BFR from non-tailwheel CFI OK?

[4203]

A CFI friend has been giving me my BFR the last couple times, but now he is concerned that he may have overstepped his boundrys by doing that without having a tailwheel endorsement himself. I have 1220 hours in my C140, but want to stay legal.

Can my non-tailwheel CFI do my BFR next month?

Thanks in advance... Bill Suter Bluffton, Ohio

[6643]

I don't have a definitive answer for you. I always assumed that any current CFI could administer the BFR. While scratching my head, I came up with this scenario, though. If the "student" is outside the 2 year window then he cannot act as PIC, so the CFI would be PIC, and so must have all the requisite ratings and endorsements to act as PIC in the aircraft. So, for certain, if your last BFR is out of date then the CFI needs a tailwheel endorsement to conduct the BFR in a tailwheel airplane.

I don't recall for certain, but, if you're going to do any work "under the hood" does the CFI become PIC?

However, you do not have to do the BFR in a tailwheel aircraft...

[8342]

John is correct.
If the student is current, then he is PIC and can receive a flight review from a none tail wheel endorsed CFI.
If he is not current the CFI is the PIC and must have all necessary endorsements.
"Under the hood" does not require the CFI to be PIC.

Rick

[4203]

I am current, and not an IFR pilot, so it looks like I am good to go.

Thanks, for the info!

[6930]

I had this issue crop up too. I wanted one of my first primary students who, 25 years later, is now a colonel in the Air National Guard as well as a 747 pilot to do my flight review in my 140. But he does not have a tailwheel endorsement.

I was current and within my 24 month flight review period so we agreed that he could do it. Neither of us could find anything definitive in the FAR’s on this. BUT to be honest, I think if we went to the FAA for a LOI (letter of interpretation) the answer would have been no. I didn’t ask.

Another “vote” for the CFI not needing to act as PIC during hood time. With that said, however, safety pilot (CFI or otherwise) is a mandatory Second in Command role. SIC currency rules are more relaxed than PIC rules but it is implied (in my opinion) that the CFI be rated in the aircraft.

Interestingly enough, a CFI can instruct with a Basic Med (or no medical at all if the student is rated and current) but must have a minimum 3rd class Medical for SIC time when the PIC is under the hood.

It is all just too confusing.