Administered through the Federal Aviation Administration, the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) designation allows pilots to teach others to fly. Candidates for the CFI must be at least 18 years old and have fluent English language skills. The technical and industry standards for flight instructor certification are both complex and diverse. However, one of the most fundamental requirements is a commercial pilot or airline transport pilot certificate with the appropriate ratings attached. Other requirements include at least 15 hours as the pilot in command of a relevant aircraft and a relevant logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor.

To prove their overall understanding and skill, CFI candidates must successfully pass two written exams and a practical checkride test. The two written tests are the FAA Certified Flight Instructor Knowledge Exam and the Fundamentals of Instruction (FOI) Exam. The FAA exam emphasizes technical aviation knowledge, while the FOI exam emphasizes subjects that relate to teaching and learning.