A pilot cannot act as PIC unless he or she has completed a flight review in an aircraft in which he or she is rated within the preceding 24 calendar months. The instructor who gave the review must endorse the pilot’s logbook.
Student Pilots: A student pilot does not need to accomplish a flight review, provided he or she continues to undergo training for a pilot certificate and has a current solo flight endorsement.
WINGS–Pilot Proficiency Program: A pilot who has satisfactorily completed a phase of the WINGS program within the preceding 24 calendar months does not need to accomplish a flight review. A phase of WINGS consists of both knowledge and flight tasks.
Pilot Proficiency Checks and Practical Tests: A flight review is not required for pilots who have completed a pilot proficiency check or a practical test for a pilot certificate, rating, or operating privilege within the preceding 24 calendar months. This includes proficiency checks for a new sport pilot operating privilege that a flight instructor conducts.
Flight Instructors: A flight review is not required for flight instructors who have completed a practical test conducted by an examiner for one of the following within the preceding 24 calendar months:
A flight instructor does not need to accomplish the one hour of ground training if that person has satisfactorily completed one of the following within the preceding 24 calendar months by means other than accomplishing a practical test:
The instructor has two roles during the flight review: trainer and evaluator. Evaluation is the primary purpose, but training may be provided in weak areas. The flight review can be completed as long as the deficiencies are corrected and satisfactorily accomplished as the instructor evaluates.
If the additional training does not correct the deficiencies, and it becomes apparent to the instructor that additional flights will be necessary, the flight instructor should discuss the situation with the pilot and proceed accordingly.
A flight instructor conducting the flight portion of a flight review must:
The ground portion of a flight review can be performed by:
The regulations do not prevent two instructors from performing a flight review. Two endorsements must be given: one by the instructor who conducted the ground training and a second by the instructor who conducted the flight training. The completion date of the flight review is considered to be the date that the flight portion was conducted.
A flight review consists of a minimum of 1 hour of flight training and 1 hour of ground training and must include:
The FAA does not limit an instructor’s discretion in selecting other maneuvers and procedures. Ultimately, the instructor determines how much time and what type of instruction is required.
Experience obtained during a flight review counts towards the PIC flight experience requirements of 14 CFR 61.57 (e.g., takeoff and landing currency).
At the instructor’s discretion, experience obtained during a flight review may count towards the additional training requirements of 14 CFR 61.31 (e.g., tailwheel endorsement). Separate training requirements and endorsements apply to both–neither “counts” as the other.
There is nothing to prevent a flight review from being conducted along with an instrument proficiency check (IPC). Separate logbook endorsements are required. The flight instructor must possess an Instrument Rating on his or her Flight Instructor Certificate and should develop a plan of action to ensure that all the necessary tasks are completed.
A pilot must accomplish a flight review in an aircraft for which he or she is rated. If the pilot holds multiple ratings, the flight review can be conducted in any of the aircraft for which the pilot holds a rating. The regulatory requirements for a flight review will be met for all aircraft for which the pilot holds a certificate and or rating.
A pilot who holds only a Sport Pilot Certificate must take a flight review in a light-sport aircraft for which he or she holds an operational privilege.
If necessary, the pilot and instructor should review the regulations concerning the operation of:
The instructor may wish to recommend that the pilot complete the review in the aircraft most commonly flown, or in a more complex make and model used if he or she regularly flies several aircraft. The instructor may also wish to recommend that the pilot take a review in more than one category or class of aircraft under certain circumstances.
A flight review can be accomplished in a full flight simulator (FFS) or a flight training device (FTD) if it is used in accordance with an approved course conducted by a training center certificated under 14 CFR Part 142.
An aviation training device (ATD) cannot be used cannot be used for any portion of the flight review.
General aviation often emphasizes the review of flying skills and systems knowledge that are not connected with the known causes of accidents. Instructors are encouraged to set up the flight review to satisfy regulatory requirements and match real-world scenarios more closely.
Most accidents are caused by a chain of errors that build up throughout a flight. Traditional maneuver-based training artificially segments simulated events to prevent the realistic build-up of the error chain. By incorporating scenario-based training, events can more closely simulate flight conditions known to cause fatal accidents.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has a collection of ready-to-use “Focused Flight Review” guides on a variety of operational areas. The guides offer pilots a more individualized opportunity to sharpen their skills and knowledge through carefully designed flight scenarios.
Before the flight review begins, the pilot and instructor choose an operational area and review the materials independently. After the flight review, the instructor can give the pilot WINGS credits.
Link: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/air-safety-institute/flight-review
The Advanced WINGS Flight Review activity strives to standardize the flight review by including three knowledge and three flight activities, in addition to the other elements required by 14 CFR part 61.56. The completion of an Advanced WINGS Flight Review provides the pilot with six activity credits (one complete phase).
Before the flight review begins, the pilot must complete three specific knowledge courses on the FAA Safety website. Flight activities are also predetermined. Instructors should be aware that a WINGS flight review requires all tasks to be demonstrated to ACS standards.
Type of Equipment Flown: A pilot must accomplish a flight review in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated.
Nature of Flight Operations: The flight instructor should consider the flying typically done by the pilot when developing a plan of action.
Recent Flight Experience: The estimated completion time and training tasks should be based on the pilot’s flight time, type of flying, and recent flight experience.
Learning Goals: Flight instructors can and should plan ground and flight activities that are tailored to the pilot’s training goals.
Instructor Qualifications: The flight instructor must observe the rating limitations of 14 CFR 61.195. For aircraft in which the flight instructor is not current or with which he or she is not familiar, he or she should obtain recent flight experience or sufficient knowledge of aircraft limitations, characteristics, and performance before conducting the review.
FAA Aviation English Language Standard (AELS): During a flight review, the instructor should ensure the pilot meets English language skill requirements using AC 60-28 if necessary. If the pilot does not demonstrate the FAA AELS, the instructor must notify the FSDO of jurisdiction and refer the pilot to that FSDO.
Before the flight review begins, the instructor and pilot should discuss the following considerations.
Ultimately, the instructor is responsible for determining the completion standards. As a general guideline, the pilot should meet the knowledge, risk management, and skill criteria specified in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS) for the pilot certificate he or she holds. The ACS also lists specific reasons for disqualification related to flight safety that should be applied to the flight review.
Managing pilot expectations is key to ensuring that the instructor doesn’t feel pressured to conduct a “minimum time” flight review.
The estimated completion time should be based on:
A realistic guideline is to plan at least 90 minutes of ground time and 90 minutes of flight time to thoroughly evaluate the pilot’s knowledge and skills.
For pilots who haven’t flown in several years, a helpful rule of thumb is to plan one hour of ground training and one hour of flight training for every year the pilot has been out of the cockpit. In some cases, the instructor may wish to recommend that the pilot accomplish a complete refresher program.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) offers online courses and in-person seminars to help rusty pilots become current again.
Link: https://www.aopa.org/training-and-safety/lapsed-pilots/rusty-pilots
The pilot and instructor should assess their legal ability to act as the PIC. If the pilot does not have a current flight review, the instructor must act as PIC and meet medical certificate requirements. A PIC must be designated before the flight begins.
The instructor should use a written plan of action (checklist) to conduct the flight review efficiently and thoroughly.
The plan of action has several benefits:
At a minimum, the plan of action should include:
Structuring the flight review as a short cross-country (30–50 NM away) is an excellent way to evaluate the pilot’s flight planning and decision-making skills. The pilot should plan the flight in advance. This preparation should include all items required by 14 CFR 91.103. Encouraging the pilot to use his or her typical planning methods will give the instructor a more realistic picture of real-world behavior.
The instructor must determine that the pilot has adequate knowledge of the general operating and flight rules of 14 CFR Part 91. An effective review technique is to use the cross-country flight plan to discuss the regulations in a context that is relevant and meaningful to the pilot.
The following resources are available to help the instructor emphasize safety and make the flight review unique:
The flight should improve and evaluate three areas of proficiency:
While en route to the planned destination, a diversion scenario (e.g., mechanical problem or unexpected weather) should be introduced to evaluate the pilot’s systems knowledge (mental skills) and decision-making skills. Airwork (physical skills) can be completed on the return leg.
Upon completion of the review, the flight instructor should provide the pilot with a comprehensive analysis of his or her performance, including suggestions for improving any weak areas. A collaborative assessment is the preferred debriefing method.
The instructor does not endorse the pilot’s logbook to reflect an unsatisfactory flight review. Instead, the instructor should log the session in the pilot’s logbook as flight and ground training received. The instructor should then recommend additional training in the unsatisfactory areas.
The pilot may continue to exercise the privileges of his or her certificate, provided that 24 calendar months have not elapsed since the last successful flight review or pilot proficiency check.
The instructor is required to:
Additionally, the instructor should:
One of the most important concepts to convey is that safe pilots understand the difference between what is “legal” regarding regulations and what is “smart” or “safe” in terms of pilot experience and proficiency. Assistance in establishing personal minimums is perhaps the single most important “takeaway” item the instructor can offer.
The instructor should help the pilot design a recurrent training program tailored to his or her operating environment and goals. Ideally, recurrent training sessions with an instructor should be scheduled every 3 to 6 months. The pilot can earn credit for this experience in the WINGS–Pilot Proficiency Program.