A Qualified Flying Instructor is someone who is qualified to conduct flight training for pilots. They may also have other roles in aviation, such as aircraft certification and flight reviews, depending on the jurisdiction. Every country has its own rules and regulations as regards the qualification process. Below are some examples.
In Australia there are separate classifications for regular flight instructors and simulator only instructors. A flight instructor rating requires one of the following: a private pilot licence (PPL); a commercial pilot licence (CPL); or an air transport pilot licence. In addition, a candidate must meet educational requirements, complete training, and pass a flight test for at least one training endorsement. [1]
The UK's military aviation forces train Qualified Flying Instructors to teach flying training to new pilots. The QFI Course can vary from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the complexity of the aircraft involved. Royal Air Force QFIs are entitled to the post nominals 'QFI'. Rotary wing aviators qualify as Qualified Helicopter Instructors, or QHIs. QFIs assigned to squadrons are rostered to fly widely with Squadron pilots, ensuring that updated techniques and standardisation is carried out at frontline units as well as training ones.
The QFI accreditation is focused on basic flying skills of an aircraft as opposed to tactics and operations.
Qualified Flying Instructor (abbr. QFI) is a term mainly used for pilots of Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard who have passed the appropriate course before being allowed to instruct flying an aircraft. The pilots are trained at Flying Instructors School of the Air Force.
QFI instructional categories is awarded by the Flying Instructors School (FIS) of the Indian Air Force. [2]
Flying Instructors School is based at Air Force Station Tambaram and trains operational pilots of the Indian Air Force, Indian Army, and Indian Navy. [3] [4]
The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.
No 208 (Reserve) Squadron was a reserve unit of the Royal Air Force, most recently based at RAF Valley, Anglesey, Wales. It operated the BAe Hawk aircraft, as a part of No. 4 Flying Training School. Due to obsolescence of its Hawk T.1 aircraft compared to the new-build Hawk T.2 aircraft of its sister unit, 4(R) Sqn, the squadron was disbanded in April 2016, in its 100th year of operations.
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a fighter training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Located at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, the unit trains pilots to operate the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II. Pilots new to the F-35 enter No. 2 2OCU after first qualifying to fly fast jets at No. 79 Squadron and undertaking initial fighter combat instruction at No. 76 Squadron. Once qualified on the F-35, they are posted to one of No. 81 Wing's operational Hornet units, No. 3 Squadron, No. 75 Squadron or No. 77 Squadron.
The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at RAF Little Rissington from 1946 to 1976. Its motto is Imprimis Praecepta, Latin for "The Teaching is Everlasting".
A fighter pilot or combat pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting. A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as an ace.
Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI) (queue-why) is a qualification given to graduates of the Royal Air Force (RAF) or Royal Navy (RN) Qualified Weapons Instructor courses. It is the equivalent to the United States Air Force (USAF) Weapons School Course or United States Navy (USN) Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center warfare schools.
A Volunteer Gliding Squadron (VGS) is an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) which provides flying training in glider aircraft for Royal Air Force Air Cadets. All current operational Volunteer Gliding Squadrons operate a sole type of aircraft, the Grob G103A Twin II Acro, a conventional winch-launched tandem-seat sailplane known by its British military designation, Viking T1.
727 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in 1943 as a Fleet Requirements Unit, being disbanded in December 1944. It was reformed twice in the 1940s and 1950s to provide flying experience for naval officers. The current squadron was created on 6 Dec 2001 from the Royal Naval Flying Training Flight. It operates the Grob Tutor, with its primary role to provide grading and legacy-Elementary Flying Training for Royal Navy and Royal Marine pilots under training. It also supports the Royal Navy's "Flying Start" flying scholarship scheme.
The Australian Army Aviation (AAAvn) is an administrative corps of the Australian Army. It was formed on 1 July 1968. The motto of the Australian Army Aviation corps is Vigilance.
The No. 1 Flying Training School is the oldest military pilot training school in the world, currently used to deliver rotary training to aircrew of the British armed forces.
Tambaram Air Force Station is an Indian Air Force airfield in Tambaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This Air Force station is primarily involved in the training of pilots as Qualified Flying Instructors and Mechanical Training Institute for airmen.
Number 115 Squadron is a Royal Air Force squadron operating the Grob Tutor T1, training QFIs for the RAF's Elementary Flying Training (EFT) squadrons and the University Air Squadrons, as well as undertaking evaluation and standardisation duties.
During World War II civilian flying schools, under government contract, provided a considerable part of the flying training effort undertaken by the United States Army Air Forces.
Liverpool University Air Squadron is a training unit of the Royal Air Force which provides basic flying training, adventurous training and personal development skills to undergraduate students of the University of Liverpool, University of Lancaster, Edge Hill University, Bangor University and Liverpool John Moores University.
Arup Raha, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, is an Indian Air Force veteran and was the 21st Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force and served from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2016. He was also the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, a post occupied by India's senior-most military officer, who advises the government and ensures jointsmanship in the armed forces. Currently, he is the Chancellor of Assam University.
The Flying Instructors School or FIS is a training institution of the Indian Air Force. The FIS trains operational pilots of the Indian Armed Forces and friendly foreign countries to be flying instructors. Pilots of the Indian Air Force, the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and friendly foreign countries join and graduate from the School as Qualified Flying Instructor. It is based at Air Force Station Tambaram, in the suburb of Chennai.
The INAS 551 is an Indian naval air squadron based at INS Dega, Visakhapatnam.
BidarAir Force Station is a flight training establishment of the Indian Air Force. It was founded during World War II and has been a training center for Indian Air Force pilots since 1963. Trainer aircraft like the HAL HT-2 and variants of HAL HJT-16 Kiran have been used at the airbase for nearly four decades. In 2011, the station was remodeled and refurbished, with the runway extended to 9000 feet and new facilities for aircraft engine maintenance and testing added.
Tammie Jo Shults is an American retired commercial airline captain, author, and former naval aviator. She was one of the first female fighter pilots to serve in the United States Navy. Following active duty she became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. She retired from Southwest Airlines in 2020.