TMetzinger
Final Approach
I got a Chief Counsel opinion back today on my question about a ground instructor recency of experience. I asked if a newly minted ground instructor needed an endorsement before beginning to instruct.
I've attached the opinion - in a nutshell they say that YES, a ground instructor must have the endorsement before providing instruction.
I understand the issue with a ground instructor certificate not expiring, and requiring some recency of experience, otherwise you can have a ground instructor who hasn't taught in decades just start teaching and endorsing. But I'm tempted to write back and ask how the FIRST EVER ground instructor was supposed to comply with this rule, if he was the only instructor on earth at the time. Theres a term in logic having to do with bootstrapping that applies here, I just don't know what it is.
Note that FLIGHT instructors don't have the same limitation - they're good to operate from the moment their certificate is issued to the moment it expires or is revoked.
I also believe that a ground instructor can still teach aviation related subjects outside the scope of 61.215, but teaching those subjects may not qualify as recent experience.
I've attached the opinion - in a nutshell they say that YES, a ground instructor must have the endorsement before providing instruction.
I understand the issue with a ground instructor certificate not expiring, and requiring some recency of experience, otherwise you can have a ground instructor who hasn't taught in decades just start teaching and endorsing. But I'm tempted to write back and ask how the FIRST EVER ground instructor was supposed to comply with this rule, if he was the only instructor on earth at the time. Theres a term in logic having to do with bootstrapping that applies here, I just don't know what it is.
Note that FLIGHT instructors don't have the same limitation - they're good to operate from the moment their certificate is issued to the moment it expires or is revoked.
I also believe that a ground instructor can still teach aviation related subjects outside the scope of 61.215, but teaching those subjects may not qualify as recent experience.