Tracking Instructor Compliance
Summary
FlightSense tracks five compliance categories for each instructor: certificates, medical, FIRC, TSA, and flight review. The system auto-computes expiration dates for most categories and uses a color-coded status system so you can see at a glance whether an instructor is current. Together with qualification records, compliance tracking answers the question: is this instructor ready to fly today?
Who this is for
- Admins and Owners managing Part 141 compliance
- Chief Instructors and Assistant Chief Instructors overseeing instructor currency
Before you begin
- The instructor must be an active member of your organization
- For certificates, the instructor must have added their certificate(s) in the FlightSense mobile app
Compliance categories
Certificates
Instructor certificates (pilot certificates, flight instructor certificates, etc.) are entered and managed by the instructor in the mobile app. They appear on the Compliance tab for review. Each certificate includes:
- Certificate type and number
- Issued date
- Expiration date (if applicable)
- Current status
Medical
Tracks the instructor's FAA medical certificate. Medical certificates vary by class and duration, so expiration dates are entered manually rather than auto-computed.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Medical Class | First Class, Second Class, or Third Class |
| Date | Issue date of the medical certificate |
| Expiration | Manually entered—varies by class, age, and privilege |
| Notes | Optional (e.g., limitations, SODA, BasicMed) |
FIRC
Tracks completion of a Flight Instructor Refresher Course.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Completion date |
| Expiration | Auto-computed: 24 calendar months from completion date |
| Notes | Optional |
TSA
Tracks TSA security training compliance.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Completion date |
| Expiration | Auto-computed: 24 calendar months from completion date |
| Notes | Optional |
Flight Review
Tracks the instructor's flight review (BFR) currency.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Completion date |
| Expiration | Auto-computed: 24 calendar months from completion date |
| Notes | Optional |
Steps
Viewing compliance status
- Go to Members in the Admin Portal
- Click on an instructor's name
- Select the Compliance tab
- Each compliance category displays as a card showing the current status, dates, and days remaining
Adding a compliance record
- Open the instructor's Compliance tab
- Click Add on the compliance category you want to record (Medical, FIRC, TSA, or Flight Review)
- Complete the form:
- Date: When the event occurred or the certificate was issued
- Expiration Date: For medical, enter manually. For FIRC, TSA, and flight review, this auto-fills when you enter the date
- Medical Class: Select First, Second, or Third Class (medical only)
- Notes: Optional additional details
- Click Save
Editing a compliance record
- Open the instructor's Compliance tab
- Click Edit on the compliance card you want to update
- Modify the fields as needed
- Click Save
Deleting a compliance record
- Open the instructor's Compliance tab
- Click Delete on the compliance card
- Confirm the deletion
What happens next
The system continuously monitors compliance status using a five-tier system:
| Status | Color | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Green | More than 90 days until expiration |
| Expiring | Yellow | 31–90 days until expiration |
| Critical | Red | 0–30 days until expiration |
| Expired | Red | Past expiration date |
| Missing | Grey | No record on file |
- The current status as a color-coded chip
- The number of days remaining until expiration
- The issue/completion date and expiration date
- Any notes attached to the record
Common issues
| Problem | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Medical expiration date is wrong | Medical expirations are manually entered | Edit the medical record and correct the expiration date |
| FIRC/TSA/flight review expiration seems wrong | Auto-computed from the date entered | Verify the completion date is correct—expiration is calculated as 24 calendar months from that date |
| Certificate information is incorrect | Certificates are managed in the mobile app | The instructor must update their certificate in the FlightSense mobile app |
| Compliance card shows "Missing" | No active record exists for that category | Add a compliance record for the missing category |
| Can't edit compliance records | Insufficient permissions | You need the Manage Compliance permission (available to Owners, Admins, Chiefs, and Assistant Chiefs) |
How this works
Auto-computed expiration dates
For FIRC, TSA, and flight review, the system calculates the expiration date automatically using FAA calendar month rules:
Completion Date: March 15, 2025
Expiration: March 31, 2027 (last day of the month, 24 months later)The expiration always falls on the last day of the expiration month. This follows the FAA convention where currency extends through the end of the calendar month.
Medical certificates are the exception—because expiration varies by class, age, and type of operations, the expiration date must be entered manually by the person adding the record.
Compliance vs. qualification status
FlightSense tracks instructor readiness through two separate systems:
- Compliance (this article) tracks personal currency items—medical, FIRC, TSA, flight review, and certificates. These apply to the instructor regardless of which course or aircraft they fly.
- Qualifications track course-specific and aircraft-specific authorization. See Managing Instructor Qualification Records for details.
FIRC and qualification interaction
A FIRC completion serves double duty. As a compliance item, it tracks the instructor's FIRC currency on the Compliance tab. As a qualification record, a FIRC can satisfy the 12-month recurrent requirement for course authorizations—but only for chiefs and assistant chiefs. Regular instructors must have a separate Recurrent proficiency record for each course. See Managing Instructor Qualification Records for the full qualification rules.
Status thresholds
Compliance uses wider warning windows than qualification status to give you more lead time on personal currency items:
| Active | Warning | Urgent | Expired | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance | >90 days | 31–90 days (Expiring) | 0–30 days (Critical) | Past due |
| Qualifications | >30 days | 0–30 days (Expiring) | — | Past due (Inactive) |