CFI Revalidation

For flight instructors who prefer to dedicatedly complete their renewal in a single weekend, American Flyers offers an intensive 16-hour classroom program. This Flight Instructor Refresher Course (FIRC) is structured as a 2-day weekend ground school and is conducted once a month across all six of American Flyers’ national training center locations.

The 16-hour curriculum focuses on advanced instructional techniques and modern regulatory mandates. According to American Flyers, core course subjects include Stall/Spin Awareness Training, preventing loss of control during IFR operations, managing Pilot Deviations, conducting effective Flight Reviews and IPCs, and navigating 21st-century airspace. It also incorporates administrative subjects like TSA General Aviation Security, Ethics and Professionalism, and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) continuous education initiatives.

The tuition for the 2-day, in-person weekend CFI Refresher Course is $175. Flight instructors should note that an additional, optional Airman Certification Representative (ACR) fee may apply if they choose to have American Flyers officially process and issue their temporary certificate directly on-site upon graduation.

For instructors who prefer self-paced learning, American Flyers offers an online alternative called the FIRC for Life Program. For a one-time enrollment fee of $99, instructors gain lifetime access to the FAA-approved online renewal platform. This allows them to refresh and satisfy their flight instructor certificate requirements every two years for the rest of their lives at no additional tuition cost.

Yes. Whether completed via the weekend classroom ground school or the online portal, American Flyers has Airman Certification Representatives (ACRs) available. These authorized individuals can review an instructor’s graduation credentials and process the paperwork directly, eliminating the need for the instructor to schedule an appointment or visit an FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) to receive their renewed certificate privileges.

Because the 2-day course is highly collaborative and lecture-based, American Flyers notes that students primarily need to arrive prepared with basic note-taking materials, specifically pencils and erasers. The school provides the standardized FAA-approved training materials and instructional outlines necessary to complete the 16 hours of regulatory instruction.