Authorizations

Before you can create endorsements for a student, they must add you as their instructor. The student does this by sending you an authorization request for a specific checkride category (e.g., Private Pilot, Instrument Rating). The authorization is accepted automatically — once sent, the student appears in your Students tab and you can begin creating endorsements for them right away.

If an authorization was sent in error or the instructor-student relationship has ended, you can remove it from the student's detail view. Removing an authorization prevents you from creating new endorsements for that student in that category, but any endorsements you have already created remain valid and visible in the student's records.

Creating an Endorsement from the Student Detail View

To create an endorsement, click on the student in your Students tab to open their detail view, then click New Endorsement. Fill out the following:

  1. Select the endorsement type — Choose the type based on Part 61 requirements (e.g., pre-solo aeronautical knowledge under 14 CFR 61.87(b), knowledge test preparation under 61.35(a)(1), practical test readiness under 61.39(a)(6), and others).
  2. Write or customize the endorsement text — A standard template based on AC 61-65 is provided for the selected type. Review and adjust details like aircraft type, maneuvers, and limitations to match your student's situation, or write fully custom text.
  3. Set an expiration date (optional) — Some endorsements have regulatory expirations. Solo endorsements under 14 CFR 61.87 default to 90 days. Leave blank for endorsements that remain valid indefinitely.

Creating Endorsements from a Checkride Prep Checklist

If you have created a Checkride Prep checklist for a student, the checklist provides quick links to give each endorsement required for that checkride. Click the endorsement link next to any incomplete checklist item and the platform opens the endorsement form with the endorsement type pre-selected. This is the fastest way to work through the required endorsements for a specific checkride, since you do not need to look up which endorsement types are needed — the checklist tells you.

Signing the Endorsement

Your digital signature is displayed for review before you finalize the endorsement. The signature is embedded into the endorsement record along with your CFI certificate number, the endorsement text, and the date. Click Create Endorsement to finalize.

If this is your first endorsement, the platform will prompt you to create your digital signature before you can finalize. Draw your signature on the signature pad using your mouse, finger, or stylus. Click Clear to erase and redraw if needed, then click Save. Your signature is saved to your account and used automatically on all future endorsements. You can update it at any time from Settings — existing endorsements retain the signature that was used when they were created.

How Endorsements Link to the Checklist

When you create an endorsement that matches the correct endorsement type, the platform automatically links it to the corresponding item on the student's pre-checkride checklist and marks that item as complete. The student receives a notification and can see the endorsement immediately.

Voiding and Editing an Endorsement

The platform does not allow directly editing a signed endorsement. To make changes, you void the original and create a replacement with the corrected information. Common reasons to void and replace an endorsement include:

  • Correcting a typo or inaccuracy in the endorsement text.
  • Updating a student's weather or other limitations after additional training.
  • Changing the endorsement type if the wrong one was selected.
  • Reissuing an endorsement that was created for the wrong student.

To void an endorsement, open it from the student's detail view and click Void. If the endorsement was linked to a checklist item, that item reverts to incomplete. Create a new endorsement with the corrected information to restore the checklist item.

Voided endorsements are never deleted. They remain in the endorsement history with a VOID badge, preserving a complete record of when the original was created, when it was voided, and when any replacement was issued. This history is visible to you, the student, and any reviewing DPE. When the student prints their endorsements, they can choose whether to include voided endorsements in the printout.

When voiding an endorsement, create the replacement immediately so the student's checklist does not show an incomplete item for longer than necessary.