Certified Flight Instructor II (CFI II)

Become a Certified Flight Instructor (CFII)

The CFI II or Certified Flight Instructor II Instrument allows you to teach instrument rating applicants; both on ground (aeronautical knowledge) and flight training. If your career goals are to be an airline or corporate aviation pilot, the more instrument time you have the better positioned you are of getting there. There are only 2 ways to get that actual instrument flight time – teach as a CFII or rent an airplane yourself. Most pilot's prefer teaching instrument rating students, which is much more financially economical.

Instructional Areas Covered

Instrument Flight Instructor Ground Training

A CFI II instrument flight instructor is expected to have extensive knowledge of instrument flying. Since instrument flight instructor candidates already have an instrument rating on their pilot certificate, they are assumed to have a good knowledge base. Ground training will be a lot of review with emphasis on how to teach the material.

You may accomplish the ground training requirements for the instrument flight instructor certificate through one-on-one ground instruction, a home study course, a ground school class, or a combination of the above.

Instrument Flight Instructor Flight Training

CFI II Certified Instrument flight instructor candidates will fly IFR maneuvers and procedures from the instructor’s seat of the airplane. They will practice teaching as their instructor simulates being a student.

Candidates who are instrument current and proficient will have an advantage in training. Less time will need to be spent on polishing flight skills and knowledge, so training will progress more quickly.

Instrument flight instructor certificate training requirements are outlined in the FAA regulations. Weaver Vector conducts instrument flight instructor training under Part 61 and Part 141 of the regulations.

Requirements

Assuming the candidate already has a flight instructor certificate, the CFI II instrument flight instructor rating is considered an “additional flight instructor rating.” Therefore, the candidate does not need to take another knowledge test on the fundamentals of instruction or the flight instructor knowledge test.

A candidate for an add-on instrument flight instructor rating must:

Possess an instrument rating on his/her pilot certificate
Pass the instrument flight instructor knowledge test
Receive a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on the areas of operation required for an instrument flight instructor
Pass the instrument flight instructor practical test

Required Aeronautical Knowledge

You must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on the aeronautical knowledge areas for the instrument rating applicable to the category for which instrument flight instructor privileges are sought.

Required Flight Proficiency

You must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor that includes the following areas of operation:

Fundamentals of instructing (for initial instructor only)
Technical subject areas
Preflight preparation
Preflight lesson on a maneuver to be performed in flight
Air traffic control clearances and procedures
Flight by reference to instruments
Navigation aids
Instrument approach procedures
Emergency operations
Post-flight procedures

Required Aeronautical Experience

There are no specific flight experience requirements for flight instructors. Instrument flight instructors must meet the proficiency standards above. The only time requirement is that an instrument instructor candidate must have least 15 hours of pilot-in-command time in the category and class of aircraft appropriate to the flight instructor certificate and rating sought.

Completion time varies based on how often you train, how quickly you learn, how well you study at home, etc. We recommend you schedule at least one session per week, with two or three being more ideal for making steady progress and completing the program in fewer hours.