CFI and Ground Instruct
 

Is it neccesary to have a Ground Instructor Certificate to act as a CFI?

Negative...

61.183 lists the requirements.

Nope. FI > GI, so there's no benefit to doing both of them.

You might think about taking the AGI written test. I believe you need it to get your gold seal.

AGI or IGI to earn Gold Seal. I went the IGI route.

Also, the ground instructor doesn't expire like the CFI does.

Same story with me...got my IGI so I could add the Gold Seal..and yes, your ground instructor certs never expire...for whatever reason.

AND I'll second that having a CFI or II or MEI and no AGI/IGI is good enough to teach your students both in the air and the requisite ground knowledge.

Good question though. :)

Except you will get out of doing the FOI oral portion on your checkride :p

Don't count on it - certainly not at the Richmond FSDO.

Knew a dude at my flight school (university) who lost his medical (and his CFI ticket), but had an AGI/IGI cert. Kept teaching ground school full time. Not a bad backup plan, plus it's an additional certificate to put on your resume.

How did he lose his CFI cert? Did he let it expire?

I guess if you become medically disqualified, want to teach ground, but don't want to bother with CFI renewal then an AGI/IGI might actually be useful!

Don't know details regarding his CFI cert, but you're probably right about not having to renew it. Technically could he still instruct without his medical? I've forgotten the rules on that stuff.

Don't need the medical to instruct as long as the student is rated and current to be PIC in the airplane.

Good deal, thanks.

Not at the Fort Worth FSDO either... When I did my CFI check I had the AGI already, still had a good amount of FOI questions. I did the AGI/IGI because the VA paid for it :D why not right?

As far as I can tell, CFI rides all depend on the examiner you have. We've all heard of horror stories and success stories.