Regulation Text
§ 61.417 Will my flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating list aircraft category and class ratings?
Your flight instructor certificate does not list aircraft category and class ratings. When you successfully pass the practical test for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating, regardless of the light-sport aircraft privileges you seek, the FAA will issue you a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating without any category and class ratings. The FAA will provide you with a logbook endorsement for the category and class of light-sport aircraft you are authorized to provide training in.
Research Notes
Research Notes — § 61.417 Certificate Listing: Category and Class
What Gets Listed on the Certificate
§ 61.417 addresses whether aircraft category and class ratings are explicitly printed on a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating, and how privileges are documented. This section clarifies the certificate structure for sport pilot instructors — which is slightly different from how traditional CFI category/class ratings appear on a standard flight instructor certificate.
Relationship to § 61.5 (Certificates)
Under § 61.5, the FAA issues certificates reflecting the holder's privileges. For sport pilot instructors, the privileges flow from the sport pilot certificate ratings combined with the instructor certificate. The interaction between these two documents defines the actual scope of instruction authorized.
Aircraft Category and Class Definitions
Aircraft categories relevant to sport pilot instructors include: airplane (single-engine land or sea), glider, lighter-than-air (balloon or airship), powered parachute (land or sea), weight-shift control (land or sea), and gyroplane. Class distinctions apply within some categories. See § 61.5(b)(1) for the full category/class list.
Practical Implication — Carrying Both Certificates
A sport pilot instructor must carry both their sport pilot certificate (or higher certificate as applicable) and their flight instructor certificate with sport pilot rating when providing instruction. Together, these documents establish the scope of authorized instruction. In practice, DPEs, FSDOs, and enforcement officers look at both certificates when evaluating the legality of instruction being provided.
Amendment History
AOA Notes
These notes correspond to the highlighted phrases in the regulation text above. Each one flags something worth knowing — a common misread, a checkride gotcha, or a practical pro tip.
CFI Commentary
Highlighted phrases in the regulation text above link to instructor notes at the bottom of this page. Look for the amber or blue highlights — each one flags a gotcha or a pro tip worth knowing.