Authorizing CFIs for a club

[DanH]

I'm looking for issues involved with a private flying club allowing CFIs
to instruct in its planes.

If the club just contracts with an FBO to provide instruction, than I
suppose this is a moot point, as the FBO takes responsibility. But what
if a club member CFI wants to provide instruction? What procedure
should the club use to approve a person to provide primary instruction
in its planes? Just saying "show me your current as a CFI and that you
have insurance" doesn't seem like enough. The FAA has supposedly
already authorized the CFI to instruct, but just being a CFI doesn't
make one a good, or even safe, instructor.

What is the liability of the clubs' board when they allow a CFI to
provide primary instruction in its planes?

Please let me know what has worked for you in cases like this.

Thank you!

[Gordon Young]

At our club, a prospective CFI must meet with the club Flight Safety Board
and pass their review. Then the FSB can recommend, or not, the CFI to the
board of directors for approval of instructor status. If the board of
directors votes in the affirmative, the CFI must then be checked out by one
of the club instructors and given a final approval.

Our club rules prohibit instruction in our aircraft by any CFI that has not
gone through this process and is a club member. The only exception is for
check rides given by designated examiners.


> I'm looking for issues involved with a private flying club allowing CFIs
> to instruct in its planes.
>
> If the club just contracts with an FBO to provide instruction, than I
> suppose this is a moot point, as the FBO takes responsibility. But what
> if a club member CFI wants to provide instruction? What procedure
> should the club use to approve a person to provide primary instruction
> in its planes? Just saying "show me your current as a CFI and that you
> have insurance" doesn't seem like enough. The FAA has supposedly
> already authorized the CFI to instruct, but just being a CFI doesn't
> make one a good, or even safe, instructor.
>
> What is the liability of the clubs' board when they allow a CFI to
> provide primary instruction in its planes?
>
> Please let me know what has worked for you in cases like this.
>
> Thank you!

[DanH]

wrote:
>
> What about using an outside CFII, do they need to also be approved by your club? They
> are really no different from a passenger if the club pilot is PIC anyway.
>
> Gordon Young > wrote:
> >
> > Our club rules prohibit instruction in our aircraft by any CFI that has not
> > gone through this process and is a club member. The only exception is for
> > check rides given by designated examiners.
> >
> >

That's the way our club rules read also: no instruction in club planes
unless by a club approved instructor (CFI or CFII). I think this may be
an insurance thing, though I think the club just doesn't want anyone
instructing in club planes unless the clubs' board has approved them.

We also have this restriction: club planes may not be used by club
member CFIs to train non-members.

DanH

[Robert M. Gary]

Usually the insurance co's set this up. Usually they simply require a
once-around-the-pattern flight with the chief instructor. I've had
FBOs fly with me less than 15 minutes before accepting me as a CFI,
others don't even require a flight. Most FBOs also put some sort of
public posting up letting students know that the CFIs are not
employees of the FBO, but are contractors. Some FBOs help ensure this
works by requiring the student to pay the CFI separate. The student
should also pick the CFI from the list. The FBO may receive some
liability if they assign students to CFIs. Of course, all the normal
employee vs contractor items must be followed. This can be pretty grey
and is different for each industry. For CFIs this usually means that
the CFI is not required to work a shift of set hours, but rather is
told what flights he is schedule for that day. The CFI can do anything
he wants to (including leave) between flights. If you require he also
do office work, etc, you can probably get in trouble. Remember, if the
student pays the FBO and you then issue the CFI a weekly check, you
must provide a 1040 tax form (contractor version of W-2).

-Robert


DanH > wrote in message >...
> I'm looking for issues involved with a private flying club allowing CFIs
> to instruct in its planes.
>
> If the club just contracts with an FBO to provide instruction, than I
> suppose this is a moot point, as the FBO takes responsibility. But what
> if a club member CFI wants to provide instruction? What procedure
> should the club use to approve a person to provide primary instruction
> in its planes? Just saying "show me your current as a CFI and that you
> have insurance" doesn't seem like enough. The FAA has supposedly
> already authorized the CFI to instruct, but just being a CFI doesn't
> make one a good, or even safe, instructor.
>
> What is the liability of the clubs' board when they allow a CFI to
> provide primary instruction in its planes?
>
> Please let me know what has worked for you in cases like this.
>
> Thank you!