Recurrent Training

Flight Reviews: 
Recurrent Training | Intro to Flight Reviews | Common Problems | Darren’s Flight Review Guide
We spend a lot of time doing things to our aircraft, including annual inspections, upgrades, and special checks.  We spend a lot of time preventing failure because we don’t want to experience failure in flight.  In contrast, pilots don’t get the same checks and inspections.  We let pilots reach a failure mode when we make the minimal effort of a flight review every 24 calendar months.

The only way to avoid becoming a statistic is frequent, recurrent training.  Not only is it good sense, the FAA requires it, and so does your insurance.  If you hold a pilot certificate, you are required to obtain a flight review (BFR) every 24 calendar months.  If you are instrument rated, you are required to obtain a proficiency check (IPC) if you are not current. 

Flight Review (BFR)
The Flight Review an instructional service designed to assess a pilot’s knowledge and skills.  The objective is to ensure that pilots have the opportunity to ride with a flight instructor of their own choice for an appraisal of their pilot proficiency and to seek assistance or guidance if any deficiency is identified.

Requirements:  FAR 61.56(c) states that no pilot may act as pilot in command of an aircraft unless, since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, t hat person has:
- accomplished a flight review in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an appropriately rated instructor
- a  logbook endorsed by the person who gave the review certifying that the person has satisfactorily completed the review

A flight review consists of a MINIMUM of 1 hour of flight instruction and 1 hour of ground instruction, and must include:

- a review of the current general operating and flight rules of Part 91

- a review of those maneuvers and procedures which, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the pilot certificate

Exception: A current CFI who satisfactorily completed a renewal of their certificate with a FIRC, need not accomplish the 1 hour ground.

You may accomplish the flight review requirements in combination with the recent flight experience requirements at the discretion of the instructor conducting the review.

Read the BFR – Frequently Asked Questions
AOPA Online – Pilots’ Guide to Getting Back Into Flying
AOPA ASF Pilot’s Guide to the Flight Review (download)
FAA AC61-98A Conducting a flight review – backup site
Darren’s Guide to Successful Flight Reviews
The FAA has developed new flight review guidance for CFIs to conduct BFRs.Â