What It Takes to Become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)

Becoming a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) is one of the most rewarding milestones in a pilot's career. Whether you want to build flight hours toward an airline career, share your passion for aviation, or establish a long-term teaching profession, earning a CFI certificate opens doors that few other ratings can. This guide walks you through the eligibility requirements, knowledge test, practical exam, and study strategies so you know exactly what to expect on the path to becoming a CFI.

How to Become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI)

CFI Eligibility Requirements

Before you can apply for a Certified Flight Instructor certificate, the FAA requires you to meet a specific set of prerequisites outlined in 14 CFR Part 61. Here is what you need to qualify:

Age: You must be at least 18 years old.
Language: You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand English.
Pilot Certificate: You must hold at least a commercial pilot certificate (or an ATP certificate) with an instrument rating for the category and class in which you seek CFI privileges.
Flight Experience: You must log at least 250 hours of total flight time as a pilot for an airplane CFI certificate. Requirements vary by category, so always verify current hours at faa.gov/training_testing/testing.
Medical Certificate: You must hold at least a current third-class FAA medical certificate (or BasicMed, where applicable) to exercise CFI privileges.
Logbook Endorsements: A certificated flight instructor must endorse your logbook, confirming you have received the required ground and flight training and are ready for the practical test.

FAA Knowledge Tests You Must Pass

The CFI certification path requires you to pass two FAA knowledge tests, not just one. Many candidates are surprised by this requirement:

Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI): This exam covers the science of teaching — learning theory, human behavior, teaching methods, and how to evaluate student performance. Even if you hold an advanced degree in education, you are not exempt unless you already hold a CFI or ground instructor certificate.
Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) Knowledge Test (or the relevant category test): This exam covers aerodynamics, aircraft systems, performance, navigation, regulations, and all the technical knowledge an instructor must be able to teach.

Both tests are administered at FAA-approved testing centers. A passing score is 70% or higher, though aiming well above the minimum is always smart — your checkride examiner will ask you about any questions you missed.

Training and Logbook Requirements

CFI training goes beyond simply logging more hours in the cockpit. Your training must be structured to develop teaching ability, not just flying proficiency. Expect your training to include:

Ground instruction on the fundamentals of instructing and how to develop lesson plans
Flight training from the right seat (since you will teach from the right seat of most aircraft)
Stall awareness, spin entry, spins, and spin recovery — you must receive and log spin training from a CFI authorized to conduct it
Practice teaching maneuvers and procedures to your own flight instructor so they can evaluate your instructional technique

The Importance of Right-Seat Flying

One aspect many candidates underestimate is the transition to flying from the right seat. Controls feel different, visual reference points shift, and you must maintain aircraft control while simultaneously explaining concepts to a student. Build right-seat hours intentionally and early in your training.

The CFI Practical Test (Checkride)

The CFI checkride is widely considered one of the most demanding practical tests in general aviation. It is governed by the Flight Instructor for Airplane Single-Engine (or Multi-Engine) ACS — the Airman Certification Standards document that defines exactly what knowledge, skills, and risk management an applicant must demonstrate. You can review ACS task codes relevant to your training at aviationtestprep.com/acs-codes.

The practical test consists of two major portions:

Oral Examination: The Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) will ask you to teach topics as if they were your student. You are evaluated on the depth of your knowledge, your ability to explain concepts clearly, and how well you identify and correct errors. Expect to spend significant time on this portion.
Flight Portion: You will demonstrate maneuvers and procedures from the right seat while explaining what you are doing and why — just as you would with a real student. The examiner will sometimes intentionally make errors to see whether you catch and correct them.

How to Study Effectively for the CFI Certificate

Structured, consistent preparation is the key to passing both the knowledge tests and the oral exam with confidence. Here is a five-step study method that works well for CFI candidates:

Master the ACS: Read the current Flight Instructor ACS from cover to cover. Every topic on your checkride comes from this document.
Study the FOI Material: Work through the FAA's Aviation Instructor's Handbook (FAA-H-8083-9). This is the definitive source for the Fundamentals of Instructing knowledge test.
Practice with ACS-Aligned Questions: Use a platform like AviationTestPrep to drill ACS-aligned practice questions with detailed AI-enhanced explanations. When you miss a question, dig into the explanation so you understand the concept — not just the answer.
Use the AI Tutor: AviationTestPrep's AI Tutor lets you ask follow-up questions on any topic, helping you build the deep understanding an examiner will expect you to teach — not just recite.
Teach Out Loud: Practice explaining topics verbally to a partner, a wall, or a recorder. The ability to articulate concepts clearly is the core skill a CFI examiner is evaluating.

You can explore practice exams for both the FOI and FIA knowledge tests at aviationtestprep.com/browse-exams.

After You Earn Your CFI Certificate

A CFI certificate is valid for 24 calendar months, after which you must complete a flight instructor renewal to maintain your privileges. Beyond the initial certificate, many instructors pursue additional ratings such as the CFII (instrument instruction) and MEI (multi-engine instruction) to expand the students they can teach and the hours they can build.

Teaching students is also one of the fastest ways to solidify your own understanding of aviation. There is a reason the saying goes: you never truly know a subject until you teach it.

Start Preparing for Your CFI Knowledge Tests Today

The journey to becoming a Certified Flight Instructor demands serious preparation, but the professional and personal rewards are well worth the effort. AviationTestPrep, built by FAA-certified instructors, offers ACS-aligned practice questions, AI-enhanced explanations, and an AI Tutor to help you study smarter — not just longer. Remember, our platform is a study aid designed to complement your training with a certificated flight instructor, not replace it.

Create your free account at AviationTestPrep and start building the knowledge you need to ace your CFI knowledge tests and walk into your checkride with confidence.