Become an Authorized Instructor | Going Down Aviation

Authorized Instructor Program

At French Valley Flyers, we do flight training a little differently. We’re not a traditional flight school—we’re a hub for independent, FAA-approved Certified Flight Instructors (CFIs) who are passionate about flying and teaching. Each instructor operates as a private contractor, not an employee, which means more flexibility, more personalized instruction, and a learning experience that truly revolves around you.

Here you will find details on how to become, and maintain, status as an authorized instructor. The program’s intent is to provide French Valley Flyerswith the highest quality of instructors. Instructors hold several roles in the club. They act as stewards of club aircraft, mentors to fellow pilots/members, upholders of club rules, and businessmen and women who run independent businesses. It is critically important that both owners and club leaders can trust its instructors with millions of dollars of assets the club operates. As such, this instructor program looks to authorize only the best instructors available.

General Rules

Flight instructing at French Valley Flyers is a privilege, not a right of membership. Authorized flight training such as dual flight instruction, flight reviews, aircraft check-outs and endorsements, (“Flight Training”) in French Valley Flyers aircraft may only be provided by FAA certificated flights instructors (“CFI”) who meet the following requirements at the time of the Flight Training:

Be a member in good standing.
Both the CFI and the pilot receiving flight instruction shall be members of French Valley Flyers.
The CFI and member must abide by French Valley Flyers Operational Rules, and rental agreements at all times when operating aircraft.
The member receiving instruction must add the instructor to the Flight Schedule Pro reservation.
CFI’s will not schedule any reservations in Flight Schedule Pro in their name on behalf of any other member or non-member. CFI’s will not “hold” a reservation for another pilot, for any reason.
The CFI must observe, enact, and promote the safety including best practices, safety tips, and all other safety-related and operational communications, procedures and standards, including those posted on the Instructor Dashboard(?).
The CFI must adhere to and follow all applicable Federal Aviation Regulations and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations applicable to the Flight Training being provided. Periodic TSA inspections are conducted by TSA agents.

Become an Instructor

To become an instructor, the applicant must send an emal to the Chief Pilot with a resume that includes flight time and instruction given and a message about yourself and why you would be a great instructor for French Valley Flyers. French Valley Flyers attempts to maintain a 15:1 member to instructor ratio to not oversaturate our members and give the instructors ample amounts of students. Once an opening has been confirmed, the applicant must have the following complete to be authorized to instruct in French Valley Flyers.

The applicant must be a club member.
The applicant must have received a member checkout prior to being approved to receive a CFI Checkout.
The minimum TOTAL TIME requirement for CFI privileges to be considered is 500 hours.*
The minimum DUAL GIVEN requirement for CFI privileges to be considered is 200 hours.*
Receive a checkout from the chief pilot
Read, understand, and agree to the instructor program rules and standards.

Once the CFI Checkout is complete you are now authorized to instruct at French Valley Flyers.

Instructors that have received their CFI training within the Club may be given priority and special dispensation, at the discretion of the chief pilot.
* Instructors not meeting the minimum hour requirement, but having been training within the Club may have any of these requirements waived. A recommendation from their instructor(s) is required prior to consideration.

NOTE: ALL instructors are subject to a three month probationary period. During that period, no Complex, High Performance, or Tailwheel aircraft will be authorized. During this probationary period, if there are any incidents or safety reports attributed to the instructor, instruction privileges may be removed. Additional basic training aircraft may be added at the chief pilots discretion.

Additional Aircraft Instruction Authority

Instruction in High Performance, Complex, or Tailwheel aircraft require the following minimum requirements before receiving an initial instructor checkout in the aircraft. These aircraft have several additional checkout requirements, depending on Make/Model and avionics packages. Check the individual aircraft page for additional information. These aircraft have instructor slots which are reviewed annually and based on a 10:1 ratio of dual given vs instructors, or as needed.

All HP, Complex, or Tailwheel Aircraft
- Available slot in the aircraft.
- Three months as a club instructor.
- Checkout by a designated instructor for that aircraft.
All High Performance Aircraft
- 10 hours in Make & Model as “individual” PIC.
- Individual PIC is defined as Non-Dual Given or Received.
All Complex Aircraft
- 25 hours of “individual” PIC in Complex aircraft of which, 10 hours of which has been logged within the preceding 12 months.
  - Individual PIC is defined as Non-Dual Given or Received.
- 50 hours of total complex time will waive the above.
For Tailwheel aircraft
- 100 hours total PIC tailwheel time.

Instructors authorized in additional aircraft are required to maintain at least one hour of instruction per quarter (Jan. - Mar. etc) and/or 10 hours of instuction in the last year. The currency period is defined as a biennial period between January and December. Currency is reviewed annually and those instructors who have not met the minimum of 10 hours in the currency period will be deauthorized from that approved aircraft.

Annual Renewal/Recency

Instructor authorizations are renewed automatically, annually. This is done based on Instructor activity within the preceding year (January – December). In order for an instructor to have their authorization renewed, they must have achieved the following activity.

25 hours of dual instruction, all of which must be done in Club aircraft.

Instructors not having achieved these requirements will receive a 30-day notice prior to having their authorization removed, during which time they can be reauthorized with the above activity.