This service might be interesting for an EASA flight school or private individual seeking for the freelance FIE(A) examiner for FI(A) assessment of competence.

 ⚠️ What is FI(A) assessment of competence ✈️

FI(A) or FI assessment of competence is the checkride - with an EASA examiner - so-called Flight Instructor Examiner - FIE. The aim of the checkride is to assess the competence of the Exam candidate to provide the flight training. Since in accordance with GM1 FCL.905.FI(h)/2) the FSTDs should not be used to pass an assessment of competence on the class or type of aircraft the FI assessment of competence can be done only on single-engine piston - SEP(land) aircraft.

Privileges ✅ of the Flight Instructor

The Flight Instructor certificate is valid for 36 months iaw FCL.940. The privileges of a Flight Instructor iaw FCL.905.FI are to instruct for the flight training for issue, revalidation and renewal of different kind of licenses and ratings as follows:

  • according FCL.905.FI(a) - flight training for obtain of the private pilot license - PPL(A) and the light airplane pilot license - LAPL(A)
  • according FCL.905.FI(b) - flight training for obtain and renewal SE(SPA) class ratings and type ratings, thus the flight training on the airplanes within class SEP(land) and TMG or single engine type ratings - eg. Zlin Z-137, Pilatus PC-12, etc.
  • according FCL.905.FI(c) flight training for class and type ratings for single-pilot aeroplanes, except for single-pilot high-performance complex aeroplanes, in multi-pilot operations
  • according FCL.905.FI (e) - flight training to obtain of the commercial pilot license - CPL (A) (minimum required flight hours as an instructor - at least 200h)
  • according FCL.905.FI (f) - VFR night flight training (additional examination of the instructor is required)
  • according FCL.905.FI (g) - flight training for the obtain of special ratings for towing gliders, banners and aerobatics training (additional examination is required)
  • according FCL.905.FI (h) - flight training for the obtain and renewal of the instrument rating - IR(A), basic instrument rating - BIR(A), enroute instrument rating - EIR(A) and Competency based Instrument Ratings - CB-IR(A) (the requirement for further training and checking withing the scope of IRI(A))
  • according FCL.905.FI(i) - flight training for obtain and renewal ME(SPA) class ratings and type ratings, thus the flight training on the airplanes within class MEP(land) Privileges, training and checking are similar to CRI(A)/ME(SPA)
  • According FCL.905.FI (j) - flight training to obtain and renewal of instructor certificates - flight instructor FI(A), instrument rating instructor IRI(A), class rating instructor CRI, synthetic training instructor STI and Mountain Instructor  (additional examination required after acquiring at least of the 500 flight hours as an instructor)
  • According FCL.905.FI (k) - flight training for the MPL (requires additional training and checking)

The further extension of the privileges of the flight instructor - FI(A) depends on the number of hours flown, hours flown as a flight instructor - FI(A) and additional flight instructor training and checking - instructor assessment of competence.

FI Restricted privileges

Just after passing the initial flight instructor assessment of competence, the privileges held by the flight instructor FI(A) are limited in accordance FCL.910.FI to provide flight instruction under the supervision of a senior flight instructor FI(A).

The holder of a flight instructor FI(A) certificate is authorized to perform only the following flight training within the scope of his restricted privileges:

  • flight training to obtain - of a private pilot license - PPL(A) - FCL.910.FI(a)(1)
  • flight training to obtain - of a ligh airplanes pilot license - LAPL(A)  - FCL.910.FI(a)(1)
  • flight training within the an integrated flight training course of the airplane transport pilot license ATPL(A) up to the level of the private pilot license - PPL(A)  - FCL.910.FI(a)(2)
  • flight training to issue the class ratings for a single pilot single-engine airplanes - SEP(land) or TMG, etc  - FCL.910.FI(a)(3)
  • flight training to obtain the qualification for VFR night flights (if an instructor holds the qualification for VFR night flights)  - FCL.910.FI(a)(4)
  • flight training to obtain the qualification for towing banners and gliders (if an instructor holds the qualification for towing banners and gliders) -  FCL.910.FI(a)(4)
  • flight training for aerobatic flying (if an instructor holds the qualification for aerobatics)  - FCL.910.FI(a)(4)

Limitation in this case refers to the fact that the flight instructor - FI (A) limited by FCL.910.FI do not allow flight instructor to to authorise student pilots to conduct first solo flights and first solo cross-country flights. 

Restrictions in accordance with the FCL.910.FI may be removed based on the recommendation of an senior - supervising flight instructor once meeting following requirements:

  • 100 flight hours of flight training
  • supervised at least 25 solo flights of the students

Upon remove restrictions of the flight instructor FI(A) certificate in accordance with FCL.910.FI a holder of a flight instructor FI(A) certificate will be able to approve the student pilots for their first solo flight and first solo cross-country flight.

Pre-requisites of FI(A) AoC ✅

Before attending the FI(A) assessment of competence, the Exam candidate has to attend the flight training course in flight school. The pre-requisites for obtaining the FI(A) are specified in FCL.915.FI:

  • 10 hours of instrument flight instruction in aeroplanes, of which not more than 5 hours may be instrument ground time in an FSTD;
  • 20 hours of VFR cross-country flight on aeroplane as PIC; and
  • hold a commercial pilot license CPL(A); or
  • hold a private pilot license PPL(A) and have:
    • except for an FI(A) providing training for the light aircraft pilot license LAPL(A) only, passed the commercial pilot license CPL theoretical knowledge examination, which may be taken without completing a CPL theoretical knowledge training course and which shall not be valid for the issue of a commercial pilot license CPL; and
    • completed at least 200 hours of flight time on aeroplanes or TMGs, of which 150 hours as PIC; have completed at least 30 hours on single-engine piston powered aeroplanes of which at least 5 hours shall have been completed during the 6 months preceding the pre-entry flight test set out in FCL.930.FI(a);
    • have completed a VFR cross-country flight as PIC, including a flight of at least 540 km (300 NM) in the course of which full stop landings at 2 different aerodromes shall be made;

FI Training course ✅

Before attending the FI training course, FI candidate shall passed specific pre-entry flight test with an flight instructor qualified in accordance with FCL.905.FI(j) within the 6 months preceding the start of the course, to assess their ability to undertake the course. The flight instructor should be able to identify common errors and how to correct them properly, which should be emphasised at all times. The aim of the FI training course is to provide the training up to the level of competence defined in FCL.920 and adequate to flight instructor.  In accordance with FCL.930.FI, the FI training course consists of three parts:

  • Part 1: teaching and learning (AMC1 FCL.920);
    • 25 hours of theoretical knowledge instruction.
  • Part 2: technical training
    • 100 hours of theoretical knowledge instruction, including progress tests;
  • Part 3: flight instruction
    • 30 hours of flight instruction, of which 25 hours shall be dual flight instruction, of which 5 hours may be conducted in an FFS, an FNPT I or II or an FTD 2/3;

Conduct of FI ✈️ assessment

The format and application form for the FI assessment of competence are determined by the state of license issue. For the purpose of FI assessment, an aircraft that meets the requirements for training aircraft shall be met. EASA FIE examiner acts as the PIC, except in circumstances agreed upon by the EASA examiner when another instructor is designated as Pilot-in-command for the flight.

During the assessment of competence the Exam candidate occupies the seat normally occupied by the Flight instructor. The EASA examiner functions as the ‘student’. The Exam candidate is required to explain the relevant exercises and to demonstrate their conduct to the ‘student’, where appropriate.

Thereafter, the ‘student’ executes the same manoeuvres (if the ‘student’ is the EASA examiner or another instructor, this can include typical mistakes of inexperienced students). The Exam candidate is expected to correct mistakes orally or, if necessary, by intervening physically.

The FI assessment of competence should also include additional demonstration exercises, as decided by the EASA examiner and agreed upon with the Exam candidate before the assessment. These additional exercises should be related to the training requirements for the applicable instructor certificate. In case of FI, those exercises are focused on the exercises of PPL training syllabus.

All relevant exercises of FI assessment of competence shall be completed within a period of 6 months. However, all exercises should, where possible, be completed on the same day. In principle, failure in any exercise requires a retest covering all exercises, with the exception of those that may be retaken separately. The EASA examiner may terminate the assessment at any stage if they consider that a retest is required.

Content of Flight instructor ✈️ assessment

Section 1 - the oral theoretical knowledge examination part of the assessment of competence, is subdivided into two parts:

  • The Exam candidate is required to give a lecture under test conditions to other ‘student(s)’, one of whom will be the EASA FIE(A) examiner. The test lecture is to be selected from items of section 1. The amount of time for preparation of the test lecture is agreed upon beforehand with the FIE(A) examiner. Appropriate literature may be used by the applicant. The test lecture should not exceed 45 minutes;
  • The applicant is tested orally by an EASA examiner for knowledge of items of Section 1 and the ‘core instructor competencies: teaching and learning’ content given in the instructor courses.

Sections 2, 3 and 5 - sections comprise exercises to demonstrate the ability to be an Flight instructor chosen by the examiner from the flight syllabus of the Flight instructor training course. The Exam candidate is required to demonstrate Flight instructor abilities, including briefing, flight instruction and de-briefing.

Section 4 comprises additional Flight Instructor demonstration exercises for multi-engine aircraft. This section is completed in addition to sections 2, 3 and 5.

  • Section 1: Theoretical knowledge
    • 1.1. Air law
    • 1.2 Aircraft general knowledge
    • 1.3 Flight performance and planning
    • 1.4 Human performance and limitations
    • 1.5 Meteorology
    • 1.6 Navigation
    • 1.7 Operational procedures
    • 1.8 Principles of flight
    • 1.9 Training administration
  • Section 2: Pre-flight Briefing
    • 2.1 Visual presentation
    • 2.1 N/A
    • 2.3 Technical accuracy
    • 2.4 Clarity of explanation
    • 2.5 Clarity of speech
    • 2.6 Instructional technique
    • 2.7 Use of models and aids
    • 2.8 Student participation
  • Section 3: Flight
    • 3.1 Arrangement of demo
    • 3.2 Synchronisation of speech with demo
    • 3.3 Correction of faults
    • 3.4 Aircraft handling
    • 3.5 Instructional technique
    • 3.6 General airmanship and safety
    • 3.7 Positioning and use of airspace
  • Section 4: Multi-engine exercises
    • 4.1 Actions following an engine failure shortly after take-off
    • 4.2 SE approach and go-around
    • 4.3 SE approach and landing
  • Section 5: Post-flight de-briefing
    • 5.1 Visual presentation
    • 5.2 Technical accuracy
    • 5.3 Clarity of explanation
    • 5.4 Clarity of speech
    • 5.5 Instructional technique
    • 5.6 Use of models and aids
    • 5.7 Student participation

Pass criteria ✅ of the EASA FI(A) assessment

The Exam candidate for instrument rating instructor shall be assessed in order to verify the competences required by FCL.920. The FI assessment of competence should be made against performance standards described in AMC1 FCL.920 in following areas: 

  • Prepare resources,
  • Create a climate conducive to learning,
  • Present knowledge,
  • Integrate Threat and Error Management (TEM) and crew resource management,
  • Manage time to achieve training objectives,
  • Facilitate learning,
  • Assess trainee performance,
  • Monitor and review progress,
  • Evaluate training sessions,
  • Report outcome.
  • Prepare resources,
  • Create a climate conducive to learning,
  • Present knowledge,
  • Integrate Threat and Error Management (TEM) and crew resource management,
  • Manage time to achieve training objectives,
  • Facilitate learning,
  • Assess trainee performance,
  • Monitor and review progress,
  • Evaluate training sessions,
  • Report outcome.