Definition
A certificated flight instructor whose certificate carries an Airplane category rating, authorizing them to provide flight instruction toward pilot certificates and ratings in airplanes within the class and type ratings held on their instructor certificate.
Plain English
A flight instructor who is qualified to teach people how to fly airplanes. The '-A' tells you their instructor certificate covers the airplane category rather than helicopters, gliders, or other aircraft categories.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA training material when distinguishing airplane flight instructors from instructors for other types of aircraft.
Derivation
The '-A' suffix is FAA shorthand for 'Airplane.' It distinguishes this instructor's category from other flight instructor categories such as CFI-H (Helicopter) or CFI-G (Glider).
Why Pilots Care
Confirms the instructor has passed FAA testing specific to airplane operations, ensuring instruction meets regulatory standards for safety and legality.
Intuition Check
The “A” does not mean a grade, quality level, or class rank. Here it means “airplane.”
Example Sentence 1
The student completed her cross-country training with a flight instructor-A who endorsed her logbook for the practical test.
Example Sentence 2
A flight instructor-A must demonstrate both instructional knowledge and airplane handling skills during the practical test.