Ground Instructor is a certificate issued in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration. There are three classes of holder, licensed to provide the ground instruction element in the training of three groups: *Basic Ground Instructor (BGI) - for a sport pilot, recreational pilot, or private pilot certificate. *Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) - for any certificate except the instrument rating. *Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) - for the addition of an instrument rating to a pilot certificate.

Legal provisions

Ground Instructor is a certificate issued in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

by the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

; the rules for certification, and for certificate-holders, are detailed in Subpart I of Part 61 of the

Federal Aviation Regulations The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). A wide variety o ...

, which are part of Title 14 of the

Code of Federal Regulations In the law of the United States, the ''Code of Federal Regulations'' (''CFR'') is the codification of the general and permanent regulations promulgated by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government of the United States. ...

. The Ground Instructor certificate allows the holder to offer various kinds of ground instruction required of those seeking pilot certificates and ratings. Ground Instructor certificates are issued with ratings, and these determine the exact areas in which the holder may give instruction.

Requirements

An applicant for a Ground Instructor certificate is not required to be a

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...

, but must meet certain requirements, including being at least 18 years of age and being able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language. In addition, the applicant must pass a written knowledge test on the fundamentals of instructing. Exceptions to this requirement are made for persons who hold

flight instructor A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...

certificates (and so have already taken this test), for persons who hold a teacher's certificate authorizing instruction at the seventh-grade or above, and for persons who teach at accredited colleges or universities. The applicant must also pass a test appropriate to the rating desired. This is a written exam similar to, but showing a higher knowledge, of aviation than those required for a private or commercial airplane license, or an instrument rating.

Ratings

A Ground Instructor certificate is issued with at least one of three ratings: Basic, Advanced, and Instrument. At most only two would appear on the certificate, basic and instrument, or advanced and instrument. The Basic Ground Instructor (BGI) rating allows the holder to give the ground instruction required for a sport pilot, recreational pilot, or

private pilot certificate A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of Pilot licensing and certification, pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately (not for remuneration) ...

. The ground instructor certificate holder may also endorse a student to take the written knowledge test for these pilot certificates. The holder of a Basic Ground Instructor rating is additionally allowed to give the ground instruction required for a sport pilot, recreational pilot, or private pilot flight review. The Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) rating allows the holder to give the ground instruction required for any certificate or, effectively, any rating (except for the Instrument Rating) issued under Part 61, to give the ground training for any flight review, and to endorse a student to take the written knowledge test for any certificate or non-instrument rating issued under Part 61. The AGI rating has more extensive privileges than the BGI. Obtaining the BGI first is not a requirement for the AGI. Applicants often skip the BGI, since the AGI has more authority. The questions for both ratings are taken from the same pool. The only difference is that the AGI requires a somewhat longer examination. The Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) rating allows the holder to give the ground instruction required for the addition of an

instrument rating Instrument rating refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR). It requires specific training and instruction beyond what is required for a private pilot certificate or commercial pilot ce ...

to a pilot certificate; the holder may also endorse a student to take the written knowledge test for the instrument rating, and can give the ground training required for an instrument proficiency check., It does not, however, authorize the holder to give instruction in simulators.FAA Counsel's Interpretation of Instrument Ground Instructor Authority

Validity

Ground Instructor certificates do not expire. To be eligible to give instruction, though, the holder must have either served as an instructor in the preceding twelve months or have received from a ground or flight instructor an endorsement certifying the holder's proficiency in the subject matter which the certificate authorizes teaching. A yearly Flight Instructor Recertification Course (FIRC) will also suffice.

References

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External links

Computer Testing Supplement for Flight and Ground Instructor

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

2001
" Be a ground instructor,"
by Jim Cunningham, February 5, 2015, ''

AOPA The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is a Frederick, Maryland-based American non-profit political organization that advocates for general aviation. AOPA's membership consists mainly of general aviation pilots in the United States ...

Flight Training"
"7 Things You Should Know About Ground Instructor Certificates,"
by Valerie Smith, May 28, 2022, ''The Business of Flight Training,'' Redbird Landing Aviation licenses and certifications Aviation in the United States Flight training