In order that flight instructors may fulfil the requirements of JAR-FCL which came into effect on January 1, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is running four two-day seminars per year with approval from the CAA.

For revalidation of a Flight Instructor Rating, the holder is required to fulfil two of the following three stipulations: Within the three-year period of validity of the rating, instructors should complete at least 100 hours of flight instruction, of which 30 hours should have been carried out in the twelve months preceding the expiry date; attend a flight instructor seminar as approved by the authority within the twelve months preceding the expiry date; also within the year before the rating expires, pass a proficiency check with a flight instructor examiner.

Both fixed wing and helicopter instructors are catered for in the AOPA seminars.

Venues to date have been arranged at London, Coventry, Teeside and Bristol in the UK.

The seminars are conducted by David Scouller, chairman of the AOPA Instructor Committee, along with a team of experienced FIEs and other experts from both general aviation and the airlines. At the end of the seminar, provided all the requirements have been met, the attendees will have their instructor ratings revalidated for a further three-year period.