Check Instructor Qualifications

FAR 141.37 — Check Instructor Qualifications

FAR 141.37 sets the eligibility, certificates, and tests required to be designated as a check instructor at a Part 141 pilot school.

In Plain English

FAR 141.37 lays out who can be designated as a check instructor at a Part 141 pilot school — the person who administers stage checks, end-of-course tests, and instructor proficiency checks.

To qualify, the candidate must pass a test given by the chief instructor covering:

Teaching methods
Applicable parts of the Aeronautical Information Manual
Applicable provisions of Parts 61, 91, and 141
The objectives and completion standards of the approved course

For flight checks, the candidate must also hold a commercial or ATP certificate plus a current flight instructor certificate with the right category, class, and instrument ratings, meet § 61.57 PIC recency, and pass a flight proficiency test given by the chief or assistant chief instructor.

For ground checks, they must hold either a current CFI or ground instructor certificate with appropriate ratings.

The person must be designated in writing by the chief instructor and approved by the responsible Flight Standards office. Importantly, a check instructor may not check a student they personally trained as principal instructor or recommended for the check — preserving an independent evaluation.

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Regulation Text

14 CFR § 141.37

§ 141.37 Check instructor qualifications. (a) To be designated as a check instructor for conducting student stage checks, end-of-course tests, and instructor proficiency checks under this part, a person must meet the eligibility requirements of this section: (1) For checks and tests that relate to either flight or ground training, the person must pass a test, given by the chief instructor, on— (i) Teaching methods; (ii) Applicable provisions of the “Aeronautical Information Manual”; (iii) Applicable provisions of parts 61, 91, and 141 of this chapter; and (iv) The objectives and course completion standards of the approved training course for the designation sought. (2) For checks and tests that relate to a flight training course, the person must— (i) Meet the requirements in paragraph (a)(1) of this section; (ii) Hold a commercial pilot certificate or an airline transport pilot certificate and, except for a check instructor for a course of training for a lighter-than-air rating, a current flight instructor certificate. The certificates must contain the appropriate aircraft category, class, and instrument ratings for the category and class of aircraft used in the course; (iii) Meet the pilot-in-command recent flight experience requirements of § 61.57 of this chapter; and (iv) Pass a proficiency test, given by the chief instructor or assistant chief instructor, on the flight procedures and maneuvers of the approved training course for the designation sought. (3) For checks and tests that relate to ground training, the person must— (i) Meet the requirements in paragraph (a)(1) of this section; (ii) Except for a course of training for a lighter-than-air rating, hold either a current flight instructor certificate with the appropriate category and class of aircraft, or ground instructor certificate with appropriate ratings, to be used in the course of training; and (iii) For a course of training for a lighter-than-air rating, hold a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air category rating and the appropriate class rating. (b) A person who meets the eligibility requirements in paragraph (a) of this section must: (1) Be designated, in writing, by the chief instructor to conduct student stage checks, end-of-course tests, and instructor proficiency checks; and (2) Be approved by the responsible Flight Standards office for the school. (c) A check instructor may not conduct a stage check or an end-of-course test of any student for whom the check instructor has: (1) Served as the principal instructor; or (2) Recommended for a stage check or end-of-course test. [Docket 25910, 62 FR 16347, Apr. 4, 1997; Amdt. 141-9, 62 FR 40907, July 30, 1997, as amended by Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 141-19, 83 FR 9175, Mar. 5, 2018; Docket FAA-2023-1275, Amdt. 141-26, 89 FR 92488, Nov. 21, 2024]

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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1What does a person have to do to be designated as a check instructor at a Part 141 school?

Per FAR 141.37, they must pass a test given by the chief instructor on teaching methods, the AIM, Parts 61/91/141, and the course standards, meet certificate and proficiency requirements for flight or ground, be designated in writing by the chief instructor, and be approved by the responsible Flight Standards office.

Q2What pilot and instructor certificates does a check instructor for a flight course need to hold?

Under FAR 141.37(a)(2), they must hold a commercial or ATP certificate and (except for lighter-than-air) a current flight instructor certificate with the appropriate category, class, and instrument ratings for the aircraft used, and meet § 61.57 PIC recent experience.

Q3Are there students a check instructor is prohibited from checking?

Yes. FAR 141.37(c) prohibits a check instructor from conducting a stage check or end-of-course test for any student they served as principal instructor for or recommended for that check or test.

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