Definition
A pilot who holds an FAA flight instructor certificate authorizing them to provide flight and ground instruction to student pilots and rated pilots seeking additional training, endorsements, or certificates. The certificate carries specific ratings (such as Airplane Single-Engine, Multi-Engine, or Instrument) that define the type of instruction the holder is authorized to give.
Plain English
A pilot who is officially qualified by the FAA to teach others how to fly and to sign off on the training required for student pilots to earn their certificates and ratings.
Context Anchor
You will see this term in pilot training, logbooks, FAA regulations, training records, and discussions about who is allowed to give required flight instruction.
Derivation
From Latin certificare, 'to make certain,' meaning the FAA has formally verified this person meets the standards required to teach flying. The word 'certified' here points to a specific legal authorization, not just a general claim of competence.
Why Pilots Care
Only a Certified Flight Instructor can legally provide the training and logbook endorsements required to progress toward a pilot certificate or rating.
Intuition Check
Do not assume any good pilot can be a Certified Flight Instructor. In this context, certified means officially authorized by the FAA to teach and sign off specific kinds of pilot training.
Example Sentence 1
Before her first solo, the student pilot received the required endorsement from her Certified Flight Instructor.
Example Sentence 2
A Certified Flight Instructor signed the student’s logbook to authorize the first solo flight.