FAR 61.215 — Ground Instructor Privileges
FAR 61.215 outlines what basic, advanced, and instrument ground instructors can teach, sign off, and recommend for knowledge tests and flight reviews.
In Plain English
FAR 61.215 defines what each type of ground instructor is allowed to do based on the rating they hold. There are three ratings, each with its own scope:
- Basic Ground Instructor (BGI): May teach the aeronautical knowledge areas for sport, recreational, and private pilot certificates and ratings, give the ground portion of those flight reviews, and recommend students for the knowledge test at those levels.
- Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI): May teach knowledge areas for any certificate or rating under Part 61 — except instrument — give any flight review (except the instrument portion), and sign off knowledge tests for any non-instrument certificate or rating.
- Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI): May teach the instrument rating knowledge areas, provide the ground training for an instrument proficiency check (IPC), and recommend students for the instrument knowledge test.
A ground instructor may endorse logbooks only within the limits of their ratings. Importantly, initial flight instructor (CFI) applicants cannot get their required ground training from a ground instructor — that must come from an authorized instructor under §61.195(h)(1). This rule matters because using the wrong instructor can invalidate an endorsement and disqualify a student from testing.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 61.215§ 61.215 Ground instructor privileges.
(a) A person who holds a basic ground instructor rating is authorized to provide—
(1) Ground training in the aeronautical knowledge areas required for the issuance of a sport pilot certificate, recreational pilot certificate, private pilot certificate, or associated ratings under this part;
(2) Ground training required for a sport pilot, recreational pilot, and private pilot flight review; and
(3) A recommendation for a knowledge test required for the issuance of a sport pilot certificate, recreational pilot certificate, or private pilot certificate under this part.
(b) A person who holds an advanced ground instructor rating is authorized to provide:
(1) Ground training on the aeronautical knowledge areas required for the issuance of any certificate or rating under this part except for the aeronautical knowledge areas required for an instrument rating.
(2) The ground training required for any flight review except for the training required for an instrument rating.
(3) A recommendation for a knowledge test required for the issuance of any certificate or rating under this part except for an instrument rating.
(c) A person who holds an instrument ground instructor rating is authorized to provide:
(1) Ground training in the aeronautical knowledge areas required for the issuance of an instrument rating under this part;
(2) Ground training required for an instrument proficiency check; and
(3) A recommendation for a knowledge test required for the issuance of an instrument rating under this part.
(d) A person who holds a ground instructor certificate is authorized, within the limitations of the ratings on the ground instructor certificate, to endorse the logbook or other training record of a person to whom the holder has provided the training or recommendation specified in paragraphs (a) through (c) of this section.
(e) Ground training provided to an initial applicant for a flight instructor certificate may only be provided by an authorized instructor in accordance with § 61.195(h)(1).
[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997, as amended by Amdt. 61-110, 69 FR 44869, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 61-124, 74 FR 42562, Aug. 21, 2009; Docket FAA-2023-0825, Amdt. 61-155, 89 FR 80052, Oct. 1, 2024]
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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What can a Basic Ground Instructor teach and endorse?
Per FAR 61.215(a), a BGI can provide ground training and flight review ground training for sport, recreational, and private pilot certificates, and can recommend applicants for those knowledge tests.
Q2If you hold an Advanced Ground Instructor rating, can you prepare a student for the instrument knowledge test?
No. FAR 61.215(b) specifically excludes instrument rating knowledge areas from AGI privileges — instrument ground training and test recommendations require an Instrument Ground Instructor rating under FAR 61.215(c).
Q3Can a ground instructor provide the ground training for an initial CFI applicant?
No. FAR 61.215(e) requires that ground training for an initial flight instructor applicant be provided only by an authorized instructor in accordance with §61.195(h)(1).
Studying for a checkride?
§61.113 Privileges & Limits
Private pilot compensation, pro-rata sharing, and BasicMed limits
§61.57 Recent Flight Experience
90-day passenger, night, and instrument currency rules
§61.89 Student Pilot Limitations
Solo student limits: no passengers, no compensation, minimum visibility
§61.51 Pilot Logbooks
Logging training, aeronautical experience, and recency for certificates
§61.23 Medical Certificate Duration
First-, second-, and third-class medical requirement and validity periods
Instrument Rating Requirements
IFR eligibility and aeronautical experience
Related Sections in Part 61