eFIRC - Flight Instructor Refresher Online Course

Updated for 2025!

Sporty’s is pleased to offer its online eFIRC free as a convenient, effective, online recent experience validation option. This FIRC, updated and expanded for 2025, satisfies the requirements to validate your CFI recent experience and will vastly improve your teaching skills. Sporty’s eFIRC features an all-new online learning portal, universally accessible for PC, MAC, and mobile devices including iPad and Android platforms. There is no software to install. Simply log-in anywhere you have an internet connection and begin your flight instructor refresher training. Sporty’s eFIRC contains 16 lessons broken down into learning modules for ease of study, with a focus on modern training topics and practical tips for more effective flight instruction.

Topics include:

• Navigating in the 21st Century: Pilotage to GPS: TAA & Automation
• Security Related Special Use Airspace: What’s Going on—Where, and How to Stay Clear
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA): What Flight Instructors Have to Know to Stay Out of Trouble
• How to Teach Effectively and Build a Culture of Safety in Your Students and Your Workplace
• Safety Trends in GA: How CFIs Can Directly Contribute to Aviation Safety
• Pilot Deviations: Their Causes and How to Teach Your Students to Plan Ahead to Avoid Them
• How to Make the Best Use of the FAASTeam and the WINGS—Pilot Proficiency Program in Your Program of Instruction
• Regulatory, Policy, and Publication Changes and Updates
• How to Give an Effective and Useful Instrument Proficiency Check & Flight Review
• Ethics and Professionalism in the Role of the Flight Instructor
• How to Teach Pilots to Avoid Loss of Control
• Teaching the Airman Certification Standards
• Remote Pilot and Student PIlot Certificate Applications
• Wading Through the Changing Weather Products
• Explaining Aerodynamic Concepts
• Understanding and Teaching Advancements in Aviation Technology

Included with many lesson modules is Sporty’s award-winning video content. Complete with 3D animations and graphics, video-based learning helps to further explain complex topics in an effective and entertaining format. Instructors also can enjoy access to a host of supplemental resources that can be incorporated into your everyday teaching activity: guide to FAA endorsements, interactive FARs, popular FAA handbooks, and more. Sporty’s online learning system provides simple, easy-to-use navigation and the home portal provides a quick, graphical presentation of course progress. From the course home screen, you can quickly navigate to individual modules, allowing specific topics to be reviewed.

Flight instructors whose instructor privileges have not yet lapsed are eligible to validate their recent experience upon satisfactory completion of the FIRC. Flight Instructors within 3 calendar months of their recent experience end date may also use the FIRC as a basis to reinstate their instructing privileges. The provided graduation certificate must be submitted to a certifying official (aviation safety inspector, approved designated examiner, or airman certification representative) for the recent experience validation or reinstatement. Ground instructors may also receive a graduation certificate to meet the recent experience requirements of §61.217 (c). Other interested parties may complete the Sporty’s Academy FIRC and will receive a certificate of course completion upon satisfactory completion of the FIRC material. The estimated time to complete the FIRC material and take the required final exam is approximately 16.5 hours.

Paperless CFI Validation Available

Sporty's eFIRC has optional paperless CFI recent experience validation (ACR processing). Paperless processing requires 3 business days to complete and is an additional charge of $49.95.
 
Sporty’s Airman Certification Representative (ACR) Service is a time saving companion to Sporty’s eFIRC. Why waste time driving to your local FSDO when Sporty’s can process the eligible validation of your recent experience or the qualified reinstatement your instructing privileges from the convenience of your computer? You’ve got better things to do and Sporty’s is happy to help with their fully electronic service. With Sporty’s ACR service, you will complete your Sporty’s eFIRC, submit your application on IACRA, upload digital images of a few documents along with some additional information, and then sit back and relax. The ACR at Sporty’s Academy will review your documentation and send your IACRA application on to the FAA. You will then receive confirmation of your recent experience validation via the email address that you provided. If you have any issues along the way, Sporty’s Ohio-based Customer Service and FIRC instructors will be happy to assist you. 
 
Please note: Sporty’s ACR service may only be used by graduates of Sporty’s Academy’s eFIRC that are eligible for recent experience validation or a FIRC based reinstatement. Your Sporty’s eFIRC graduation certificate may not be expired. You may purchase the ACR service when you purchase your eFIRC, prior to completion of the eFIRC, or after completion of the eFIRC as long as you are eligible to use the service. You must have completed the eFIRC, purchased the ACR service, and submitted your IACRA application / uploaded the required documents at least 3 full business days prior to the expiration date of your graduation certificate and your recent experience end or the end of the 3-calendar month reinstatement period.

Purchase Sporty's Paperless CFI Recent Experience Validation (ACR Processing) here.

Want to learn more? Read this blog post from the team that built our new FIRC.