What are the age, language, and pilot certificate requirements for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating?

To become a flight instructor with a sport pilot rating, you must meet three basic requirements:

Age and language: You must be at least 18 years old and able to read, speak, write, and understand English. If a medical condition prevents you from meeting the English requirement, the FAA may issue your certificate with operational limitations to ensure safety.

Pilot certificate: You must already hold at least a sport pilot certificate with the appropriate category and class ratings that match what you want to teach. For example, to instruct in weight-shift control aircraft, you need a sport pilot certificate with weight-shift control privileges.

This regulation sets the minimum qualifications before you can begin flight instructor training. Note that holding these qualifications makes you *eligible* to apply—you'll still need to complete additional training and testing requirements found in other regulations before receiving your flight instructor certificate.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*