14 CFR §61.185
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)A person who is applying for a flight instructor certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on:
- (1)Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the fundamentals of instructing, including:
- (2)The aeronautical knowledge areas for a recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificate applicable to the aircraft category for which flight instructor privileges are sought; and
- (3)The aeronautical knowledge areas for the instrument rating applicable to the category for which instrument flight instructor privileges are sought.
- (b)The following applicants do not need to comply with paragraph (a)(1) of this section:
- (1)The holder of a flight instructor certificate or ground instructor certificate issued under this part;
- (2)The holder of a current teacher's certificate issued by a State, county, city, or municipality that authorizes the person to teach at an educational level of the 7th grade or higher; or
- (3)A person employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university.