Why pay $50 to avoid the FSDO? I've renewed my CFI several times by filling out an 8710 (both for having the required number of students pass check rides and for recurrent training) and taking it to the FSDO. Each time I've been in and out in 15 minutes or so. No monsters or boogy man in sight in the Anchorage FSDO.

I'm one to say the phrase "Improper planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine." I'm a pathological procrastinator myself, and actually had my CFI-I ride that I was using to renew my CFI on the 31st of the month. Luckily the weather held up and all was well, but I learned my lesson. Just gotta get it done!

My CFI expires on Sep...im just deciding whether to do the GLEIM or AF...but thats not my big concern. Currently i'm living out of the USA and it looks like its gonig to be a little hard to be able to go to the FSDO and take the paper work....do any of you guys know if all the paperwork can just be mailed?


thanx for the insight

TI-

If you are out of the US due to military service, you can delay and renew when you get back stateside.

If you have readily available access to a scanner and phone, you might try calling up a FSDO here in the US and asking if they can do the renewal via the internet.

I recently renewed my CFI certificate this way through the CLT FSDO. I had a trip scheduled to the CLT airport, so I called the FSDO there to try to schedule an appointment to get my certificate renewed.

I ended up being transferred to Sylvia Kennedy, an Aviation Safety Technician who informed me that I could "Renew remotely and save myself a trip."

All you need to do is register for an IACRA account, submit an electronic 8710 and scan a few documents (Drivers License/Gov't ID, old CFI certificate, and Signed FIRC graduation certificate). Call the FSDO, submit the online 8710 and email the documents, then all it takes is about 3-4 minutes of working online at the same time as the AST does. You electronically verify and sign the 8710 over the phone, and within 10 minutes I had a temporary certificate emailed to my!

Easy as pie and saved me time/money/headache. Not all FSDO's have this system online yet, but hopefully you can find an AST or ASI that is willing to work with you. Good luck!

Oh man!....I owe you big time. I talked to Sylvia Kennedy and she said the exact same thing you posted here. Just working my way through the FIRC to get everything done.

If you come down to Costa Rica...."drinks" are on me!!

Once again, thanks a lot for the info.

TI-