Now you teach — and get paid to build your hours.
Your Flight Instructor certificate, in two phases.
You already fly to commercial standard. The CFI certificate makes you a teacher — and a working pilot who builds flight time while getting paid. It comes in two phases: first you learn to teach on the ground, then you prove it in the air.
It's the FAA's most demanding practical test, and the fastest, most-traveled road to the airlines. We prepare you for exactly that — both phases, right up to the checkride.
Left seat to right seat
First you learn to teach. Then you prove it.
The CFI is a teaching certificate — the skill is explaining flying as clearly as you can do it. Two phases get you there: the ground and knowledge work, then the flying and the checkride.
Learn to teach before you teach to fly.
-
Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI)
How people learn, the teaching process, evaluation and critique, and human behavior — the theory every instructor is built on. Includes the FOI knowledge test.
-
Flight Instructor knowledge test
The CFI–Airplane written exam, covering the material you'll be responsible for teaching.
-
Lesson plans & ground prep
Building the lesson plans and teaching presentations to explain every maneuver and topic from the ground up.
-
Endorsements
The required training records and instructor endorsements that qualify you to take the practical test.
Now prove you can fly it and teach it — from the right seat.
-
Right-seat flight training
Flying and teaching every maneuver from the instructor's seat, narrating each one as you go — a new way to fly the airplane you already know.
-
Spin training & endorsement
Required stall-awareness and spin entry, spin, and recovery training — with the logbook endorsement attesting your competency. Unique to the CFI.
-
Practical-test prep
Polishing maneuvers, teaching presentations, and oral prep to checkride standard.
-
The CFI practical test
The initial flight instructor checkride — the FAA's most demanding practical test, which is exactly what we prepare you for.
Pass it, and you're a Certified Flight Instructor.
Cleared to teach, endorse students, and build flight time toward the airlines — getting paid the entire way. For most pilots, this is the certificate that turns flying into a career.
Paid to instruct
& build hours
Before you start
What you need to begin — and what we'll be straight with you about.
Ready to teach — and build toward the airlines?
Tell us your ratings and hours. We'll map both phases, prep you for the FAA's most demanding practical test, and walk you through current pricing. Strong candidates may have a path to instruct with us afterward.