Source: http://gofly.sportaviationcenter.com/airplane-pilot-cfi/airplane-pilot-currency-requirements-with-flight-review-faq/
Timestamp: 2020-04-09 12:01:26
Document Index: 103871114

Matched Legal Cases: ['§61', 'art 91', 'art 91', '§61', 'art 91', 'art 91']

Airplane Pilot Currency Requirements with Flight Review FAQ - Go Fly! | Paul Hamilton's Sport Aviation Center LLC
Home » Airplane Pilot & CFI » Airplane Pilot Currency Requirements with Flight Review FAQ
The basic currency requirements for airplane pilots.
All USA sport pilots and higher who want to be legal to fly an aircraft must have a “flight Review” every 24 calendar months. This has been known as the “biennial flight review”.
Additionally, each airplane pilot must perform 3 takeoffs and landings in a make/model aircraft within the last 90 days to carry a passenger.
And finally, everyone must have the proper “medical eligibility” to fly an aircraft. Sport pilots and pilots operating as sport pilots can use their valid state drivers license as “medical eligibility”, anyone operating as a private pilot must have a 3rd class FAA medical.
Basics for all airplane pilots.
It must be noted that if you want to take a flight review in a type of aircraft, you must be qualified to fly the aircraft first. If you are an airplane private pilot you must take a proficiency check per 61.321 to be qualified to fly that particular airplane.
The following should take the mystery out of a flight review. It is designed mainly for sport pilots but also applies to private pilots:
The flight review has previously been called a “Biennial Flight Review” or BFR. It is a comprehensive guide to prepare any pilot or Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) taking a flight review or is also used by a CFI performing a flight review.
If you have a pilot’s license already it is good for life. This is also your Sport Pilot certificate with no new sport pilot certificate needed. If your medical has expired, you can now use your driver’s license as your medical eligibility to fly Light-Sport Aircraft (however, if your medical has been denied or revoked, you must clear it to use your drivers license as your medical in the future). This flight review guide will help you prepare for the flight review that is required to exercise sport pilot privileges and fly Light-Sport aircraft.
What are the requirements (14 CFR 61.56)?
How a flight review is conducted is determined by the flight instructor, but the FAA does have minimum requirements necessary:
Options for completing the flight review?
Upgrade your pilot certificate for do a proficiency check for additional category
The FAA does not specify which aircraft a candidate must use for the flight review (however, this might change in the future). With this in mind, this would be a prime opportunity to get that private upgrade, or new add a class such as a sea-rating, or a category such as Glider, Weight-Shift, Powered Parachutes or Gyrocopter. Any checkride or proficiency check meets the requirements of a flight review, so the sky’s the limit! The FAA also states the flight review requirements can be accomplished in combination with other recency requirements: interpreted, this means candidates can add category/class or upgrade pilot certificates (keep in mind that additional tasks will be added to meet both requirements). Legal document for proficiency check counting as a flight review is in our FAA Vault of documents
What are some references for the flight review?
Guidance Document: “Conducting an Effective Flight Review” found at:
and the Advisory Circular
“Currency and Additional Qualification Requirements For Certified Pilots” AC 61-98A
http://www.airweb.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/
AC 00-6A Aviation Weather
Checklist for instructor performing flight review
Typical Flight review Questions asked by Pilots about the flight review
3. Who can perform a flight review?
Any current Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) or other person designated by the FAA.
No. The logbook endorsement states only satisfactory completion of the flight review. If the person issuing the flight review does not give the pilot the required endorsement, that pilot has the option of getting some dual instruction in the inadequate areas or taking the flight review with another flight instructor.
5. Do student pilots require a flight review?
6. A pilot’s last flight review was completed on 3-22-06. When will it expire?
7. If a pilot has not had a flight review for more than 2 years, is his/her pilot certificate invalid?
8. Can a pilot fly solo (be the sole occupant of the airplane) without a current flight review?
9. Does a pilot have to possess medical eligibility to satisfactorily complete a flight review?
No. But the pilot may not act as PIC, either during the flight review or any time thereafter, until medical eligibility has been obtained. This is a drivers license for Sport Pilot privileges, or a third-class medical certificate for sport, recreational, and private pilot eligibility.
10. If a flight review is rendered unsatisfactory, does the pilot have to return to the same flight instructor for another attempt?
No. The pilot has the choice of using an authorized instructor.
11. Without a pilot having a current flight review, may an instructor endorse a pilot’s logbook for solo flight to prepare for the flight review?
12. If a pilot is presently taking dual lessons, do they have to take a flight review to act as Pilot in command (PIC)?
Yes. Dual lessons can only qualify as a flight review if the flight instructor conducts the lesson with those intentions, meets the requirements specified in 14 CFR §61.56, and issues the endorsement after satisfactory completion of the flight.
13. Can a pilot ask a flight instructor for a flight review endorsement without actually flying during the review?
14. Does a pilot have to get a flight review in each category and class of aircraft for which they are rated?
15. Does the flight review have to include all the oral questions and flight maneuvers contained in the Practical Test Standards?
No. The pilot is required to answer only the questions and perform only those maneuvers and procedures determined by the flight instructor as necessary to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate. However, this implies that the pilot should be able to answer the questions and perform the maneuvers at the level recognized by each certificate.
16. Is there a written examination required by the FAA for completion of a flight review?
No. There is not a requirement for a written; however, the candidate must demonstrate knowledge of the general operating and flight rules of Part 91, and the flight instructor may choose to do this through a written or oral exercise. Many flight instructors ask candidates to complete a short written review before meeting to complete the flight review.
Another option is for the applicant to complete the FAA’s online course for the flight review. This scenario-based multiple-choice quiz reviews Part 91 and the AIM in preparation for your next flight review. Upon successful completion of the course, you can print a certificate of achievement. This course is available at www.faasafety.gov; select the Learning Center tab, and follow the links for the available Online Courses.
17. How can a pilot prove satisfactory completion of a flight review?
The satisfactory completion of a flight review requires a logbook endorsement by the flight instructor giving the review.
This endorsement may appear as follows:
I certify that (First name, MI, Last name), (pilot certificate), (certificate number), has satisfactorily completed a flight review of §61.56(a) on (date).
April 26, 2018 J.J. Jones 987654321 CFI Exp. 01-31-08
18. Does the logbook endorsement mean the pilot must carry his/her logbook at all times as proof of the completion of the flight review?
19. Can the flight review be logged as PIC flight time?
If the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls, and the pilot is current then the flight review is completed, and the pilot and instructor determine that the pilot is going to be the PIC for the flight review, it can be logged as PIC time. If receiving dual instruction, then it should be logged as dual. The pilot-in-command should be determined between the candidate and the flight instructor before beginning the review flight.
20. Must the aircraft have dual controls?
Yes. Per 91.109 flight training must be performed with dual controls.
Typical information/flight review questions asked by flight instructors performing a flight review
21. Who acts as PIC during the flight review?
22. What is the minimum time required for a satisfactory flight review?
23. What subjects should be covered during the ground training?
The FAA specifies only knowledge of 14 CFR Part 91. The objective of the flight review is safe flight by the candidate, so each ground training should be tailored to the pilot’s experience, and type of flight normally conducted. This is a learning experience—the training should be broad enough to be comprehensive, yet have enough depth to provide a forum for learning.
Encourage your students to complete the FAA’s online course for the flight review before meeting, to lay the groundwork for your ground training. This scenario-based multiple-choice quiz reviews Part 91 and the AIM in preparation for your next flight review. Upon successful completion of the course, you can print a certificate of achievement. This course is available at www.faasafety.gov; select the Learning Center tab, and follow the links for the available Online Courses.”
24. What maneuvers are required during the flight portion of the flight review?
25. Which ratings are required for a flight instructor to conduct flight reviews?
26. Must the flight instructor possess a current medical certificate to conduct a flight review?
Yes and no (look at the specific situation)
For a CFI performing a flight review for a Sport Pilot (which must be in an LSA)
27. Is the flight instructor required to have five hours of PIC flight time in each make and model of aircraft in which the flight review is going to be conducted?
No. This is an old regulation that is not applicable anymore.
28. What responsibilities does the flight instructor have following a flight review?
29. How should the flight time be logged by the flight instructor?
30. Is the instructor required to keep a record of all flight reviews administered?
31. Are flight instructors required to get flight reviews?
Yes. Unless they meet the exemptions listed in question 2 for pilots, all pilots are required to meet the flight review requirement.
32. Can a flight instructor endorse his/her own logbook for the satisfactory completion of a flight review?
33. Do flight instructors have to go to the FAA for a flight review?
34. Do flight instructor refresher courses (FIRC) serve as a flight review?
No. Refresher courses do not meet all of the flight review requirements; however, they do meet the one-hour ground training requirement when accompanied by an endorsement specifying it as such.