As long as you complete the course within the three calendar months preceding the month of your CFI Certificate expiration date, your expiration date will not change.
Once you purchased the program it is yours to use for life; however, if you choose the IACRA or ACR Service for processing your paperwork there is an additional fee each time you use one of these services.
Absolutely. Yours or ours, it makes no difference to us; we want flying the aircraft to be familiar and easy for you. You are welcome to use a club or personal aircraft for the training. We’ll have our insurance companies communicate a bit, and we’ll be ready to go. You can even leave your plane here with us between your lessons.
You have to do the whole course online.
You complete the American Flyers Flight Instructor Renewal Course and follow the instructions found on your Main Page under “Renewal Details”. The ACR will communicate with you via email and you will be notified when you can download and print your temporary certificate.
Mail your signed Graduation Certificate, valid CFI certificate (hard copy), completed 8710 form, notarized proof of identity, and copy of your photo ID to: American Flyers FIRC Department 32535 Wolf Branch Lane Sorrento, FL 32776
The online FIRC course consists of 13 lessons. There is a quiz after lesson 6 and then again after lesson 13. All quizzes are comprised of random multiple-choice questions about the material contained in the lessons. The Final Quiz at the end of Lesson 13 is cumulative and contains randomly selected questions covering the content from all of the lessons. Pass rate is 70%. After you’ve successfully completed all of the lessons, you must submit an application for renewal.
This can be done through our ACR Service, either using IACRA or the traditional mail-in method or through a FSDO. If you choose to use IACRA you can complete your paperwork online but must submit your application on the IACRA website at least three business days before the expiration date printed on the back of your CFI certificate. This will allow our on-staff FAA ACR’s time to review, approve and sign off on the application and 8710. If you choose to mail your paperwork to our ACR, drop it off at one of our school locations, or take it to a FSDO, we must receive it prior to your expiration date.
There are a total of 2, with 2 additional back-ups. First, a randomized 30 question test and an additional remedial randomized 30 question test after Lesson 6, called a Midcourse and Remedial Midcourse quiz. The second is a comprehensive final 30 question test and an additional comprehensive 30 question remedial test, called a Final and a Remedial Final. Once you have completed the lessons (100% on both the Content and Time progress bars), you will be prompted to take the first quiz.
It varies tremendously; finish-up programs can range from “I started my private training with 10 hours 30 years ago” to “I’m signed off for my checkride and my airplane is down for annual.” Any finish-up program is going to have two components: satisfying the FAA’s requirements, and flying to proficiency. The first is easy – we review your logbook and do the math. The second is more challenging and normally requires some time with one of our CFIs to determine. Once they’ve gotten a good idea of your flying skills, we can put a program together.
Yes! Since the FAA’s IACRA system is paperless, CFI’s traveling or living outside of the U.S., can easily apply for renewal. You must: 1. Complete the American Flyers IACRA checklist; 2. Submit your IACRA application for renewal online at https://iacra.faa.gov and, 3. Make sure our ACR has reviewed and signed your application. Faxing or emailing paperwork is not permitted. We require that you submit your application at least three days before your expiration in order to guarantee renewal.
Log back in to American Flyers. On the pull-down Menu at the top of the page, roll your cursor over “Account” and select “FIRC Renewals”. There are links to download/print your Graduation Certificate and an 8710 form should you need it. You may print it more than once if you wish.
No! You must: 1. Complete the American Flyers IACRA checklist; 2. Submit your IACRA application for renewal online at https://iacra.faa.gov and, 3. Make sure our ACR has reviewed and signed your application. Faxing or emailing paperwork is not permitted. We require that you submit your application at least three days before your expiration in order to guarantee renewal.
Well, let’s put it this way: we can do an entire private or instrument in just a couple weeks of full-time training, so it’s not going to be longer than that. If you have most of the requirements met, we may be able to get this done over a long weekend or two.
Yes, you can. We will look at the requirements you have met and figure out the most efficient and economical way to finish you up, whether it is 61 or 141. We’ll figure the regs out, you just focus on learning and flying.
Of course not! None of your hours and experience go away. It all counts and will be taken into consideration. The biggest determining factor is proficiency and flying to the FAA’s standards.