- What the IGI Credential Actually Is
- Clearing Up the Acronym Confusion
- Who Can Hold the Rating
- FOI Knowledge and Who Is Exempt
- How the Knowledge Test Works
- Registration, Fees and Endorsements
- The Ten Knowledge Areas You Must Master
- IGI vs AGI, FII and IRA
- What FAA Data Shows About Results
- Lifetime Certificate, 12-Month Currency
- Where the Rating Gets Used
- Sequencing Your Preparation
- Frequently Asked Questions
- IGI here means the FAA Instrument Ground Instructor rating, tested with the Ground Instructor Instrument knowledge test (code IGI).
- The test has 50 questions, a 150-minute limit and a 70% passing score; minimum testing age is 16.
- No pilot certificate, flight time or practical flight test is required for this ground instructor rating under 14 CFR 61.213.
- Ground instructor certificates never expire, but exercising privileges requires one 61.217 recent-experience option within 12 calendar months.
What the IGI Credential Actually Is
The Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) rating is an FAA-issued ground instructor certificate rating. It authorizes a person to provide ground instruction in instrument flight topics, such as IFR regulations, instrument charts, weather and navigation theory, along with the related endorsements that fall within ground instruction privileges. It does not authorize flight instruction. Anyone who wants to teach in the cockpit needs a separate flight instructor certificate and the associated flight and practical-test requirements.
The "IGI" label also names the FAA knowledge test you take to earn the rating. The official test name is Ground Instructor Instrument, and its FAA test code is IGI. When people search for "what is IGI certification," the answer is: an FAA ground instructor rating whose gateway is a single computer-delivered, multiple-choice aeronautical knowledge test. For a quick definitional primer, see What Is IGI? and What Does IGI Stand For?.
Clearing Up the Acronym Confusion
Search results for "IGI" are crowded with unrelated credentials and industries, including gemology and recruiting content. None of those apply here. This article, and everything on this site, concerns only the FAA Instrument Ground Instructor rating. Within aviation itself, the IGI is easy to confuse with other FAA tests that have similar-sounding names:
- IRA (Instrument Rating Airplane) is the pilot knowledge test for people seeking an instrument rating for themselves.
- FII (Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane) is the knowledge test for instrument flight instructors.
- AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor) is a broader ground instructor test.
- FOI (Fundamentals of Instructing) tests teaching theory, not instrument content.
These are separate tests with separate purposes. Do not assume that preparing for one covers another. More terminology is covered in IGI Meaning and What Is A IGI?.
Who Can Hold the Rating
Certificate eligibility is governed by 14 CFR 61.213. To be issued the rating you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Meet the specified English-language proficiency standard.
- Pass the applicable aeronautical knowledge examination (for this rating, the IGI test).
- Show Fundamentals of Instructing knowledge, unless you qualify for an exemption.
Notice what is absent. Section 61.213 does not require a pilot certificate, a minimum number of flight hours, or a practical flight test for this ground instructor rating. That makes the IGI unusual among instructor credentials: it is a knowledge-and-eligibility credential, not a flying one.
FOI Knowledge and Who Is Exempt
The Fundamentals of Instructing component trips up many applicants because it is a separate subject from instrument knowledge. You generally need to demonstrate FOI knowledge to be certificated, but 61.213 provides exemptions. Those who may be exempt include:
- Holders of a ground instructor certificate or a flight instructor certificate.
- Holders of a teaching certificate that permits teaching at the 7th grade level or higher.
- Teachers employed at an accredited college or university.
If you do not fall into one of those groups, plan for the FOI test in addition to the IGI test. The FOI test has its own subject matter (learning theory, lesson planning, evaluation) and none of that content appears on the IGI. Keep the two preparation tracks separate.
How the Knowledge Test Works
The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix lists the IGI test parameters:
| Parameter | IGI Knowledge Test |
|---|---|
| Official test name | Ground Instructor Instrument (code IGI) |
| Questions | 50, excluding any unscored validation items |
| Time allowed | 150 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Minimum testing age | 16 |
| Format | Computer-delivered multiple choice |
| Testing supplement | FAA-CT-8080-3F |
| Provider | PSI at authorized knowledge-testing centers |
The 150-Minute Clock
The time allowance is 150 minutes, which is two and a half hours. Some competing prep pages describe a two-hour timer; that does not match the FAA matrix. With 50 scored questions, you have roughly three minutes per question on average, so pacing pressure is modest. The real challenge is accuracy on chart-reading and regulation questions, not speed.
Scored Questions vs. Validation Items
The FAA table specifies 50 questions excluding unscored validation items. Tests may include extra items that do not count toward your score, but the matrix does not state how many. You will not be told which questions are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts.
What You May Bring
Under FAA Order 8080.6H, chapter 3 (the active guidance, replacing the canceled AC 60-11C), approved calculators and navigation aids are permitted subject to memory clearing and proctor approval, along with the supplied testing supplement. Outside study materials are prohibited. This matters for preparation: you should practice using the FAA-CT-8080-3F supplement, because the charts and figures in it are what you will see on test day. For a sense of overall difficulty, read How Hard Is the IGI Exam? and the dedicated IGI Passing Score breakdown.
Registration, Fees and Endorsements
First-Time Testing
Initial IGI testing requires no instructor endorsement or other written authorization. What you do need:
- An FAA Tracking Number (FTN), obtained through IACRA.
- Acceptable identification at the testing center.
- A scheduled appointment with PSI at an authorized center.
Retesting After a Failure
If you fail, retesting requires your failed Airman Knowledge Test Report plus the required instructor training or proficiency endorsement. The initial-test and retest rules are different, so do not assume a first attempt needs a sign-off; only a retake does.
What the Test Costs
PSI publishes an FAA Airman Knowledge Test voucher price of US$175 plus applicable tax. That figure is the test voucher only. It is not a preparation-course price, and it does not include a separately required FOI test if you are not exempt. Budget for both when planning, and see IGI Certification Cost 2026 for a full breakdown. Scheduling details are in IGI Exam Dates 2026.
The Ten Knowledge Areas You Must Master
The IGI's subject coverage traces to the aeronautical knowledge areas listed in 14 CFR 61.65(b), which 61.213 incorporates for this rating. These ten areas are statutory headings, not an FAA-published weighted blueprint. The FAA table points to the FAA-CT-8080-3F supplement and Learning Statement Codes rather than percentage weights, so no area can be identified as "most heavily weighted." Anyone quoting domain percentages for the IGI is inventing them. The full breakdown is in IGI Exam Domains 2026; here is what each area demands.
Domain 1: Federal Aviation Regulations Applying to IFR Flight Operations
The regulatory backbone: what the FARs require for instrument flight.
- IFR operating rules, equipment and currency concepts as they appear in the regulations
- Alternate and fuel planning requirements for IFR
- Be ready to explain regulations, not merely recall them, since you may someday teach them
Domain 2: Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Content for IFR Operations
The AIM is the source for procedures and recommended practices that do not live in the regulations.
- Pilot and controller procedures relevant to IFR
- Navigation aid descriptions and operational notes
Domain 3: Air Traffic Control System and Procedures for Instrument Flight
How clearances, handoffs and facilities work together.
- IFR clearance elements and readbacks
- Communications failure and radar service concepts
Domain 4: IFR Navigation and Approaches by Use of Navigation Systems
Navigation system principles and how they apply to approach flying.
- Ground-based and satellite navigation concepts
- Approach types, minimums and the logic behind them
Domain 5: Use of IFR En Route and Instrument Approach Procedure Charts
Chart interpretation is a high-risk area because questions depend on the supplement figures.
- En route chart symbols, altitudes and airway structure
- Reading approach plates: minimums, missed approach, notes
Domain 6: Aviation Weather Reports, Forecasts and Forecasting Trends
Procuring and using weather products, plus reasoning about weather trends from reports and personal observation.
- Decoding reports and forecasts
- Connecting synoptic features to expected conditions
Domain 7: Safe and Efficient Operation of Aircraft Under IFR and IMC
The practical flight-operations theory of instrument flying.
- Attitude instrument flying concepts
- Instrument errors and system limitations
Domain 8: Recognition of Critical Weather Situations and Windshear Avoidance
Spotting hazards before they become emergencies.
- Hazardous weather phenomena relevant to instrument flight
- Windshear recognition and avoidance principles
Domain 9: Aeronautical Decision Making and Judgment
Human-factors and risk-management reasoning applied to IFR scenarios.
- Hazardous attitudes and risk assessment
- Go/no-go decision frameworks
Domain 10: Crew Resource Management, Including Crew Communication and Coordination
Communication and coordination skills in multi-person operations.
- Workload management and task allocation
- Effective crew communication practices
Key Takeaway
Because the FAA publishes no weighted domain table for this test, do not skip the "soft" areas (ADM and CRM) assuming they count for less. Prepare all ten evenly and weight your extra time toward your own weakest areas, which practice questions will reveal.
IGI vs AGI, FII and IRA
These FAA tests share an instrument-flight theme but serve different people and are not identical exams.
| Test | Who it is for | What it leads to |
|---|---|---|
| IGI (Ground Instructor Instrument) | Applicants for the instrument ground instructor rating | Ground instruction in instrument topics; no flight instruction authority |
| IRA (Instrument Rating Airplane) | Pilots pursuing their own instrument rating | A personal pilot rating, not an instructor credential |
| FII (Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane) | Flight instructor applicants adding instrument privileges | Part of the path to instrument flight instruction |
| AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor) | Applicants for the broader advanced ground instructor rating | Wider ground instruction scope than instrument-only |
The IGI is the narrower, instrument-focused ground rating. If your goal is to teach instrument theory without flying with students, it is the targeted path. If you want to instruct in the aircraft, you are looking at the flight instructor route instead.
What FAA Data Shows About Results
The FAA's CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report records, for the IGI test:
- 2,751 test administrations
- A 99.71% passing rate
- A 93.11% average score
Read these carefully. They are 2025 administration-level results, not a 2026 figure and not a first-attempt-only pass rate. They also reflect a self-selected population, since applicants who take this test are typically already well versed in instrument flying. The numbers show that prepared candidates overwhelmingly pass; they do not mean the test is trivial for someone who has not studied the material. More detail appears in IGI Pass Rate 2026.
Lifetime Certificate, 12-Month Currency
Two separate ideas get conflated here, and the distinction matters:
- Certificate validity: Under 14 CFR 61.19(e), ground instructor certificates are issued without an expiration date.
- Instructional currency: To exercise the privileges, 61.217 requires you to meet one of several recent-experience alternatives within the preceding 12 calendar months.
Those alternatives are: qualifying ground-instructor activity, qualifying flight-instructor activity, an approved flight instructor refresher course, or a proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor. There is no fixed continuing-education-unit requirement. Your certificate stays in your wallet permanently, but your ability to use it lapses if you let the 12-month recency window run out without meeting one of the alternatives.
Where the Rating Gets Used
An instrument ground instructor rating is useful anywhere instrument theory is taught or endorsed on the ground. Typical settings include flight schools and training providers, collegiate aviation programs, and independent instruction for pilots preparing for their instrument knowledge tests. Some applicants also use it as a stepping stone toward flight instruction, since ground teaching builds the explanatory skills flight instructors need.
Be cautious about pay claims. The FAA does not publish a salary figure tied to the IGI rating, and ground instructor compensation varies widely by employer, region and whether the work is part-time or bundled with other duties. We do not claim a verified credential-specific salary premium; IGI Salary Guide 2026 and Is the IGI Certification Worth It? discuss how to evaluate the economics honestly, and IGI Jobs covers the employment landscape.
Sequencing Your Preparation
If you use a schedule, sequence it by how topics build on each other. Here is one IGI-specific arrangement over four weeks, adjustable to your background:
Rules and Procedures (Domains 1-3)
- Regulations, AIM material and ATC procedures form the vocabulary for everything else
- Practice explaining each rule aloud, since instructors must teach, not just recall
Navigation and Charts (Domains 4-5)
- Work with the FAA-CT-8080-3F supplement figures directly
- Drill approach plate and en route chart interpretation
Weather and Operations (Domains 6-8)
- Decode reports and forecasts, then link them to hazardous conditions and windshear
- Tie instrument operation principles back to the weather you just studied
Judgment, CRM and Full Review (Domains 9-10)
- Cover ADM and CRM scenarios, then run timed mixed practice
- Revisit your weakest domains based on practice results
For a deeper plan, see the IGI Study Guide 2026 and the one-page IGI Cheat Sheet 2026. When you are ready to test your recall, try the IGI practice tests and use the main practice site to find weak areas before you book your PSI appointment. Related overviews include IGI Training, IGI Certification and What Is IGI Certification?.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Instrument Ground Instructor rating covers ground instruction in instrument topics and applicable endorsements. Instruction in an aircraft requires a flight instructor certificate.
Under 14 CFR 61.213, no pilot certificate, flight-time minimum or practical flight test is required for this ground instructor rating. You need to meet the age and English requirements, pass the knowledge test, and show FOI knowledge unless exempt.
The FAA testing matrix lists 50 questions (excluding any unscored validation items), 150 minutes, and a 70% passing score, delivered as a computer-based multiple-choice test through PSI.
Not for your initial attempt; you need an FAA Tracking Number from IACRA and acceptable identification. To retest after a failure, you need the failed test report plus the required instructor training or proficiency endorsement.
The certificate itself has no expiration date. To exercise its privileges, you must meet one of the 61.217 recent-experience alternatives within the preceding 12 calendar months, such as qualifying instruction activity, an approved refresher course, or a proficiency endorsement.