QFI to FI | ukflying

Instructor Ratings - Military

This is the page for military pilots requiring a UK CAA Instructor Rating. The details of the FI credits are in CAP2254 and UKFlying have secured credits for military FIs, it was previously just QFI or QPIs.

There are many types of instructor rating and this is quite a complex area. There are military credits against the FI rating depending on your previous experience. There are no credits for the CRI rating. Get in touch for more info and to see what credits you can claim.

Class Rating Instructor (CRI) - Real benefit is it can be added to a PPL. Useful for a club check pilot or for someone that wants to put something back into aviation. You can't instruct ab-initio PPL students with a CRI. You can fly the 2 yearly instructional flight that PPL holders require and useful for checking out pilots to a new type within the class or differences training. There are no military credits for the CRI rating.

Flying Instructor (FI) - Initially restricted but allows you to instruct as above but you can now teach new PPL students. The restriction is you can't send someone solo. This restriction is lifted with hours and experience. You can also have the restrictions removed for other ratings such as aerobatics and night. Military credits for the FI rating are detailed below.

FIight Instructor (FI)

QFI / QPI - If you're a military QFI, FI or QPI then you can also use military credits for the issue of a UK CAA FI rating. You will need a few sorties and some civilian ground school coaching. This is at the discretion of a Head of Training at an ATO, with the aim being to get you to a standard to pass the FI check. It no longer matters what grade of QFI you are, just need to be a QFI/QPI/FI on a single-pilot aircraft (CtoI, B2, B1, A2). You are credited the ATPL theory course but DO need to pass the 14 ATPL exams.

The FI will be restricted unless you can prove that you have >100hrs of instruction and have sent >25 students solo.

Not a QFI or QPI - If you weren't a QFI/QPI then you will need to meet the following FCL requirements:

Hold a valid pilots licence, which includes a valid Single Engine Piston (Land) rating
Meet the knowledge requirements for the grant of a EASA CPL (A)
Have at least a CPL (A) or have completed at least 200 hours of flight time of which 150 hours as Pilot-in-Command if holding a PPL (A)
Have completed at least 30 hours on Single Engine Piston powered aeroplanes of which at least 5 hours shall be in the 6 months preceding the pre-entry flight test)
Have completed at least 10 hours instrument flight instruction of which up to 5 may be in a simulator
Have completed 20 hours cross-country flight time as PIC of aeroplanes including a cross country flight of 540km (300nm) with full-stop landings at two other aerodromes
Passed a specific pre-entry flight test within the 6 months preceding the start of the course

Course Description:

Flight instruction comprises of 30 hours of flight training of which 25 hours will be dual instruction and 5 hours will be mutual flying with another student instructor or qualified FI to practise flight demonstrations. During the dual instruction, student instructor will learn how to demonstrate all of the PPL exercises evaluate a student’s performance and correct student errors.

There is also 125hrs of ground school for the FI.

If you want advice on where to go, and how to use ELCAS, then please get in contact.