Qualified Flying Instructor

United Kingdom[]

The UK's military aviation forces train Qualified Flying Instructors to teach flying training to new pilots. The QFI Course can vary from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the complexity of the aircraft involved. Royal Air Force QFIs are entitled to the post nominals 'QFI'. Rotary wing aviators qualify as Qualified Helicopter Instructors, or QHIs. QFIs assigned to squadrons are rostered to fly widely with Squadron pilots, ensuring that updated techniques and standardisation is carried out at frontline units as well as training ones.

The QFI accreditation is analogous to the Qualified Weapons Instructor (QWI) qualification, but focused much more on basic flying skills of the aircraft as opposed to tactics and operational usage that the QWI course focuses on.

India[]

Qualified Flying Instructor (abbr. QFI) is a term mainly used for pilots of Air Force, Army, Navy and Coast Guard who have passed the appropriate course before being allowed to instruct flying an aircraft. The pilots are trained at Flying Instructors School of the Air Force.

Flying Instructors School[]

QFI instructional categories is awarded by the Flying Instructors School (FIS) of the Indian Air Force.^[1]

Flying Instructors School is based at Air Force Station Tambaram and trains operational pilots of Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indian Navy, para military forces and friendly foreign countries to be flying instructors.^[2]^[3]

Alumni[]

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, former Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force is Cat A Qualified Flying Instructor.^[4]
Squadron Leader Shalija Dhami is the first women QFI of the Indian Air Force.^[5]^[6]

References[]

^ 48 officers complete IAF’s flying course
^ "Flying Instructors School". Archived from the original on 2015-04-26. Retrieved 2014-11-22.
^ Tambaram flying instructors school to hold passing out parade on Saturday
^ "Arup Raha is Cat A Qualified Flying Instructor". Archived from the original on 2018-02-17. Retrieved 2014-11-22.
^ First Indian Air Force woman to graduate as Flying Instructor
^ Pilot in Hyderabad turns first woman Qualified Flying Instructor

[1] 48 officers complete IAF’s flying course

[2] "Flying Instructors School". Archived from the original on 2015-04-26. Retrieved 2014-11-22.

[3] Tambaram flying instructors school to hold passing out parade on Saturday

[4] "Arup Raha is Cat A Qualified Flying Instructor". Archived from the original on 2018-02-17. Retrieved 2014-11-22.

[5] First Indian Air Force woman to graduate as Flying Instructor

[6] Pilot in Hyderabad turns first woman Qualified Flying Instructor

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]