Glossary
Instructor (CFI)
Definition
A Certified Flight Instructor authorized to provide flight training. CFIs hold certificates with ratings that determine what instruction they can give — CFI for single-engine, CFII for instrument, MEI for multi-engine.
Why It Matters
Instructors are a constrained resource at most flight schools. Scheduling must account for instructor availability, student-instructor pairing, and the instructor's certificate limitations. An instructor without a CFII rating cannot be assigned to instrument training flights.