have until January 31, 2025, to regain their instructional privileges
November 2024 expirations have until February 28, 2025, to regain their instructional privileges
December 2024 expirations have until March 31, 2025, to regain their instructional privileges

FAQs

The new rule eliminating expiration dates on flight instructor certificates may lead to potential confusion that the AOPA Air Safety Institute aims to clarify through the following FAQs.

To maintain instructional privileges, will I still be required to renew every 24 calendar months?

Yes, CFIs will still be required to maintain their instructional proficiency through their recent experience end date every 24 calendar months to maintain their instructional privileges as per 14 CFR §61.197.

Does the final rule change any of the existing methods of renewal or what is going to be called recent experience?

No, the final rule does not change the existing methods of renewal or the requirements for recent experience. CFIs will still need to meet the same criteria for maintaining their instructional proficiency every 24 calendar months.

However, a new means of renewal adds the WINGS program. To suffice 14 CFR §61.197, a flight instructor must complete a level of WINGS himself/herself in addition to conducting at least 15 flight activities, during which that flight instructor evaluated at least 5 different pilots with appropriate logbook endorsements.

The CFI must also submit in IACRA an 8710 and have it signed by an accredited member.

What is the difference between ‘expiration date’ and ‘recent experience end date’?

The term "expiration date" refers to the calendar month printed on a CFI certificate. Effective December 1, 2024, the FAA eliminates the expiration date printed on CFI certificates, introducing the recent experience end date (REED) instead.

The "recent experience end date" indicates when recent experience requirements must be met to maintain instructional privileges and is identical to the previous “expiration month” requirements. Your recent experience end date’s calendar month will remain the same as your previous expiration month when you renew within your recency window or reinstatement period. Renewing before your recency window will assign you that month as your new recent experience end date’s calendar month. Your recent experience end date can be found on the FAA Airmen Registry.

Effective December 1, 2024, all CFIs will be granted a 3-calendar month reinstatement period following their recent experience end date (or expiration month) if they did not comply with the recent experience end date (or renewal) requirements. During this time, they will not hold instructional privileges. This period allows CFIs the opportunity to regain recent experience and reinstate their instructional privileges.

FAA Recency Window and Reinstatement Period for CFI Renewals

If I renewed my instructor certificate BEFORE December 1, 2024, and have an expiration date, do I still need to comply with the date printed on my certificate?

Yes, if you renewed your instructor certificate before December 1, 2024, you must continue to comply with the expiration date printed on your certificate until the end of the calendar month listed. If you do not renew your certificate before the expiration date, you will be given a 3-calendar month reinstatement window. YOU WILL NOT HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIVILEGES DURING THIS TIME. However, you may reinstate your privileges via a flight instructor refresher course. You will then receive a certificate without an expiration date printed on it and must comply with the recent experience end date requirements every 24 calendar months. Your recent experience end date can be found on the FAA Airman Registry.

What happens to my expiration date if I renew AFTER December 1, 2024?

If you renew your flight instructor certificate after December 1, 2024, you will receive a certificate without an expiration date. You then will be subject to a recent experience end date that you must comply with every 24 calendar months to maintain your instructional privileges. Your recent experience end date can be found on the FAA Airmen Registry.

What happens if my certificate expires December 30, 2024, and I renew during December 2024?

If you renew your flight instructor certificate that expires December 30, 2024, during December 2024, you will receive a certificate without an expiration date. You will then be subject to a recent experience end date that you must comply with every 24 calendar months to maintain your instructional privileges. Your recent experience end date can be found on the FAA Airmen Registry.

FAA Ruling Renewal Window Dec 2024

What happens if my certificate expired in Oct 2024?

If your certificate expired October 31, 2024, you have been given the 3-month reinstatement period. Do NOT wait you will need to complete a flight instructor refresher course (FIRC) to prove recency before 01/31/2025 to reinstate your privileges or you will have to take a practical test.

REMEMBER YOU DO NOT HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIVILEGES until the FIRC is complete and your recency application has been approved by the FIRC provider.

What happens if I mistakenly do not renew before the expiration date printed on my certificate?

If you do not renew your certificate before the expiration date, you will be given a 3-calendar month reinstatement window. YOU WILL NOT HAVE INSTRUCTIONAL PRIVILEGES DURING THIS TIME. However, you may reinstate your privileges via a flight instructor refresher course.

If I complete my FIRC in the 3-calendar month reinstatement window will I receive a new recent experience end date?

No, if a CFI reinstates their instructional privileges via a FIRC in the 3-calendar month reinstatement window they will keep their original recent experience end date. The only time a CFI will be issued a NEW recent experience end date is if they complete their 61.199 requirements more than 4-calendar months prior to their recent experience end date.

Is there a grace period of reinstatement for those with an expiration date printed on their CFI certificate?

Yes, effective December 1, 2024, all CFIs will benefit from a 3-calendar month grace period that hold an expiration date of September 2024 or after (that is a three-month look back from the new ruling effective date). When in your reinstatement period, INSTRUCTIONAL PRIVILEGES ARE REVOKED. CFIs can reinstate their privileges via a flight instructor refresher course. If a CFI fails to reinstate in the 3-calendar month window given, they will need to complete a practical test to gain privileges again.

Is there a grace period of reinstatement for those who will have a CFI certificate without an expiration date after 12/1/2024?

Yes, effective December 1, 2024, all CFIs will benefit from a 3-calendar month grace period. During this period, INSTRUCTIONAL PRIVILEGES ARE REVOKED. CFIs can reinstate their privileges via a flight instructor refresher course. If a CFI fails to reinstate in the 3-calendar month window given, they will need to complete a practical test to gain privileges again.

Will I be able to instruct during my reinstatement period while I’m taking a flight instructor refresher course to reinstate privileges?

No, you may not instruct during your reinstatement period until you have successfully completed a flight instructor refresher course and your 8710 application in IACRA has been certified by an officer of the FAA.

How can I use the WINGS program to prove my recent experience?

Under the ruling, a new means of renewal is using the WINGS program. To satisfy 14 CFR §61.197, flight instructor must have completed a level of WINGS himself/herself in addition to conducting at least 15 flight activities, during which the flight instructor evaluated at least 5 different pilots with appropriate logbook endorsements.

The CFI must also submit in IACRA an 8710 and have it signed by an accredited member.

Will I still be required to submit an IACRA application after completing my renewal/recent experience requirement?

Yes, you must fill out an IACRA 8710 and have it processed through a certifying officer of the FAA. This ensures recent experience is being documented and tracked.

If my instructor privileges have expired before December 1, 2024, will they be reinstated after the final rule on December 1, 2024?

No. If your privileges as a certificated flight instructor have expired before September 1, 2024 (the three-calendar look back date based on the December 1, 2024 ruling), past the calendar month printed on your CFI certificate, you will need to take a practical test for reinstatement of privileges.

September 2024 expires have until December 31, 2024 to prove recency
October 2024 expires have until January 31, 2025 to prove recency
November 2024 expires have until February 28, 2025 to prove recency

As a CFI, how do I properly endorse/sign my client's logbook after the effective date of the ruling, given that there is no longer an expiration date for CFI certificates?

A CFI should continue to endorse their clients' logbooks in the same detailed, well-written manner as before. Instead of using the "expiration date," the CFI will now sign with the "Recent Experience date."

EXAMPLE: Skyler T. Westward, CFI 1234567 RE 12/26

For further guidance, refer to Section 30, Flight Instructor Recent Experience, in Advisory Circular 61-65J, which provides useful examples.

Does this published rule impact the safety of pilots and the way they are trained?

No. This rule has no impact on instructional safety or the highest quality of instruction that CFIs are required to give pilots in flight training.