175 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 121.412 

an appropriate medical certificate may 
function as check airmen, but may not 
serve as pilot flightcrew members in 
operations under this part. 

(f) A check airman (simulator) must 

accomplish the following— 

(1) Fly at least two flight segments 

as a required crewmember for the type 
airplane involved within the 12-month 
period preceding the performance of 
any check airman duty in an FFS; or 

(2) Satisfactorily complete an ap-

proved line-observation program with-
in the period prescribed by that pro-
gram and that must precede the per-
formance of any check airman duty in 
an FFS. 

(g) The flight segments or line-obser-

vation program required in paragraph 
(f) of this section are considered to be 
completed in the month required if 
completed in the calendar month be-
fore or in the calendar month after the 
month in which it is due. 

[Doc. No. 28471, 61 FR 30741, June 17, 1996, as 
amended by Amdt. 121–344, 74 FR 34235, July 
15, 2009; Amdt. 121–366, 78 FR 67837, Nov. 12, 
2013; Amdt. 121–382, 85 FR 10922, Feb. 25, 2020] 

§ 121.412 Qualifications: Flight instruc-

tors (airplane) and flight instruc-

tors (simulator). 

(a) For the purposes of this section 

and § 121.414: 

(1) A flight instructor (airplane) is a 

person who is qualified to instruct in 
an airplane, in an FFS, or in a flight 
training device for a particular type 
airplane. 

(2) A flight instructor (simulator) is a 

person who is qualified to instruct, but 
only in an FFS, in a flight training de-
vice, or both, for a particular type air-
plane. 

(3) Flight instructors (airplane) and 

flight instructors (simulator) are those 
instructors who perform the functions 
described in § 121.401(a)(4). 

(b) No certificate holder may use a 

person nor may any person serve as a 
flight instructor (airplane) in a train-
ing program established under this sub-
part unless, with respect to the air-
plane type involved, that person— 

(1) Holds the airman certificates and 

rating required to serve as a pilot in 
command or flight engineer, as appli-
cable, in operations under this part; 

(2) Has satisfactorily completed the 

appropriate training phases for the air-
plane, including recurrent training, 
that are required to serve as a pilot in 
command or flight engineer, as appli-
cable, in operations under this part; 

(3) Has satisfactorily completed the 

appropriate proficiency or flight 
checks that are required to serve as a 
pilot in command or flight engineer, as 
applicable, in operations under this 
part; 

(4) Has satisfactorily completed the 

applicable training requirements of 
§ 121.414, including inflight training and 
practice for initial and transition 
training; 

(5) Holds at least a Class III medical 

certificate unless serving as a required 
crewmember, in which case holds a 
Class I or a Class II medical certificate 
as appropriate; and 

(6) Has satisfied the recency of expe-

rience requirements of § 121.439 of this 
part, as applicable. 

(c) No certificate holder may use a 

person, nor may any person serve as a 
flight instructor (simulator) in a train-
ing program established under this sub-
part, unless, with respect to the air-
plane type involved, that person meets 
the provisions of paragraph (b) of this 
section, or— 

(1) Holds the airman certificates and 

ratings, except medical certificate, re-
quired to serve as a pilot in command 
or flight engineer, as applicable, in op-
erations under this part; 

(2) Has satisfactorily completed the 

appropriate training phases for the air-
plane, including recurrent training, 
that are required to serve as a pilot in 
command or flight engineer, as appli-
cable, in operations under this part; 

(3) Has satisfactorily completed the 

appropriate proficiency or flight 
checks that are required to serve as a 
pilot in command or flight engineer, as 
applicable, in operations under this 
part; and 

(4) Has satisfactorily completed the 

applicable training requirements of 
§ 121.414. 

(d) Completion of the requirements 

in paragraphs (b) (2), (3), and (4) or (c) 
(2), (3), and (4) of this section as appli-
cable shall be entered in the individ-
ual’s training record maintained by the 
certificate holder. 

176 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 121.413 

(e) Flight instructors who have 

reached their 65th birthday or who do 
not hold an appropriate medical cer-
tificate may function as flight instruc-
tors, but may not serve as pilot 
flightcrew members in operations 
under this part. 

(f) A flight instructor (simulator) 

must accomplish the following— 

(1) Fly at least two flight segments 

as a required crewmember for the type 
of airplane within the 12-month period 
preceding the performance of any 
flight instructor duty in an FFS (and 
must hold a Class I or Class II medical 
certificate as appropriate); or 

(2) Satisfactorily complete an ap-

proved line-observation program with-
in the period prescribed by that pro-
gram preceding the performance of any 
flight instructor duty in an FFS. 

(g) The flight segments or line-obser-

vation program required in paragraph 
(f) of this section is considered com-
pleted in the month required if com-
pleted in the calendar month before, or 
the calendar month after the month in 
which it is due. 

[Doc. No. 28471, 61 FR 30742, June 17, 1996; 61 
FR 34927, July 3, 1996; 62 FR 3739, Jan. 24, 
1997; Amdt. 121–264, 62 FR 23120, Apr. 28, 1997; 
Amdt. 121–344, 74 FR 34235, July 15, 2009; 
Amdt. 121–355, 76 FR 35104, June 16, 2011; 
Amdt. 121–366, 78 FR 67837, Nov. 12, 2013; 
Amdt. 121–382, 85 FR 10922, Feb. 25, 2020] 

§ 121.413 Initial, transition and recur-

rent training and checking require-

ments: Check airmen (airplane), 

check airmen (simulator). 

(a) No certificate holder may use a 

person nor may any person serve as a 
check airman unless— 

(1) That person has satisfactorily 

completed initial or transition check 
airman training; and 

(2) Within the preceding 24 calendar 

months that person satisfactorily con-
ducts a check or supervises operating 
experience under the observation of an 
FAA inspector or an aircrew des-
ignated examiner employed by the op-
erator. The observation check may be 
accomplished in part or in full in an 
airplane, in an FFS, or in a flight 
training device. 

(b) The observation check required 

by paragraph (a)(2) of this section is 
considered to have been completed in 
the month required if completed in the 

calendar month before, or the calendar 
month after, the month in which it is 
due. 

(c) The initial ground training for 

check airmen must include the fol-
lowing: 

(1) Check airman duties, functions, 

and responsibilities. 

(2) The applicable Code of Federal 

Regulations and the certificate hold-
er’s policies and procedures. 

(3) The appropriate methods, proce-

dures, and techniques for conducting 
the required checks. 

(4) Proper evaluation of student per-

formance including the detection of— 

(i) Improper and insufficient train-

ing; and 

(ii) Personal characteristics of an ap-

plicant that could adversely affect 
safety. 

(5) The appropriate corrective action 

in the case of unsatisfactory checks. 

(6) The approved methods, proce-

dures, and limitations for performing 
the required normal, abnormal, and 
emergency procedures in the airplane. 

(7) For check airmen who conduct 

training or checking in an FFS or a 
flight training device, the following 
subjects specific to the device(s) for the 
airplane type: 

(i) Proper operation of the controls 

and systems; 

(ii) Proper operation of environ-

mental and fault panels; 

(iii) Data and motion limitations of 

simulation; and 

(iv) The minimum airplane simulator 

equipment required by this part or part 
60 of this chapter, for each maneuver 
and procedure completed in an FFS or 
a flight training device. 

(d) The transition ground training for 

check airmen must include the fol-
lowing: 

(1) The approved methods, proce-

dures, and limitations for performing 
the required normal, abnormal, and 
emergency procedures applicable to the 
airplane to which the check airman is 
transitioning. 

(2) For check airmen who conduct 

training or checking in an FFS or a 
flight training device, the following 
subjects specific to the device(s) for the 
airplane type to which the check air-
man is transitioning: