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Sport Pilot Certified Flight Instructor (CFIS) Privileges

These are the steps to take if you are an existing Sport Pilot Certified Flight Instructor (CFIS) who wants to instruct in Light Sport Aircraft (LSA).

This also applies to a Private Pilot CFI (61, Subpart H) and above using a drivers license as medical eligibility to operate as a Sport Pilot CFI (61, Subpart K).

NOTE: If an FAA medical has been revoked, denied, withheld, or suspended, this requires a special issuance to clear the medical, before the driver’s license may be used as the medical eligibility. Any limitation on the driver’s license or FAA medical must be followed.

A. You want to instruct in the same LSA category/class/set endorsed in your logbook, and you:

• Have a current driver’s license or FAA medical certificate.
• Are a current pilot (or get a biannual flight review) and are a current CFI/CFIS.
• Have five hours PIC in same category/class/make/model/set.
• Instruct only in the S-LSA category/class/make/model/set (or appropriate E-LSA until 2010) that you have instructor privileges in.
• Instruct and endorse for only what you are rated for. Example: If you are a Private Pilot CFI using your drivers license as medical eligibility, you can instruct and endorse B, C, and D airspace. If you are a Sport Pilot CFI with a class D airspace endorsement, you can instruct and endorse for Class D, but not Class C or B.
• Comply with all Sport Pilot CFI privileges per 61.413, limitations per 61.415, and record keeping per 61.423.
• FAA Sport Pilot guidelines.

B. You want to instruct in a different LSA category/class/set than is endorsed in your logbook, (example, you are currently endorsed for Airplane Single-engine Land and want to instruct in Airplane Sea, Weight-shift control, Powered Parachute, etc.) and you:

• Have a current driver’s license or FAA medical certificate.
• Are a current pilot (or get a biannual flight review) and are a current CFI/CFIS.
• Receive a logbook endorsement for instructing as specified per 61.409 for additional LSA in category/class/make/model/"set" by qualified instructor.
• Successfully complete a proficiency check with an instructor other than the one who provided your training per 61.409, your logbook endorsement, and submitted form 8710-11.
• Have five hours PIC in same category/class/make/model/set.
• Instruct only in the S-LSA category/class/make/model/set (or appropriate E-LSA until 2010) that you have instructor privileges in.
• Instruct and endorse for only what you are rated for. Example: If you are a Private Pilot CFI using your drivers license as medical eligibility, you can instruct and endorse B, C, and D airspace. If you are a Sport Pilot CFI with a class D airspace endorsement, you can instruct and endorse for Class D, but not Class C or B.
• Comply with all Sport Pilot CFI privileges per 61.413, limitations per 61.415, and record keeping per 61.423.
• FAA CFI guidelines.

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Article by Paul Hamilton, CFI, DPE, SPE SPIE, one of the first persons to receive Sport Pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) certificates in weight-shift control, land category, as well as, Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for Sport Pilots. Owner of Adventure Productions, Paul Hamilton produces entertainment, educational, and training resources for Ultralight and Sport Pilots that you can purchase at AP-Store.com.