Hold a commercial or airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate with an aircraft rating appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought (e.g., airplane, glider).

a. You must also hold an instrument rating to be a flight instructor in an airplane.

Receive and log ground training (such as using Fundamentals of Instructing FAA Knowledge Test, Flight Instructor Flight Maneuvers and Practical Test Prep, and Pilot Handbook to learn

a. Fundamentals of instructing (FOI)

b. All other subject areas in which ground training is required for recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificates and for an instrument rating

Pass both the FOI and the flight instructor knowledge tests with scores of 70% or better.

a. You are not required to take the FOI knowledge test if you

1. Hold an FAA flight or ground instructor certificate

2. Hold a current teacher's certificate authorizing you to teach at an educational level of the 7th grade or higher

3. Are employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university

Demonstrate flight proficiency (FAR 61.187).

a. You must receive and log flight and ground training and obtain a logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor on the following areas of operations for an airplane category rating with a single-engine class rating.

1. Fundamentals of instructing
2. Technical support areas
3. Preflight preparation
4. Preflight lesson on a maneuver to be performed in flight
5. Preflight procedures
6. Airport and seaplane base operations
7. Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds
8. Fundamentals of flight
9. Performance maneuvers
10. Ground reference maneuvers
11. Slow flight, stalls, and spins
12. Basic instrument maneuvers
13. Emergency operations
14. Postflight procedures

b. The flight instruction must be given by a person who has held a flight instructor certificate during the 24 months immediately preceding the date the instruction is given and who has given at least 200 hr. of flight instruction as a CFI.

c. You must also obtain a logbook endorsement by an appropriately certificated and rated flight instructor who has provided you with spin entry, spin, and spin recovery training in an airplane that is certificated for spins and has found you instruction ally competent and proficient in those training areas, i.e., so you can teach spins.