U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular Subject: Nationally Scheduled FAA-Approved, Industry Conducted Flight Instructor Refresher Course Date: 09/30/11 Initiated by: AFS-800 AC No: 61-83G Change:
1. PURPOSE. This advisory circular (AC) provides information 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(a)(2)(iii). The FIRC is intended to keep flight instructors informed of the changing world of General Aviation (GA) flight training, and to enhance aviation safety through continued refresher training of the flight instructor cadre. It is one of several methods by which a flight instructor may renew his or her flight instructor certificate. Adherence to this AC provides one acceptable method by which the FAA may approve the FIRC program. 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. The holder of a part 141 pilot school certificate that desires to offer a FIRC program under their Air Agency Certificate should refer to this AC, which may be helpful as guidance in developing the TCO for FAA approval.
2. CANCELLATION. This AC cancels AC 61-83F, Nationally Scheduled FAA-Approved, Industry Conducted Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics, dated November 7, 2007. This revision of this AC (revision G), and any subsequent versions, will use the term “course” in place of the previously used term “clinic” in order to bring this document into alignment with terminology and verbiage used within 14 CFR.
3. DEFINITIONS.
a. Airman Certification Representative (ACR). An individual representing a specific FIRC sponsor who is authorized under Title 49 of the United States Code (49 U.S.C.) § 44702(d) to accept FAA applications for renewal of valid flight instructor certificates from successful graduates of that sponsor’s program and to issue temporary flight instructor certificates.
b. Distance Learning Curriculum. A curriculum in which the study, completion, and testing for all applicable course materials in a training syllabus is satisfactorily accomplished through correspondence. For the purpose of this AC, distance learning does not include Internet or Web-based curriculum.
c. Attendee/Instructor Attendee. Both terms will be used throughout this document and each will have a different definition. “Instructor attendee(s)” are those individuals attending the FIRC who are currently certificated flight instructors (CFI) and who are doing so to renew their flight instructor credentials or to meet some other regulatory requirement that will involve some
Page 2 Par 3 interaction, either directly or through the FIRC provider, with the FAA. The term “attendee(s)” includes instructor attendees but may also include any individual, whether or not they are a CFI, who is attending the FIRC for reasons other than those specifically identified for an instructor attendee and who will not interact with the FAA as a result of attendance.
d. Course (or Course of Training). 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 renewal of a qualified flight instructor’s credentials.
e. Credential(s). In the context of this document, this term refers to the actual flight instructor certificate issued by the FAA to a qualified flight or ground instructor. (See the current edition of FAA Order 8000.38, Aviation Safety Inspector Credentials Program.)
f. Curriculum. An organized sequence of topics or subject matter to be presented within a course of training.
g. 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 is satisfactorily accomplished through the Internet.
h. Lesson. An individual period of instruction that imparts subject matter to the attendee(s).
A single lesson is generally considered to cover a single topic.
i. Lesson Plan. The instructor’s plan for teaching a given unit of learning. A series of lesson plans are components of the training syllabus.
j. Module. A module is generally intended to mean a unit of training that includes a single topic. That is how the term will normally be used in the context of this document. The term may also be used to mean a unit of training time (i.e., 1 hour) that may or may not cover more than one topic. While the term will generally be limited in this document to indicate a single topic, the alternative usage will be acceptable in sponsor documentation if clearly defined as such.
k. Presenter. A presenter is the individual who is actually presenting FIRC course material.
The presenter may or may not be the sponsor. In any case, all presenters must either be the sponsor, or must be an employee or affiliate of the approved sponsor or organization, or be contracted to the approved sponsor or organization. Some exceptions may be made to this where the sponsor is including other government or industry speakers as guest presenters for individual modules.
l. Sponsor. An individual or an organization holding FAA approval under this AC to conduct FIRC programs meeting the requirements of § 61.197(a)(2)(iii). The terms FIRC, FIRC sponsor, FIRC operator, and FIRC provider may be used interchangeably. A sponsor is to be differentiated from a presenter.
m. Stage. 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 sponsor may or may not employ stages at their discretion.
n. Student. An individual who will take aeronautical and/or flight instruction from a CFI outside the venue of a FIRC. This document does not use this term to refer to an attending CFI.
o. Training Course Outline (TCO). An overview document that details the form, methodology, and content of a course of training.
p. 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. BACKGROUND.
a. Flight Instructor Refresher Program. The FAA’s Flight Instructor Refresher Program was initiated in 1965 to provide standardization in updating CFIs. The FAA Aeronautical Center instructors provided instruction until their participation was 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 CFI certificate to certain qualified industry organizations. This transfer was made in a cooperative agreement between industry and the FAA. These industry conducted courses of training now provide one acceptable means whereby the holders of valid and current flight instructor certificates may, at the discretion of the FAA, renew their flight instructor certificates.
b. Program Attendance.
(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.
(2) Attendance at these training programs provides non instructor pilots and other interested parties an opportunity to further their aeronautical knowledge.
(3) Successful attendance at one of these training programs qualifies for the ground portion of any level of the WINGS—Pilot Proficiency Program for both flight instructors and non instructor pilots.
5. THE ROLE OF THE FIRC SPONSOR.
a. Communication. The FIRC serves a vitally important role in the transfer of new information and the building of a culture of safety throughout the aviation community. 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 CFI may renew their instructor credentials in accordance with § 61.197(a)(2)(iii). All approved FIRC sponsors together constitute a larger whole that, along with and interacting with the FAA, share the common purpose of ensuring that the flight instructors are provided the most up to date information through recurrent training. This is an important factor in maintaining the highest levels of safety, professionalism, and expert Par 3 Page 3
Page 4 Par 5 knowledge so as to help ensure a continued enhancement of aviation safety at all levels.
Individual FIRC sponsors should recognize that they are part of this larger whole and make attempts to communicate with and share ideas and current information with other sponsors and with the FAA on a regular basis.
b. Skill Building. The spirit of a FIRC should parallel that of the professional conference for attorneys or doctors. For all practical purposes, a live, in person FIRC is a professional conference in a very real sense since flight instructors are, by definition, professionals. 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 such, professional flight instructors, like professional attorneys or doctors, are assumed to possess certain basic skills. Thus, the FIRC is not intended to rehash those basics, but rather to expose the instructor to the latest in flight training techniques, the newest technology, and, most importantly, operational and 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.
c. CFI Responsibility. For many pilots the only contact they may have with an aviation authority is through their flight instructor. CFIs play a vital role in enhancing aviation safety.
CFIs were accorded serious responsibilities by the FAA when they were issued their instructor credentials. Incumbent on that responsibility 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.
d. Teaching Methodology. Any single FIRC program should, as much as is practical, represent a whole, rather than a set of disconnected subjects offered one after another with no obvious connection. Each topic should be thought of as a chapter out of a larger book, 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. Try to think outside of the box when developing the overall course. An example of innovative thinking might be attendees following a fictitious pilot as he or she moves through each (or some) of the topics of the course and experiences, learns, and reacts to components of each. For example, Bob the CFI who, while instructing a student how to use advanced avionics, inadvertently flies into security related special use airspace because of excessive heads down time in the cockpit operating the avionics. After being intercepted and interviewed by persons from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), it is discovered that he was not fully in compliance with TSA rules regarding how he was keeping records of his students. After surviving his ordeal, he then uses the experience to effectively teach his students how to stay out of trouble and make them see 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.
In this example, a program sponsor 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 sponsor can use creativity and ingenuity to build context and make the subject matter meaningful, all while retaining the attendee’s interest. FIRC sponsors are in no way required to employ the particular approach
given in this example. There are many other approaches. An FIRC sponsor is considered by the FAA to be a professional educator with particular skill at training the trainers and, as such, 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 CFIs 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 on and very high expectations of the FIRC sponsor.
Sponsors are expected to excel at this skill.
e. Returning to Flight Instruction Training Module. The FAA understands that many CFIs who are renewing their instructor credentials are not currently providing aviation instruction and in some cases may not have done so for many years. The time constraints within which the FIRC must operate restricts the FIRC sponsor from providing all of the information necessary to bring an inactive flight instructor up to speed, and the FIRC sponsor should not attempt to do so within the context of the FIRC. Nevertheless, the non practicing CFI in attendance is still an authority figure in aviation and should strongly be reminded 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 CFIs 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 sponsor 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 non practicing instructors in attendance and may offer the opportunity for them to learn the procedures and processes of safely returning to the profession after some period of absence. However, this topic must 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 useful information to the practicing instructor. With the exception of this single module, the FIRC provider must always direct their presentations toward that target audience.
f. 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 for the CFI.
There is little that the FIRC provider teaches to the active CFI at a FIRC that is not of value to the non CFI. Therefore, FIRC sponsors should actively encourage and recruit airmen of all certificate types and levels to attend, including student pilots and ground instructors. However, the FIRC sponsors’ main audience is the renewing CFI 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.
g. FIRC as an FAA Representative. An approved FIRC sponsor is granted the authority to provide a basis for renewal of an FAA issued flight instructor credentials in accordance with § 61.197(a)(2)(iii). In some cases, the FIRC sponsor is further authorized to employ a designated ACR and issue temporary airman certificates on behalf of the FAA. In these respects, the FIRC sponsor acts as a representative of the FAA and should, at all times, act accordingly. FIRC sponsors must always be supportive of the FAA and constructive in its evaluation and presentation of FAA regulations and policies. FIRC sponsors 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. An FIRC program is not a forum for disagreement Par 5 Page 5
Page 6 Par 5 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 (AFS-800) of the sponsor’s authorization to conduct any further FIRC programs.
h. 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 sponsor is authorized to carry out the FAA’s FIRC initiative in the FAA’s name, authorized FIRC sponsors may use the FAA logo in any of their documents, publications, or advertising that relate specifically to the presentation of authorized FIRC programs, provided that the FIRC sponsor clearly states somewhere in their public documentation that the sponsoring organization is not the FAA, but that it is, instead, authorized to operate the program on the FAA’s behalf.
Sponsors must remove all FAA logos and FAA representations from all of its publications immediately upon expiration or other loss of FAA authorization to conduct FIRCs regardless of the reason.
6. GENERAL PROCEDURES REGARDING FIRCS.
a. Contact Information. Sponsors or organizations who desire to conduct FIRC programs approved under this AC should contact AFS-800 with their preliminary inquiry. Sponsor candidates may also include a copy of the TCO they plan to use if they have already developed one. The preferred format is a Microsoft Word document. Correspondence should be submitted by the prospective FIRC provider at least 90 days before any planned training under the course approval. This is to allow adequate time for the FAA’s review and approval. In no case may a sponsor schedule a FIRC program before receipt of the approval letter from AFS-800. Sponsors or organizations authorized to conduct FIRCs approved in accordance with this AC must maintain with AFS-800 a current mailing address, email address, telephone and facsimile numbers, and a reliable point of contact (POC). Sponsor applicants may submit inquiries or documentation to AFS-800 via any of the following methods:
(1) The FAA FIRC email address at 9-AWA-AVS-AFS-FIRC@faa.gov.
(2) AFS-800 fax at 202-385-9597.
(3) Direct emails to the FIRC business program manager (requires prior communication).
(4) U.S. Postal Service or other conventional physical document transfer service to:
Federal Aviation Administration General Aviation and Commercial Division, AFS-800 800 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20591
b. Public versus FAA Access to Sponsor TCOs. Sponsors will provide any attendee at an approved FIRC an opportunity to review a copy of the FAA-approved TCO at the sponsor presentation site if the attendee specifically requests it. The FAA understands that a TCO may be a proprietary document. While an attendee, upon request, may review a copy in the presence of the sponsor or a representative of the sponsor, neither the sponsor nor its representative is required to allow an attendee to retain a copy, or to allow an attendee to copy the TCO. The sponsor may allow this if they wish. In any event, the sponsor may not provide to the attendees any copies of versions of the tests or test pools that the sponsor might use in that FIRC at any time. The sponsor, upon request, will provide to any FAA representative a copy of the TCO to follow during the presentations, including all of the test questions and the answers that the FIRC sponsor uses in any of its lessons, stage, or course completion evaluations. FAA personnel may retain the documents upon request only so long as to make copies, if desired, after which the FAA must return the original copy to the sponsor. FAA personnel other than AFS-800 should return any documents to the sponsor within 1 week unless the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) and the sponsor make another arrangement. The FAA will not make any documents provided by the FIRC sponsor available to any person or organization outside the FAA without express written permission from the document developer or owner.
c. 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 sponsor.
The FIRC sponsor may request the local FSDO to participate, or the FSDO may initiate a request. The decision to allow FAA participation is solely the prerogative of the sponsor unless required by an FAA Regional Office (RO) supported by AFS-800. The amount of FIRC schedule time that the FAA participant will be permitted is at the discretion of the sponsor, but may not, in any event, exceed 2 hours. FAA personnel may not exercise their authority to participate if the sponsor does not wish them to nor, if allowed to participate, may an FAA representative use more time than the sponsor wishes to allocate to them without authorization from AFS-800. In some rare cases, typically as a result of a safety initiative, it may be necessary to mandate FAA participation. In such cases, AFS-800 will coordinate between the FAA field office(s) and the sponsor(s) to find the best solution to ensure that the sponsor’s scheduling is minimally disrupted. The sponsor may not restrict or forbid the FAA from observing any FIRC program at any time for any reason in a non participatory capacity. FIRC surveillance is solely at the discretion of the FAA.
d. Cross Sponsor Presentation. No sponsor may teach a part of his or her own FAA-approved TCO in conjunction with a part of another sponsor’s approved TCO. Inclusion of any topic not specifically approved in the TCO, regardless of its source, is prohibited without prior approval. In some rare cases, two approved sponsors may wish to combine their programs Par 6 Page 7
Page 8 Par 6 for a special event. In such cases, all parties must coordinate with AFS-800 to request specific, limited approval. Such approval is not guaranteed.
e. Instructor Affiliation. The principal instructor giving presentations at an FAA-approved FIRC must be an employee or affiliate of the approved sponsor or organization, or be contracted by the approved sponsor or organization. In some rare cases, a sponsor may wish to allow a specialist or expert at a particular field, who is not affiliated with the FIRC sponsor, to teach some individual module or modules. An example might be where an organization wishes to have 16 different master instructors—not affiliated with the approved sponsor—give each of the 16 hours of training. In such cases, all parties must coordinate with AFS-800 to request specific, limited approval. Such approval is not guaranteed.
f. Training Aids Authorized for Use.
(1) Use of Training Aids. FIRC sponsors are encouraged to use a variety of visual, aural, and static training aids to enhance communications 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.
(2) Operational Competency. Presenters at the FIRC must be fully versed in the operation of all equipment used during the presentations. Spare parts, such as replacement bulbs for projectors, should be available at all times where appropriate, and presenters should know how to replace those parts quickly if necessary. The presenter must 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.
(3) Clarity of Training Aids. Visual aids used should be clearly visible to the entire class. Lettering, illustrations, and diagrams should be large enough to be seen clearly by attendees farthest from the aids. The sponsor should use colors that are clearly contrasted, easily visible, and arranged in accordance with the color spectrum sequence recommended for visual presentations. The sponsor 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 followup 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.
(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. Each chief instructor should keep in mind the teaching goals. For example, presentations to flight instructor attendees should focus on how the flight instructor can better do his or her job as an instructor. For an instructor to be most effective, the instructor must thoroughly know the subject matter being taught. The presentations should be
designed 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 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.
(5) Use of Video Presentations. Sponsors 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 distance learning curricula, or online Internet-based FIRCs, sponsors must limit video and aural presentation use to not more than 50 percent of the entire course hours. Each video and aural presentation must be moderated by an instructor (well versed in the subject matter and material) who provides introduction and closure. The information provided by at distance or via the Internet will constitute significantly more video and aural content since the alternative is largely limited to simple on screen text. However, the information provided by video and/or aural presentations in at distance or Internet curricula must always be germane to the topic(s) presented.
g. Inability of an Attendee to Complete the FIRC. An applicant for renewal of a valid and current flight instructor certificate who, because of extenuating circumstances, fails to satisfactorily complete all of an approved FIRC program may, at the discretion of the sponsor, attend a later scheduled FIRC program presented by that same sponsor or may receive personal training from that same sponsor on those topics that the attendee did not complete. Upon full and satisfactory completion of that sponsor’s FIRC at a later date, the sponsor may 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 sponsor’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 sponsors 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. Sponsors must contact AFS-810. Each video and aural presentation must be moderated by an instructor (who is welled versed in the subject matter and material) who provides and introduction and closure.
h. Product Manufacturer Representatives. A sponsor may utilize a product representative from industry to present a module, or a portion of a module, in a FIRC program as a guest speaker if invited by the sponsor. However, that representative may not use the FIRC as a venue to promote a particular product. The representative may discuss his or her product but such discussion must 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.
i. Instructional Level. At nearly all times the emphasis should be on teaching the instructor how to teach the topic to their students, rather than simply teaching the instructor. The target audience is the CFI who, by nature of the fact that they hold the certification, is expected Par 6 Page 9
Page 10 Par 6 to possess the basic knowledge that is implicit in the certification. The sponsor should not spend valuable instructional time reviewing basic pilot knowledge that any flight instructor is expected to know. The FAA understands that many who are attending the FIRC may not be active flight instructors. Nevertheless, even though such non practicing flight instructors may, at times, make up the bulk of the attending class, the target audience remains the active flight instructor who is expected to immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained at the FIRC, and the training provided by the sponsor is expected to always be at that level. The FIRC provider is encouraged to include non instructor pilots in their classes, but, again, should maintain the highest level of training commensurate with the intended target audience. Experience has shown that pilots of all levels appreciate being exposed to higher learning levels and will benefit from the exposure.
j. Records. The FIRC sponsor must maintain a record of the complete name and address of all instructor attendees and whether the sponsor issued or denied a graduation certificate. If the sponsor denies a graduation certificate, the sponsor must record the reason for the denial. The sponsor must maintain this record for a period of at least 24 months. Recordkeeping may be digital. The sponsor must also retain records for attendees who only receive a course completion certificate.
k. FSDO Capacity to Process Renewals. The capability of a FSDO to administratively process flight instructor certificate renewals is based upon that office’s work priorities and available staff. Therefore, to avoid placing an undue workload on a particular FAA FSDO, sponsors who do not have an ACR on their staff are encouraged to contact the FSDO having jurisdiction over the area where the FIRC is presented well in advance to determine the capability of that office to handle the anticipated number of applicants for renewal. It may be advantageous to advise the FIRC graduates that they should present their certificates to the local FSDO or to the FSDO having jurisdiction over their residential area for renewal, and that they should do so at intervals rather than in large numbers at any one office on a given day. The instructor attendee must present their documents to a FSDO before the holder’s flight instructor certificate has expired and before the FIRC graduation certificate has expired.
l. Aircraft Category Specialization. An FIRC may, at their option, find it useful to focus their program on a particular category of aircraft flight instructor; e.g., rotorcraft or glider. The FAA may approve such a program as long as the sponsor meets the general requirements of this AC and its associated core topics. Attendance by any flight instructor at any approved FIRC, whether or not that FIRC specializes in a particular category of aircraft, may be acceptable as a basis for renewal by any CFI. This is acceptable even if the CFI does not hold a certificate or rating in the category of aircraft to which the FIRC is oriented. For example, a flight instructor who holds a commercial single engine rating with instrument pilot certificate and a single engine airplane instructor rating may attend an authorized helicopter focused FIRC and may use a graduation certificate from that FIRC as basis for renewal of his or her CFI credentials, even though he or she does not hold a rotorcraft pilot certificate or a rotorcraft flight instructor rating.
m. CFI Renewal by Mail. Under certain limited circumstances, attendees may renew their CFI credentials by U.S. mail. FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS), Volume 5, Chapter 2, Section 11, Conduct a Title 14 CFR Part 61 Flight Instructor Initial/Reinstatement/Renewal Certification and Additional Category/Class Ratings,
outlines this procedure. Order 8900.1 is available to the public through the FAA’s FSIMS at http://fsims.faa.gov.
n. Integrated Airman Certification and/or Rating Application (IACRA). Providers should utilize the IACRA Internet-based program for processing applicants when practical. The sponsor should direct questions concerning how to utilize this program to the local FSDOs.
7. TCO DOCUMENT DEVELOPMENT—GENERAL.
a. TCO Length. Many new sponsors inquire as to how long the TCO document should be.
There is no set length. The FAA encourages sponsors to use as much detail as they feel appropriate to fully describe what they intend to do and how they intend to accomplish their goals. TCOs in excess of 75 pages are not unusual. Thirty to 60 pages are the norm. Such detail makes it easier for the FAA to grasp more fully the content and pattern of presentation, thereby often shortening the approval process. Each distinct unit of information presented in the TCO should be on a separate page or pages, such as the table of contents, revision page, facilities description, personnel descriptions, etc. Each individual instructional unit should be on its own page. Separating distinct units of information by page will make revisions and revision tracking easier. At the same time, the FAA is not seeking a large number of pages for volume’s sake.
Sponsors should not “pad” the TCO just to make it look bigger. Sponsors should exercise common sense to fully describe the program that they plan to present. Detailed information regarding specific TCO components is found later in this document.
b. Subject Matter Requirements. All sponsors must, at a minimum, include all of the core topics identified in Appendix 1. Core subjects are those mandated by the Administrator.
Sponsors may add as many elective topics of their choosing as they wish. The sponsor may incorporate or combine core topics with other topics in any logical manner. The sponsor must clearly identify the location of each core topic within the subject matter and must ensure sufficient allocation of time to each of the core topics. The sponsor must ensure adequate coverage of the material, regardless of its location. Each elective topic will require FAA preapproval before a sponsor may present it. The sponsor may consider building a “library” of preapproved electives. While the sponsor may present any number of other acceptable subjects as elective topics at the sponsor’s discretion, the FAA must give preapproval before the sponsor may present them. The sponsor must inform the FAA of the change(s) and identify where in the program the change has taken place. This can be in the form of a simple email notification to the FIRC e-mail site (9-AWA-AVS-AFS-FIRC@faa.gov). The FAA must receive the notification before the sponsor presents the changed topic. The FAA may or may not acknowledge receipt of the notification since authorization for the change is not required. It is strongly recommended that the sponsor request an automated electronic return receipt in the event that their presentation content is ever questioned.
c. Themes. The sponsor should weave the following themes throughout the content of all lessons and discussions. Each is of such importance that they should be recurring themes seen throughout the entire FIRC experience.
(1) Culture of Safety. The principal and most important theme that should be apparent throughout the entire FIRC program of training is the importance and degree of responsibility of Par 6 Page 11
Page 12 Par 7 the CFI toward furthering aviation safety. All of the lessons should contribute to the development of a safety culture mindset that attendees will take with them as they both fly and teach others to fly. The culture of safety and the CFI’s role and responsibility in furthering that culture cannot be overemphasized. Instructors should be strongly reminded of the inherent duties and responsibilities that are imparted to them upon issuance of their instructor credentials, chief of which is promoting safety.
(2) Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM). ADM skills are an inherent component of a fully realized safety culture. ADM is simply the skill and ability to quickly make correct safety related decisions in the aeronautical arena, be it in the air or on the ground. This may seem obvious, but the point is often overlooked when trying to discover some “higher meaning” in the ADM term. The fact is that every person, whether they are a pilot or not, makes many safety related decisions every day. It may be as simple as whether to drive a car on an icy day. It is simply common sense based on acquired knowledge. When cast in this light, ADM becomes far less mysterious and esoteric and, therefore, much easier to grasp as a concept and to incorporate into the overall safety culture. All pilots are taught the ADM, but the concept can far more effectively be conveyed if it is presented in these simpler, everyday terms, and the sponsor should weave this topic throughout the entire FIRC program.
(3) Professionalism. Professionalism is normally defined as receiving pay or compensation for expert knowledge or skill in a particular area or field. The flight instructor is, therefore, a professional by definition. Yet, many times, flight instructors do not recognize this in themselves or they simply forget that they are the holders of very specialized and unique knowledge and skill. They may forget the critically important role that they play in furthering aviation safety. Many flight instructors only give flight instruction to build the hours necessary to move on to the air carriers. This attitude belittles the profession of primary flight instruction. It is important that flight instructors be reminded that they are, in fact, aviation professionals and of the important role they play in aviation safety, regardless of their goals. Even though this topic is a FIRC core requirement, it should be a reoccurring theme throughout the entire FIRC program.
(4) Ethics. Closely related to professionalism is the concept of professional ethics. It has often been said that ethics is what people do when others are not looking. The sponsor should remind instructors that their certificate conveys great authority. Instructors have the ability to make entries in pilots’ logbooks, sign certificate applications, conduct flight reviews, etc. All of these actions can have a direct impact on their clients’ ability to fly safely. An example of unethical behavior would be a flight instructor who signs a pilot’s logbook when he or she has not actually given a flight review. Beyond simply being contrary to Federal regulation, it is important that the CFI be reminded that it is neither ethical nor professional and why. To be professional, flight instructors must take seriously the duties and responsibilities that come with being an FAA CFI. The sponsor should emphasize a sense of professionalism and value in doing the right thing when exercising the privileges and responsibilities that come with being a CFI.
d. Minimum Course Hours Requirements. Curricula presented for FAA approval consideration must consist of no fewer than 16 hours of ground and/or flight instruction.
Sponsors may offer more. Sponsors may distribute those hours any way they choose, in that they do not need to be contiguous, nor must the sponsor complete all 16 hours of training within a concurrent 2 day span. For example, sponsors may offer portions of the curriculum on a monthly