Originally Posted by
TXTECHKA
you can renew in any aircraft and all instructor certificates held will be renewed. My dad just did it a while back in a 172 and he hadn't had his cfi current since I don't know like the 80s. Category and class doesn't refer to complex; the initial cfi has to be taken in a complex though...
Just telling him what the law says. I asked a friend who is a DPE this question a few minutes ago, and he says
In answer to your questions:
1. You can renew your CFI certificate using any airplane for which you are rated and it renews all CFI certificates.
Example: If you are a CFI - Airplane Single and Multi-Engine, Instrument, and Glider, you can take your renewal checkride in a non-complex airplane, complex airplane, Multi-engine airplane, or glider and all are renewed.
If I do this, I typically will ask questions about the others certificates. I can do any CFI checkride except an initial CFI ride. The initial CFI ride still needs to be conducted by the FSDO and a complex airplane is required for that.
So, there you have an expert opinion.
You might however run into another problem. Some airplanes have a weight restriction that affects what category it may be used in. The airplane needs to be able to do spins which is allowed for utility and aerobatic category aircraft. But the airplane you want to use may have a dual certification requiring a weight limit for use in the utility category, such as a Cessna 172S Nav III which must be less than 2208 lbs. leaving the useful load at 345 pounds for everything aboard including the fuel. To fly with anyone but the lightest examiner aboard would put it in the normal category, which is not approved for spins. In that case I would present the issue to the examiner and let him decide what aircraft to use. The 152 would work if the examiner doesn't put it over gross weight.