U.S. D epartment of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: Nationally Scheduled, FAA-Approved, Industry-Conducted Flight Instructor Refresher Course Date: 10/30/24 AC No: 61-83K Initiated by: AFS-800 Change:
1 PURPOSE OF THIS ADVISORY CIRCULAR (AC). This AC provides guidance and recommendations for the preparation and approval of training course outlines (TCO) for Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-approved, industry-conducted flight instructor refresher courses (FIRC) in accordance with Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61, § 61.197(b)(2)(iii). In so doing, this AC clarifies TCO development standards, training standards, and testing standards, and provides recommendations to assist applicants to meet and adhere to these standards.
1.1 Advisory Material. The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of la w and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.
1.2 Program Intent. The intent of the FIRC program is to keep flight instructors informed of the changing world of General Aviation (GA) flight training and to enhance aviation safety through continued up-to-date refresher training of the flight instructor cadre.
Attending a FIRC is one of several methods by which a flight instructor may establish recent experience in accordance with § 61.197.
2 AUDIENCE. The primary audience for this AC is applicants seeking authorization to become a FIRC provider and FIRC providers holding a current FAA authorization. The secondary audience includes flight instructors, flight schools, and stakeholders supporting flight instructor recurrent training.
Note: Effective August 4, 1997, the holder of a pilot school certificate issued under 14 CFR part 141 may also obtain approval to provide a FIRC program under the authority of part 141 appendix K, paragraph 11. Holders of a part 141 provisional pilot school or pilot school certificate that desire to offer a FIRC program under their Air Agency Certificate should also refer to this AC as guidance in developing a TCO for FAA approval (see paragraph 9.2).
3 WHERE YOU CAN FIND THIS AC. You can find this AC on the FAA’s website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars and the Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS) at https://drs.faa.gov.
2 4 WHAT THIS AC CANCELS. AC 61-83J, Nationally Scheduled, FAA-Approved, Industry-Conducted Flight Instructor Refresher Course, dated September 13, 2018, is canceled.
5 DEFINITIONS.
5.1 Airman Certification Representative (ACR). An ACR is an individual representing a specific FIRC provider who is authorized under Title 49 of the United States Code (49 U.S.C.) § 44702(d) to accept airmen applications from successful graduates of that provider’s FIRC to validate flight instructor recent experience and to issue temporary flight instructor certificates, if required. An ACR may also accept applications to reinstate flight instructor privileges if 3 calendar months or less have passed since the last month of the flight instructor's recent experience period, in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a), as applicable.
5.2 Attendee/Instructor/Instructor Attendee/Ground Instructor. This AC uses all four terms throughout, and each term is defined in one of two ways:
1. The terms “instructor attendee(s)” and “instructor(s)” are individuals attending the FIRC to establish their flight instructor recent experience in accordance with § 61.197(b)(2)(iii), or reinstate flight instructor privileges in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a), as applicable, if 3 calendar months or less have passed since the last month of the flight instructor's recent experience period. Additionally, a ground instructor or a part 141 chief instructor or assistant chief instructor are individuals attending the FIRC to meet some other regulatory requirement, such as meeting recent experience requirements.
2. T he term “attendee(s)” includes instructor attendees, but it may also include any other individual who is attending the FIRC to enrich personal knowledge and who will not use the FIRC to meet any regulatory or policy requirement or will not interact with the FAA as a result of attendance.
5.3 Course (or Course of Training). A course (or course of training) is a program of study of a range of closely related topics leading to a single outcome. In this case, the outcome is a graduation certificate that may serve as the basis for establishing recent flight instructor experience or reinstatement of flight instructor privileges if 3 calendar months or less have passed since the last month of the flight instructor's recent experience period.
5.4 Credential(s). In the context of this AC, credential(s) refers to the actual flight instructor certificate issued by the FAA to a qualified flight or ground instructor.
5.5 Curriculum. A curriculum is an organized sequence of topics or subject matter presented within a course of training.
5.6 Internet Curriculum/Web-Based Curriculum. These two terms are used interchangeably and define a curriculum in which the study, completion, and testing for all applicable course materials in a training syllabus are satisfactorily accomplished through the internet.
5.7 Lesson. A lesson is an individual period of instruction that imparts subject matter to the attendee(s). A single lesson generally covers a single topic.
5.8 Lesson Plan. A lesson plan is the instructor’s plan for teaching a given unit of learning.
A series of lesson plans are components of the training syllabus.
5.9 Module. A module generally means a unit of training that includes a single topic. The term may also be used to mean a unit of training time (e.g., 1 hour) that may or may not cover more than one topic. While the term will generally be limited in this AC to indicate a single topic, the alternative usage will be acceptable in the provider’s documentation if clearly defined as such.
5.10 Presenter. A presenter is the individual who is actually presenting FIRC training material. The principal presenter can be the FIRC provider or an employee of the approved FIRC provider responsible for presenting the FIRC material. Exceptions may be made for expert guest presenters from government or industry who are invited by the FIRC provider to present individual modules.
5.11 Provider. A provider is a holder of an FAA authorization to conduct FIRC programs through meeting the requirements of § 61.197(b)(2)(iii). The terms FIRC, FIRC provider, operator, organization, and provider are used interchangeably in this AC.
5.12 Sponsor. A sponsor is a business or association that recruits and promotes an authorized FIRC provider to conduct its program to the sponsor’s members for the purpose of providing continuing training to its member flight instructors and establishing their recent flight instructor experience through meeting the requirements of § 61.197(b)(2)(iii).
5.13 Stage. A stage is a portion of the course consisting of a group of lessons, similar subject matter, or a particular day of instruction (e.g., day 1, 2, or 3, versus stage 1, 2, or 3). A FIRC provider may or may not employ stages at their discretion.
5.14 Student. A student is an individual who will receive training to develop aeronautical knowledge and/or receive flight instruction from a flight instructor outside the venue of a FIRC. This AC does not use this term to refer to a flight instructor attendee.
5.15 Training Course Outline (TCO). A TCO is an overview document that details the content, methodology, and structure of a course of training.
5.16 Training Syllabus. A training syllabus is the structured listing and summary of all individual lesson plans representing the sequence and timing of the material taught. A training syllabus represents a kind of table of contents of the lesson plans and may be as short as a single page. Wherever possible, the syllabus will be structured as a step-by-step (building block) progression of learning with provisions for review, evaluation, and testing at prescribed stages of learning, such as identifying the time and location in the lesson sequence of each of the tests.
4 6 BACKGROUND.
6.1 Flight Instructor Refresher Program.
6.1.1 The FAA’s Flight Instructor Refresher Program was initiated in 1965 to provide standardization in updating flight instructors. FAA Aeronautical Center (FAAAC) instructors provided instruction until their participation terminated on October 1, 1977.
Since that date, the FAA transferred the authority and responsibility for the conduct of the FIRC program to provide an authorized basis for renewal of a flight instructor certificate to certain qualified industry organizations. The FAA made this transfer in an agreement between industry and the FAA. These industry-conducted courses of training provide one acceptable means whereby the holders of valid and current flight instructor certificates may renew their flight instructor certificates.
6.1.2 On December 1, 2024, the FAA issued a final rule removing the expiration date from flight instructor certificates. After this date, flight instructor certificates are issued without an expiration date and flight instructors must meet recent experience requirements in accordance with § 61.197. Successful completion of an approved FIRC remains an acceptable means of establishing recent experience under this rule.
Additionally, the final rule expanded the role of the FIRC, allowing reinstatement of flight instructor privileges by having the flight instructor successfully complete an approved FIRC if 3 calendar months or less have passed since the last month of the flight instructor's recent experience period in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a) for flight instructors with a sport pilot rating.
6.2 Program Attendance.
6.2.1 Attendance at these training programs provides qualified instructors an opportunity to meet or maintain their qualifications as chief instructors or assistant chief instructors for pilot schools certificated under part 141.
6.2.2 Attendance at these training programs provides non-instructor pilots and other interested parties an opportunity to further their aeronautical knowledge.
6.2.3 Successful attendance at one of these training programs qualifies for the ground portion of any level of the Pilot Proficiency Program (WINGS) for both flight instructors and non-instructor pilots.
7 THE ROLE OF THE FIRC PROVIDER.
7.1 Role. The FIRC provider plays an extremely important role in maintaining the highest levels of safety, professionalism, and in-depth expert aviation knowledge to help ensure a continued enhancement of aviation safety.
7.2 Communication. The FIRC program reduces GA accidents by communicating pertinent and up-to-date information to flight instructors through recurrent training.
7.2.1 Responsibility. T he FIRC program ensures expert flight instructor knowledge through consistent communication. FIRC providers:
1. Communicate current information that is essential to ensuring extensive and in-depth f light instructor knowledge.
2. Provide training of pertinent developments and new information that occurred since the attendee last established recent experience.
3. Have the responsibility to meet the recurrent training needs of their attendees.
Note: Flight instructors are professionals that should maintain the highest level of aeronautical knowledge to do their job effectively. They carry out their responsibilities (see paragraph 7.4) on the front lines, where they directly influence the level of safety that exists throughout the GA community. Flight instructors mentor pilot safety practices as they reduce aviation accidents by providing pilot training, pilot evaluations, and by engaging in myriad other pilot-related activities that influence the GA safety culture. Therefore, the communication of current information to flight instructors is essential in ensuring expert flight instructor knowledge.
7.2.2 Qualification. The FAA has determined that certain organizations or individuals are qualified to act on behalf of the FAA in providing a basis upon which a flight instructor may establish recent experience in accordance with § 61.197(b)(2)(iii) or reinstate flight instructor privileges in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a). All approved FIRC providers together constitute a larger whole that, along with and interacting with the FAA, share the common purpose of ensuring that flight instructors receive the most up-to-date information through recurrent training. This is an important factor in maintaining the highest levels of safety, professionalism, and expert knowledge to help ensure a continued enhancement of aviation safety at all levels. Individual FIRC providers should recognize that they are part of this larger whole and attempt to communicate and share ideas and current information with other providers and with the FAA on a regular basis.
7.3 Skill Building. T he spirit of a FIRC should parallel that of the professional conference. A live, in-person FIRC is a professional conference in every sense. Virtually all practicing professionals regularly attend conferences and receive recurrent training to improve their skill and ability to carry out their jobs more safely and efficiently. As professionals, flight instructors demonstrated certain basic skills and knowledge when they received their flight instructor credentials; thus, the FAA does not intend for a FIRC to rehash those basics. The FAA expects a FIRC to expose its attendees to the latest in flight training techniques, the newest technologies, and, most importantly, the latest operational safety procedures. Emphasis in the FIRC should always be on the blend of aviation safety and effective instruction; that is, it should be on developing and improving the instructor skills necessary to efficiently convey information to pilots in training and to build within them a foundational culture of safety.
7.4 Flight Instructor Responsibility. The only contact that many pilots may have with an aviation authority is through their flight instructor. Flight instructors are professionals who play a vital role in enhancing aviation safety. A flight instructor’s responsibilities include effectively conveying critical information to pilots, effectively evaluating pilots’ proficiency, and effectively developing pilots’ skills to higher proficiency levels.
Consequently, flight instructors play a leading role in reducing the GA accident rate. The FAA accorded serious responsibilities to flight instructors when the FAA issued their instructor credentials. Incumbent upon these responsibilities is the requirement that they stay knowledgeable and up to date on those issues critical to aviation safety. The FIRC plays an important role in this regard.
7.5 Teaching Methodology. Any single FIRC program should, as much as is practical, present a course of interrelated lessons that enhances the active flight instructor’s ability to provide better training to GA pilots, rather than delivering a set of disconnected subjects offered one after another with no obvious connection or purpose. The provider should think of each topic as a chapter out of a larger book, with that “book” being the entire 16-hour program. The FIRC provider should present the topics in appropriate context. Always address the “why” of anything presented. Emphasize the concept of scenarios. The FIRC provider should develop an innovative overall course that compels and inspires its attendees.
7.5.1 An example of innovative thinking might be illustrated by developing a scenario with a fictitious pilot for the attendees to follow as the fictitious pilot moves through each (or some) of the course topics and experiences, learns, and reacts to each topic.
Note: For example, the FIRC provider could develop a scenario about Bob, the flight instructor who, while instructing a student on how to use advanced avionics, inadvertently flies into Special Use Airspace (SUA) because of excessive headsdown time in the cockpit while operating the avionics. After a military helicopter intercepted Bob’s airplane and persons from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) interviewed him, the TSA interviewers discovered that Bob was not in full compliance with TSA rules regarding how he was keeping records of his students. After this ordeal, he then uses the experience to effectively teach his students how to recognize and avoid SUA. Bob also discusses how keeping safety at the forefront of their minds is a broad-based cultural issue, and not one just related to the performance of a preflight or checking the weather.
7.5.2 In this example, a program provider would have touched on at least four of the core topics and would have given meaning and a sense of urgency (as well as personal immediacy) to those topics. It is likely that the subject matter would have retained the attendees’ interest throughout the presentation(s). This is only one example where the FIRC provider can use creativity and ingenuity to build context and make the subject matter meaningful, all while retaining the attendees’ interest. FIRC providers are in no way required to employ the particular approach given in this example. There are many other approaches.
7.5.3 The FAA considers a FIRC provider as a professional educator with particular skill at training the trainers; therefore, the FAA wishes to give the FIRC professional as much latitude as is practical in their development of their programs. The important thing is to teach the flight instructors practical, meaningful information that they can take to their students the next day that will contribute to an overall fostering of a culture of safety.
This places many demands and very high expectations on the FIRC. The FAA expects FIRC providers to excel at this skill.
7.6 Returning to Flight Instruction Training Module. The FAA understands that many flight instructors who are reestablishing recent experience are not currently instructing and, in some cases, may not have done so for many years. Time constraints within which the FIRC operates restrict the FIRC provider from providing all of the information necessary to bring an inactive flight instructor up to speed; the FIRC provider should not attempt to do so within the context of the FIRC. Nevertheless, the nonpracticing flight instructor in attendance is still an authority figure in aviation, and the FIRC provider should strongly remind all inactive instructors of the responsibilities that come with their FAA-issued authority to provide aviation training and endorsements, even if they are not actively doing so. Building and sustaining a safety mindset in non-active instructors will translate into a safety ethic that they will carry with them even in casual communications with others, even if they never return to formal instructing. With that said, the FIRC provider may (and is encouraged to) consider developing and offering an elective module covering the topic of returning to flight instructing if they choose. Such a module may be of particular interest to those nonpracticing instructors in attendance and may offer the opportunity to them to learn the procedures and processes of safely returning to the profession after some period of absence. However, this topic should be limited to a single module and may not exceed 1 hour of the total 16 required hours. The principal purpose of the FIRC program is to provide new and useful information to the practicing instructor. With the exception of this single module, the FIRC provider should always direct their presentations toward that target audience.
7.7 High Level of Training. Learning new information and developing an internal culture of safety is every bit as valuable and important to the non-instructor airman as it is to the flight instructor. There is little that the FIRC provider teaches the active flight instructor at a FIRC that is not of value to the non-instructor. Therefore, FIRC providers should actively encourage and recruit pilots and instructors of all certificate types and levels to attend, including student pilots and ground instructors. However, the FIRC providers’ target audience is the active instructor attending to establish recent experience, and the level of instruction should, at all times, remain at that high level. Experience has shown that non-instructor pilots who voluntarily attend FIRCs appreciate being exposed to higher levels of training and are fully capable of benefiting from the advanced material presented.
7.8 FIRC Provider as an FAA Representative. An approved FIRC provider is granted the authority to provide a basis for establishing flight instructor recent experience in accordance with § 61.197(b)(2)(iii) or reinstating flight instructor privileges in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a), as applicable. In some cases, the FIRC provider is further authorized to employ a designated ACR and validate the recent
8 experience or reinstatement of privileges on behalf of the FAA. In these respects, the FIRC provider acts as a representative of the FAA and should, at all times, act accordingly. FIRC providers should always be supportive of the FAA and constructive in its evaluation and presentation of FAA regulations and policies. FIRC providers may not present, nor allow the presenting, of any materials during the FIRC that are prejudicial or contrary to the FAA’s Federal regulations or prescribed procedures. A FIRC program is not a forum for disagreement with FAA regulations, policies, or procedures; rather, it should engender appropriate respect for the role of the FAA and its efforts to enhance the safety of flight and should demonstrate a proper compliance disposition toward Federal regulations. Comments or discussions that are derogatory to the FAA, its policies, or regulations will be grounds for immediate withdrawal by the General Aviation and Commercial Division of the provider’s authorization to conduct any further FIRC programs.
7.9 FAA Involvement. Although the FAA’s responsibility for the presentation of FIRCs was transferred to industry in 1977, the overall program remains an FAA initiative. Since the industry FIRC provider is authorized to carry out the FAA’s FIRC initiative in the FAA’s name, authorized FIRC providers may use the FAA logo in any of their documents, publications, or advertising that relate specifically to the presentation of authorized FIRC programs. In this case, the FIRC provider should clearly state somewhere in their public documentation that the FIRC provider is not the FAA, but that it is, instead, authorized to operate the program on the FAA’s behalf. Providers should remove all FAA logos and FAA representations from all their publications immediately upon expiration or other loss of FAA authorization to conduct FIRCs, regardless of the reason.
7.10 Course Conduct. The FIRC provider is expected to conduct their programs and presentations in accordance with their approved TCO.
8 THE ROLE OF A FIRC SPONSOR.
8.1 Role. Expanding upon the definition found in paragraph 5.12, a pilot association or other aviation group that recruits an authorized FIRC provider to conduct a course to its members is considered a sponsor. A flight school, for example, may choose to enter into an agreement with a provider to conduct a FIRC for its flight instructors. In this case, the flight school assumes the role of sponsor by arranging the event for the benefit of its instructors. The sponsor may make arrangements with an authorized provider to conduct a FIRC for continuing training that satisfies the eligibility requirements of § 61.197(b)(2)(iii), and in turn allows the sponsor’s flight instructors to establish recent experience or reinstate flight instructor privileges if 3 calendar months or less have passed since the last month of the flight instructor's recent experience period.
8.2 B randing. A sponsor’s logo may appear in the promotion of a sponsored FIRC. For example, a sponsor’s logo may appear on the FIRC provider’s graduation certificate;
however, the FAA requires a provider’s graduation certificate to explicitly state that the FIRC provider is the authorized organization conducting the FIRC, not the sponsor. The sponsor may only present itself as the promoting association or group that arranged for the provider to conduct the FIRC for its members.
8.3 Sponsorship Approval. FIRC providers are required to request and receive prior approval from the FAA to conduct a FIRC on behalf of a sponsor’s members. See paragraph 9.1 for FIRC contact information.
9 GENERAL PROCEDURES REGARDING FIRCs.
9.1 Contact Information. Individuals or organizations who desire to conduct FIRC programs should contact the General Aviation and Commercial Division with their preliminary inquiry. FIRC provider candidates may also include a copy of the TCO they plan to use if they have already developed one. A provisional pilot school or pilot school (under part 141) wishing to add a FIRC under part 141 appendix K should contact the appropriate Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). The prospective FIRC provider should submit any correspondence at least 120 days before any planned training under the course approval. This is to allow adequate time for the FAA’s review and approval. A FIRC provider may not schedule a FIRC program before receipt of the approval letter from the General Aviation and Commercial Division, unless the provider receives prior approval from the General Aviation and Commercial Division to do so. The FAA requires individuals or organizations authorized to conduct FIRCs approved in accordance with this AC to maintain a current mailing address, email address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and a reliable point of contact (POC) with the General Aviation and Commercial Division. FIRC provider applicants may submit inquiries or documentation to the General Aviation and Commercial Division via any of the following methods:
• The FAA FIRC email address at 9-AWA-AVS-AFS-FIRC@faa.gov (this is the preferred method).
• The General Aviation and Commercial Division phone number at 202-267-1100.
• Direct emails to the FIRC program manager (requires prior communication).
9.2 FIRC (Part 141 Appendix K). Under part 141 appendix K, paragraph 11, a provisional pilot school or pilot school may develop a FIRC special preparation course. Applicants wishing to add a FIRC under appendix K should refer to this AC to develop their FIRC TCOs. This AC provides guidance for the preparation and FAA approval of a TCO for an industry-conducted FIRC that meets § 61.197(b)(2)(iii). Graduates from an appendix K FIRC special preparation course who complete and pass the stage and end-of-course tests will count towards the renewal requirements under part 141, § 141.5.
9.3 Public Versus FAA Access to Provider TCOs. Providers will provide any attendee at an approved FIRC an opportunity to review a copy of the FAA-approved TCO at the provider’s presentation site if the attendee specifically requests it. The FAA understands that a TCO may be a proprietary document. An attendee, upon request, may review a copy in the presence of the provider or a representative of the provider. However, neither the provider nor its representative is required to allow an attendee to retain a copy or to allow an attendee to copy the TCO (although this is permitted at the election of the operator). In any event, the provider may not provide the attendees copies of any versions of the tests or test pools that the provider uses in its FIRC. Upon request of any FAA
10 representative, the FIRC provider will provide a copy of the TCO to follow during the presentations. The TCO is required to include all of the test questions and the answers that the FIRC provider uses in any of its lessons, stages, or course completion evaluations. FAA personnel may retain the documents upon request only for the time it takes to make copies, if desired, after which the FAA will return the original copy to the provider. FAA personnel other than the General Aviation and Commercial Division should return any documents to the provider within 1 week unless the appropriate FSDO and the FIRC provider make another arrangement. The FAA will not make any documents provided by the FIRC provider available to any person or organization outside the FAA without express written permission from the document developer or owner.
9.4 FAA Participation. Active FAA participation, either by forum or by presentation, is permitted and encouraged, but may not exceed 2 hours of any 16-hour program presentation and is authorized only by prior agreement between the FAA representative(s) and the FIRC provider. The FIRC provider may request the appropriate FSDO to participate, or the FSDO may initiate a request. The amount of FIRC schedule time that the FAA participant will be permitted is generally at the discretion of the provider, but it may not exceed 2 hours. The decision to allow FAA participation is solely the prerogative of the provider unless required by a Flight Standards (FS) office supported by the General Aviation and Commercial Division. In some rare cases, typically as a result of a safety initiative, it may be necessary to mandate FAA participation. In such cases, the General Aviation and Commercial Division will coordinate between the appropriate Flight Standards office and the provider(s) to find the best solution to ensure that disruption to the provider’s schedule is kept to a minimum.
Note: The provider may not restrict or forbid the FAA from observing any FIRC program at any time for any reason in a nonparticipatory capacity. FIRC surveillance is solely at the discretion of the FAA.
9.5 Cross-Provider Presentation. Except as noted below, no provider may teach a part of their own FAA-approved TCO in conjunction with a part of another provider’s approved TCO. Inclusion of any topic not specifically approved in the provider’s TCO, regardless of its source, is prohibited without prior approval.
Note: In some rare cases, two approved providers may wish to combine their programs for a special event. In such cases, all parties are required to coordinate with the General Aviation and Commercial Division to request specific, limited approval.
9.6 Instructor Affiliation. The principal instructor giving presentations at an FAA-approved FIRC will be an employee or affiliate of the approved FIRC provider or be contracted by the approved FIRC provider. In some rare cases, a provider may wish to allow a specialist or expert at a particular field, who is not affiliated with the FIRC provider, to teach some individual module or modules. In such cases, all parties will contact the General Aviation and Commercial Division to request and receive specific limited approval.
9.7 Reference Source Requirement. FIRC training standards require providers to make available to their attendees current and applicable parts of 14 CFR (i.e., those parts that are pertinent to pilots and flight instructors). In addition, the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) should also be available during each course. These references can provide answers to questions raised during the course which otherwise may be left unresolved.
While electronic versions of these documents are suitable for use by all providers, the FAA encourages live classroom providers to consider printed versions (e.g., paperback) for ease of passing around the classroom.
9.8 T raining Aids Authorized for Use.
9.8.1 U se of Training Aids. FIRC providers are encouraged to use a variety of visual, aural, and static training aids to enhance communication and understanding between instructors and participants. Good instructional aids assist instructors in achieving desired goals in the teaching/learning processes by supporting or supplementing lesson material when used logically and intermittently.
9.8.2 Operational Competency. P resenters at the FIRC should be fully versed in the operation of all equipment used during the presentations. Spare parts, such as replacement bulbs for projectors, should always be available where appropriate, and presenters should know how to replace those parts quickly, if necessary. The presenter should test any training aids prior to their use to ensure that faulty equipment or a lack of understanding of the operation of that equipment does not disrupt the class.
9.8.3 Clarity and Visibility of Training Aids. V isual aids used during the FIRC should be clear and visible to the entire class. Lettering, illustrations, and diagrams should be large enough to be easily seen by attendees farthest from the aids. The provider should use colors that are clearly contrasted and easily visible. The provider should use eye-pleasing colors and should avoid harsh contrasts. The most common error in constructing visual presentations is to attempt to include too much information on each visual, making it difficult to read and comprehend while listening to the instructor or moderator. The best results are attained by using visuals that are simple and contain a single thought or message. For example, the reproduction of an entire sectional chart projected on a screen to emphasize the airport information block would contain too much clutter to be effective. A follow-up visual that highlights the airport data block only would be much more effective in presenting the message to the course attendees and should be visible from any place in the room.
9.8.4 Innovative Techniques. In recent years, an abundance of excellent new materials and instructional techniques in the field of training aids has been developed. These aids present many advantages for the FIRC programs; however, each chief instructor should keep the teaching goals in mind when adopting them. For example, presentations to flight instructor attendees should focus on how the flight instructor can do their job well as an instructor. For an instructor to be most effective, the instructor should thoroughly know the subject matter that instructor is teaching. The provider should design the presentations around techniques that will help the attendees be more effective as instructors rather than solely as a review of the required subject matter. If they are not actually giving the
12 instruction during a particular module of learning, the presenter should continuously monitor the instruction given and the participants’ progress to ensure that the instructor is delivering a quality product and that the instructor meets the goals and objectives of the training syllabus.
9.8.5 U se of Video Presentations . FIRC providers are encouraged to use video and/or aural presentations as an aid to maintaining attendee interest and as a tool to better convey important information to the attendees. Except for internet-based FIRCs, the FAA requires providers to limit video and aural presentation use to not more than 50 percent of the entire course hours. An instructor (well-versed in the subject matter and material) who provides introduction and closure will moderate each video and aural presentation.
The information provided via the internet will constitute significantly more video and aural content, since the alternative is largely limited to simple onscreen text. However, the information provided by video and/or aural presentations in internet curricula should always be germane to the topic(s) presented.
9.9 I nability of an Attendee to Complete the FIRC. A FIRC attendee completing the course to establish flight instructor recent experience or reinstate flight instructor privileges in accordance with § 61.199(a)(1) or § 61.427(a) who, because of extenuating circumstances, fails to satisfactorily complete all of the approved FIRC program may, at the discretion of the provider, attend a later-scheduled FIRC program presented by that same provider or may receive personal training from that same provider on those topics that the attendee did not complete. Upon full and satisfactory cumulative completion of that provider’s FIRC, the provider may then issue a graduation certificate to the instructor attendee that reflects the date of the final completion of all required instruction. This procedure is not intended to permit an instructor attendee’s intentional absence from any part of a FIRC provider’s program for other than unforeseen (emergency) circumstances.
The rationale for this is that each live, in-person FIRC program presentation has a certain “flow” that could be disrupted when an attendee takes one or more portions out of the designed and approved sequence. Those providers who are approved for course presentations over an extended period of time have somewhat more latitude in that they can conduct an individual makeup session within the span of time before the next scheduled module.
9.10 Product Manufacturer Representatives. A provider may utilize a product representative from the industry to present a module, or a portion of a module, in a FIRC program as a guest speaker, if invited by the provider. However, that representative may not use the FIRC as a venue to promote a particular product. The representative may discuss their product, but such discussion should be in the context of other, comparable products. If at any time the FAA determines that an industry representative is using a FIRC presentation as an opportunity to sell a product, the FAA may withdraw its authorization for the provider to present any additional FIRCs.
9.11 Instructional Level. The emphasis of a FIRC program is to teach the instructor how to teach students, rather than simply teaching the instructor. The target audience is the active flight instructor, who is expected to possess the basic knowledge that is implicit in their certification. The FAA understands that many FIRC attendees may not be active