It’s an unfortunate story I hear all too often as a DPE. A flight instructor missed renewing by their expiration date. Perhaps it was a technical issue and it wasn’t processed like it should have been in IACRA. Perhaps they forgot the exact month due to the month of the year changing at some point in their long tenure as a CFI. Now you’re stuck and trying to figure out how to get it back… so what are the options?
While I have heard of either local (FSDO) or national (Airmen Certification Branch) stepping in to help, it is very rare. The only way to resolve this would be if there was some sort of issue that was the fault of the DPE, FSDO, or Airmen Certification Branch. An example of this might be if the application for renewal was submitted by the applicant, signed by the certifying official, and then the airmen certification branch sent a correction notice (perhaps a wrong date of birth or other clerical error) that wasn’t forwarded properly or was missed. In that case, the activity was complete and documented, but required further action. In scenarios as such, the applicant is generally safe and after correcting the issue, the certificate can be issued. However, in cases where the FAA had never received any of the paperwork (application not submitted and certified), there is no way to “go back” and fix it clerically.
So now the applicant is left with the only options being a practical exam with an examiner as detailed in FAR 61.199:
§ 61.199 Reinstatement requirements of an expired flight instructor certificate.
(a) Flight instructor certificates. The holder of an expired flight instructor certificate who has not complied with the flight instructor renewal requirements of § 61.197 may reinstate that flight instructor certificate and ratings by filing a completed and signed application with the FAA and satisfactorily completing one of the following reinstatement requirements:
(1) A flight instructor certification practical test, as prescribed by § 61.183(h), for one of the ratings held on the expired flight instructor certificate.
(2) A flight instructor certification practical test for an additional rating.
(3) For military instructor pilots, provide a record showing that, within the preceding 6 calendar months from the date of application for reinstatement, the person—
(i) Passed a U.S. Armed Forces instructor pilot or pilot examiner proficiency check; or
(ii) Completed a U.S. Armed Forces’ instructor pilot or pilot examiner training course and received an additional aircraft rating qualification as a military instructor pilot or pilot examiner that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.
Out of all of these options for civilian pilots, the reinstatement practical exam is probably the shortest and easiest to accomplish. The PTS governs the activities required, and is very specific as to the requirements for reinstatement. For example, an applicant looking to reinstate all of their flight instructor ratings by taking a flight instructor airplane single engine practical exam will need only the following:
When we break down above, it only comes down to a fairly short exam. Here is an excerpt from my plan of action for a CFI reinstatement exam:
While it is a fairly short exam, the examiner can pick from any of those areas so being proficient in all of them is important. The same goes for a flight instructor instrument reinstatement:
While preparation is important, the reinstatement exam doesn’t require nearly as many tasks as an initial practical exam or adding a new rating. However, many people might want to use the opportunity to gain a new rating (such as multi engine instructor), which has its own additional task matrix in the PTS when adding an additional rating to an existing flight instructor certificate. Upon completion of the exam, an applicant would have all of their ratings back and it resets the clock for 2 years from the date of the exam for the expiration date.
An applicant doesn’t need a flight instructor to endorse them for the exam, but if an applicant fails the exam, then FAR 61.49 (retesting after failure) would apply, which requires an instructor to endorse the applicant for a retest.
Sarah is currently a FAA Safety Team Lead Representative, NAFI Master Instructor, Gold Seal Flight Instructor, and 737 captain for a Major U.S. airline. Sarah holds an ATP, CFI, CFII, MEI and has flown over 8700 hours. She holds a pilot license in 4 different countries (USA, Canada, Belize and Iceland – EASA) and has flown over 150 different types of airplanes in 25 different countries including oceanic crossings in small aircraft. Since aviation for work isn’t enough, she also lives in a hangar home on the west side of Houston! Although much of her flying is now professional in nature, she enjoys flying her Super Cub, Patches, on her days off. As a regular attendee of Oshkosh and local fly-ins, she enjoys the company and camaraderie that general aviation brings and is passionate about aviation safety and flight training.
FullThrottle Aviation Blog 
It can be very expensive…. Like $5000 expensive…
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