Earning your instrument rating is a major milestone, but the FAA doesn't stop there. To legally exercise instrument privileges as pilot in command (PIC), you must maintain a separate standard of recent experience defined in 14 CFR 61.57(c). This rule exists because flying in the clouds without recent practice is genuinely dangerous — spatial disorientation can develop within seconds, and procedural skills erode faster than almost any other aviation skill set. Understanding the currency rule inside and out is essential for every IFR pilot, both for the FAA knowledge test and for safe real-world operations.
It is important to distinguish currency from proficiency. Currency is a legal minimum — the bare floor below which you may not legally fly IFR as PIC. Proficiency is a higher standard of actual skill. A pilot can be current on paper but still not truly ready for a challenging approach in IMC. The FAA's own Risk Management Handbook emphasizes this distinction repeatedly. Always ask yourself not just "Am I legal?" but "Am I proficient?"
What 61.57(c) Actually Requires
Within the preceding six calendar months, a pilot must have performed and logged, in actual or simulated instrument conditions, all of the following:
- Six instrument approaches — any combination of precision and non-precision approaches counts, as long as they are performed under the hood or in actual IMC.
- Holding procedures and entry — at least one holding pattern, including the entry procedure. The rule doesn't specify a number of turns or a time limit, just that the task was performed.
- Intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigational systems — this means using VORs, GPS, ILS localizers, or other approved navigation sources to intercept a course and track it accurately.
All three categories must be satisfied within the same six-calendar-month window. Completing six approaches but forgetting to log a hold means you are not current, regardless of how many approaches you flew.
What Counts as "Simulated Instrument Conditions"?
You do not have to fly in actual clouds to build or maintain instrument currency. Simulated instrument conditions include flying under a view-limiting device (commonly called a hood or foggles) while a safety pilot is on board. The safety pilot must hold at least a private pilot certificate, be appropriately rated for the category and class of aircraft, and occupy a control seat from which they can see and avoid traffic. In this case, the safety pilot acts as the required observer while you fly the procedures under the hood.
An FAA-approved aviation training device (ATD), basic aviation training device (BATD), or flight training device (FTD) may also be used to satisfy currency requirements, but with important restrictions. Specifically, 61.57(c)(2) allows pilots to use these devices, but not all six approaches can be done in a simulator alone — the rules vary by device approval level. For BATD or CATD devices, a portion of the experience may be credited, but pilots should verify the specific allowances with the device's approval letter and current FAA guidance. When in doubt, doing the currency work in an actual aircraft or a full-motion Level C or D FTD keeps things simple and legally clear.
The Six Calendar Month Rule — How to Count It
"Preceding six calendar months" means the six months leading up to the current calendar month — not six months measured to the day. For example, if you want to fly IFR as PIC on March 15, you count backward through September, October, November, December, January, and February. Any qualifying instrument experience logged during that window — from September 1 through the end of February — satisfies the requirement. This calendar-month counting method can give you slightly more or slightly less than 180 days, depending on where in the month you are.
If your last qualifying experience was logged in early September and it is now late March, you are outside the window and are no longer current. This is a subtle trap on the FAA knowledge test — always count calendar months, not 180 days.
What Happens When Currency Lapses?
The regulation creates a two-stage recovery system once your IFR currency lapses.
Stage 1: The Grace Period (Six to Twelve Months)
If your currency has lapsed but the lapse is less than six calendar months old — meaning you are in months seven through twelve past your last qualifying experience — you may reestablish currency by performing the required tasks (six approaches, holding procedures and entry, and intercepting and tracking courses) in either actual or simulated instrument conditions. These tasks can be completed with a safety pilot, in an approved simulator or training device, or with an instructor — there is no requirement that a CFI be present, and you are not restricted to a simulator alone during this window. Once you log the required tasks, you regain PIC IFR privileges without needing a formal check.
Stage 2: Beyond Twelve Months — Instrument Proficiency Check Required
If more than twelve calendar months have passed since you last met the currency requirements of 61.57(c), you must complete an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) before acting as PIC under IFR. An IPC is administered by a CFII or a designated examiner and covers the areas of operation specified in the Instrument Rating Practical Test Standards (now the Airman Certification Standards, ACS). It is not a re-test of your instrument rating; it is a comprehensive evaluation and instructional flight that resets your currency clock. After a successful IPC, you are current and can begin logging the routine six-approach/hold/tracking experience to maintain currency going forward.
Key Numbers and Rules
- 6 instrument approaches required within the preceding 6 calendar months.
- 1 holding procedure with entry required within the same 6 calendar months.
- Intercepting and tracking courses via navigation systems also required in the same window.
- Months 7–12 after last currency: may reestablish currency by performing the required tasks (with a safety pilot, in a simulator/training device, or with an instructor) — no IPC required during this window.
- Beyond 12 calendar months: an IPC from a CFII or examiner is mandatory before any IFR PIC flight.
- Safety pilot must hold at least a private pilot certificate with appropriate category and class ratings.
- Currency is not the same as proficiency — legal minimums are a floor, not a target.
Memory Aid
"6-6-Hold-Track" — Six approaches, six calendar months, one Hold with entry, and Tracking/intercepting courses. Some instructors phrase it as "Six in Six with a Hold", which captures the core of the requirement. When reciting this to yourself, always add "...and intercepting/tracking" to avoid forgetting the third element, which is the one most often omitted on the knowledge test.
Common Test Traps
- Calendar months vs. days: The FAA uses calendar months, not a rolling 180-day window. A pilot who flew approaches on September 30 is current through March 31 of the following year — September counts as one of the six months regardless of the date within September.
- Forgetting the hold or the tracking requirement: Many candidates remember the six approaches but forget that holding procedures and intercepting/tracking are separate, equally mandatory elements. All three boxes must be checked.
- Confusing the grace period stages: Months 7–12 allow currency to be rebuilt by performing the required tasks (with a safety pilot, instructor, or approved device) without an IPC. After month 12, an IPC is non-negotiable. The test frequently asks which stage applies to a given scenario.
- Safety pilot qualifications: The safety pilot must hold at least a private certificate with the correct category and class rating — a sport pilot certificate is not sufficient. The aircraft must also have dual controls.
- Logging the experience: 61.57(c) requires that the approaches, hold, and tracking be logged. A pilot who performed the tasks but didn't log them cannot count that experience. Always log instrument time contemporaneously with the flight.
Staying instrument current takes modest but consistent effort — a flight every month or two in actual or simulated IMC is usually enough to keep all three requirements satisfied. Many instrument pilots make a habit of scheduling a regular "currency flight" with a CFII to knock out approaches, a hold, and some tracking work in a single session, which also helps keep proficiency sharp. The rules of 61.57(c) are ultimately designed not as bureaucratic hurdles but as a minimum safety net, reminding pilots that IFR flying demands continuous, deliberate practice to be done safely.