Is it permissible for a CFI to self-endorse?

A Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) is not allowed to self-endorse their own flight training records. The regulations stipulate that an endorsement must be made by an instructor who is acting independently of the student’s training; hence, a CFI cannot act as both instructor and student in the same context.

Endorsements serve a vital purpose in ensuring that a student pilot has met the necessary requirements for specific maneuvers or flight training tasks. This includes checkrides, solo flights, and other training milestones. The intention of requiring an independent endorsement is to maintain an objective record of a student’s competence rather than allowing the instructor to approve themselves, which could lead to conflicts of interest and diminish the integrity of the training process.

Self-endorsement could lead to concerns about accountability and transparency. For these reasons, regulatory guidelines and industry standards have firmly established that a CFI must obtain endorsements from another qualified instructor for areas such as solo flight, flight reviews, or other required training assessments.