FAR 61.189 — Flight Instructor Records
FAR 61.189 explains what records a CFI must keep: logbook signatures, solo and test endorsements, and how long to retain them. Study guide for checkride prep.
In Plain English
FAR 61.189 spells out the recordkeeping duties every flight instructor (CFI) must follow when training students. These records protect both the student and the instructor, and they're a favorite checkride topic for CFI applicants.
The rule requires a CFI to:
- Sign the logbook of every person who receives flight training or ground training from that instructor.
- Keep a record — in a logbook or separate document — of:
- The name and date for each person endorsed for solo flight privileges.
- The name, kind of test, date, and results for each person endorsed for a knowledge test or practical test.
- Retain these records for at least 3 years.
Why it matters operationally: if a student fails a checkride or has an incident shortly after solo, the FAA can trace the training back to the endorsing instructor. Sloppy records can lead to certificate action against the CFI, so most instructors keep a dedicated endorsement logbook for their entire career.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 61.189§ 61.189 Flight instructor records.
(a) A flight instructor must sign the logbook of each person to whom that instructor has given flight training or ground training.
(b) A flight instructor must maintain a record in a logbook or a separate document that contains the following:
(1) The name of each person whose logbook that instructor has endorsed for solo flight privileges, and the date of the endorsement; and
(2) The name of each person that instructor has endorsed for a knowledge test or practical test, and the record shall also indicate the kind of test, the date, and the results.
(c) Each flight instructor must retain the records required by this section for at least 3 years.
[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997, as amended by Docket FAA-2010-1127, Amdt. 61-135, 81 FR 1306, Jan. 12, 2016]
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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What records must a flight instructor maintain, and for how long?
Per FAR 61.189, a CFI must keep a record of every student endorsed for solo flight (name and date) and every student endorsed for a knowledge or practical test (name, kind of test, date, and results), and must retain those records for at least 3 years.
Q2Whose logbooks does a flight instructor have to sign?
Under FAR 61.189(a), a flight instructor must sign the logbook of each person to whom that instructor has given either flight training or ground training.
Q3If you endorse a student for a practical test, what specific information must your record show?
FAR 61.189(b)(2) requires the record to include the student's name, the kind of test, the date of the endorsement, and the results of the test.
CFI recordkeeping audit
FAR 61.189 flight instructor records checklist
Source checked: 14 CFR § 61.189; date_retrieved: 2026-05-29.
§61.189 is three obligations, not one: sign the trainee’s logbook, keep your own solo endorsement record, and keep your own test endorsement record with the results. The trap is treating the student’s logbook as your record — the §61.189(b) record is the instructor’s, retained for at least 3 years under §61.189(c).
| Obligation | Where it lives | What it must contain |
|---|---|---|
Sign each trainee logbook §61.189(a) Signing the student logbook alone does not satisfy §61.189(b) — that is a separate record the instructor keeps. | The trainee's logbook | A signature for the flight training or ground training that instructor personally gave. |
Solo endorsement record §61.189(b)(1) It is the instructor’s record, not the student’s — the student keeping their own logbook does not cover the instructor’s obligation. | The instructor's own logbook or a separate document | The name of each person endorsed for solo flight privileges, and the date of the endorsement. |
Test endorsement record §61.189(b)(2) The results (pass/fail) are required — recording only the name and date is incomplete under (b)(2). | The instructor's own logbook or a separate document | The name of each person endorsed for a knowledge or practical test, the kind of test, the date, and the results. |
Where the §61.189(b) record can live
- A column or page in the instructor’s own pilot logbook
- A bound notebook kept solely for endorsement records
- A spreadsheet or electronic logbook export
- Any document that can be produced for the FAA on request
3-year retention under §61.189(c)
- The 3-year clock in §61.189(c) runs from the date of each record, not from when the certificate is issued.
- Retention applies to the §61.189(b) endorsement records — the instructor keeps these even after a student finishes training.
- A lapsed or expired flight instructor certificate does not erase the duty to retain records already made.
Related study pages
FAR §61.185The CFI knowledge requirement that precedes the recordkeeping duty.FAR §61.187Flight proficiency tasks a CFI must log and be ready to defend.For CFIsTrack endorsements and weak areas with GroundScholar after each lesson.Private Pilot ACSThe standard your endorsed applicants are tested against.
§61.189 questions instructors ask
Q1What does 14 CFR §61.189 require a flight instructor to keep?
FAR §61.189 requires a flight instructor to sign the logbook of each person they train, and to keep a separate record of every person endorsed for solo flight privileges (with the date) and every person endorsed for a knowledge or practical test (with the kind of test, the date, and the results).
Q2How long must a flight instructor keep records under FAR 61.189?
At least 3 years. §61.189(c) requires the instructor to retain the endorsement records described in §61.189(b) for a minimum of three years from the date of each record.
Q3Does §61.189 require recording knowledge and practical test results?
Yes. §61.189(b)(2) requires the instructor’s record to show not only the name of the person endorsed for a knowledge or practical test, but also the kind of test, the date, and the results — so pass/fail outcomes must be captured.
Q4Where can a flight instructor keep the §61.189 endorsement records?
The rule lets the instructor use a logbook or a separate document. That can be the instructor’s own pilot logbook, a dedicated notebook, or an electronic record — as long as it captures the required details and can be produced for the FAA.
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