.svg)
On the biennial review needed to maintain privileges as Pilot in Command
Having taken my Private Pilot checkride in March 2022, I was due this month for my flight review. What used to be called the Biennial Flight Review (BFR) is now just called a flight review, though the requirements remain the same. According to Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 61.56, to operate as Pilot in Command (PIC) you must have had a flight review since the “beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which” you act as PIC. That sounds pretty confusing on its face, but if we break it down, it’s easier to figure out. As I write this, we’re in March 2024 and I took my checkride in March 2022. For our 24th calendar month, we can go back to the beginning of the month of the checkride (or last flight review), so March 1, 2022 That means by the end of this month, I needed to have the flight review completed to retain my PIC privileges. To prevent any scheduling issues or concerns, and because I’m a bit of an overachiever, I completed it nearer the beginning of the month.
There are also a number of exceptions that modify the rules or requirements of the flight review, one of which is taking a checkride for a new certificate or rating, another is completing a phase of the FAA WINGS programs. For more specifics, see FAR 61.56. I had planned on getting my Instrument Rating by now and the checkride for that rating would have satisfied the flight review, but I simply hadn’t gotten to that point yet.
The flight review must entail an hour of ground training and an hour of flight training covering “general operating and flight rules of Part 91” and “a review of those maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate.” Any current Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) can conduct the fight review.
The flight review is not a pass or fail test. Certainly, the instructor can decline to endorse you for the review if your skills need additional work, but this isn’t a test that you can fail. Rather, it’s meant to be a cooperative learning experience that allows you to demonstrate that your skills are up to par and that you possess the knowledge required to operate safely in the National Airspace System. And if your skills are lacking, or if has been many years since you’ve flown and you’re trying to get back to it, the flight review is the perfect way to identify what skills need a little polishing and allow you and the instructor to make a plan to bring them back up to par.
My review, and I’m sure this is fairly standard, consisted of questions and a discussion around documentary requirements, required equipment on the airplane, cross country planning, weather briefings, general principles of IMSAFE/PAVE, etc.
Once we were in the airplane, we headed to a local practice area where we did stalls, steep turns, climbing and descending turns, slow flight, simulated instrument, engine out emergency drill, a turn around a point, and other basic handling and flight maneuvers. We then returned to the field where we did a power off landing which turned into a go around, a regular landing, a short field landing, and a simulated soft field landing. I also performed a regular takeoff, short field takeoff, and a simulated soft field takeoff.
I fly an awful lot, and going into this, I never fully understood or appreciated what the flight review was about. After all, I had never been through one. I also fly solo most of the time, so I don’t often have another pilot with me to talk to, help scan for traffic, and just generally point out the little things. But it turned out to be a great discussion on the ground and a great day of flying, and offered practice on things I probably don’t practice often enough like stalls and steep turns.
As a final note, if you’re not great about keeping your logbook up, at least make sure to get the endorsement when you’ve completed the flight review. This is one of the required items that must be logged per FAR 61.51.
Safely and proficiently,
Jeff
