Rant about sillying CFI rating and BFR

Its that time again for me to complain. My CFI is coming up so I'm
going to add a rating to it (CFII). Of course, in the wise eyes of the
FAA this does not count as a BFR because it is not a "pilot
priviledge" but rather an instructor priv. I've gone around and around
with the Sacramento FSDO but they aren't interested in changing their
understanding. I guess I'll upgrade my sea rating to commercial
(should only take an hour of dual according to the sea school) as a
BFR. It seems strange that you can go through a full checkride as an
instructor but still have to do a BFR.
-Robert, CFI

The FSDO Inspector I flew with offered to make my CFI checkride "qualify" as
a BFR. She said it would just make sure she included all the BFR
requirements. I declined her the pleasure of putting me through any extra.
--
Jim Burns III

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"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...
Its that time again for me to complain. My CFI is coming up so I'm
going to add a rating to it (CFII). Of course, in the wise eyes of the
FAA this does not count as a BFR because it is not a "pilot
priviledge" but rather an instructor priv. I've gone around and around
with the Sacramento FSDO but they aren't interested in changing their
understanding. I guess I'll upgrade my sea rating to commercial
(should only take an hour of dual according to the sea school) as a
BFR. It seems strange that you can go through a full checkride as an
instructor but still have to do a BFR.
-Robert, CFI

I did ask the Sacramento guys about this. They said you couldn't do
that (in Sacramento, feel free to do it anywhere else) because a BFR
requires an hour of "instruction" and FSDO PIs and DEs are not allowed
to give any "instruction" on checkrides. These guys make a living on
this crazy system!

-Robert

"Jim" wrote in message ...
The FSDO Inspector I flew with offered to make my CFI checkride "qualify" as
a BFR. She said it would just make sure she included all the BFR
requirements. I declined her the pleasure of putting me through any extra.
--

BFR requires an hour of "instruction" and FSDO

That's not required if you got a flight instructor renewal, which you
would have.

The FSDO's interp matches the reg as written, so I don't blame them.

You're right about the instruction required, and that part of it raised a
question in my mind at the time. I didn't pursue it any further. I'll tell
you something even funnier... I actually had a CFI argue with me telling me
that he thought he should be able to give HIMSELF a BFR!
--
Jim Burns III

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"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
m...
I did ask the Sacramento guys about this. They said you couldn't do
that (in Sacramento, feel free to do it anywhere else) because a BFR
requires an hour of "instruction" and FSDO PIs and DEs are not allowed
to give any "instruction" on checkrides. These guys make a living on
this crazy system!

-Robert

"Jim" wrote in message
...
The FSDO Inspector I flew with offered to make my CFI checkride
"qualify" as
a BFR. She said it would just make sure she included all the BFR
requirements. I declined her the pleasure of putting me through any
extra.
--

I thought any new rating counted in place of a formal BFR.

Oh well, what do I know...

It has to be a "pilot" rating, can't be a "instructor" rating.
--
Jim Burns III

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"Blanche" wrote in message
...
I thought any new rating counted in place of a formal BFR.

Oh well, what do I know...

"Jim" wrote in message
...
| It has to be a "pilot" rating, can't be a "instructor" rating.
| --

The trouble is that some people in the FAA try to have it both ways. The
*flight* instructor is a pilot certificate for all practical purposes --
except when some idiot decides that it is an issue for a BFR.

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
om...
| Its that time again for me to complain. My CFI is coming up so I'm
| going to add a rating to it (CFII). Of course, in the wise eyes of the
| FAA this does not count as a BFR because it is not a "pilot
| priviledge" but rather an instructor priv.

Right up until the FAA decides to take some certificate action, demands to
see your pilot certificates, and includes your instructor certificate as one
of your pilot certificates. It is especially weird when you consider that
getting a hot air balloon certificate counts as a BFR even if your only
previous rating was multi-engine seaplanes and you have not flown in twenty
years.

However, there is nothing wrong with having an instructor sign off your BFR
when you are first obtaining or renewing an instructor certificate. Then you
have an entry in your logbook that specifically says the BFR was completed.

"Jim" wrote in message
...
| You're right about the instruction required, and that part of it raised a
| question in my mind at the time. I didn't pursue it any further. I'll
tell
| you something even funnier... I actually had a CFI argue with me telling
me
| that he thought he should be able to give HIMSELF a BFR!
| --

There once was a loophole in the regulations where this was legal. That
loophole has been closed with specific language preventing.