§ 61.185 Aeronautical knowledge
14 CFR Part 61 — Subpart H—Flight Instructors Other than Flight Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating
Official text — 14 CFR § 61.185
REGULATION — LEGALLY BINDING(a) A person who is applying for a flight instructor certificate must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on:
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the fundamentals of instructing, including:
(i) The learning process;
(ii) Elements of effective teaching;
(iii) Student evaluation and testing;
(iv) Course development;
(v) Lesson planning; and
(vi) Classroom training techniques.
(2) The aeronautical knowledge areas for a recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificate applicable to the aircraft category for which flight instructor privileges are sought; and
(3) The aeronautical knowledge areas for the instrument rating applicable to the category for which instrument flight instructor privileges are sought.
(b) The following applicants do not need to comply with paragraph (a)(1) of this section:
(1) The holder of a flight instructor certificate or ground instructor certificate issued under this part;
(2) The holder of a current teacher's certificate issued by a State, county, city, or municipality that authorizes the person to teach at an educational level of the 7th grade or higher; or
(3) A person employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university.
Reproduced from the eCFR. Text as amended through 2026-07-31. Verify against the official source before relying on it operationally.
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Text published in the Code of Federal Regulations. Regulations are legally binding on pilots and operators.