What is a flight review and why is it required?

A flight review, governed by 14 CFR 61.56, is a mandatory biennial check for certificated pilots that ensures they remain proficient and current in their knowledge and skills. It must include at least one hour of ground training and at least one hour of flight training with an authorized instructor. The purpose is to review current general operating and flight rules and demonstrate the pilot's competency to act as pilot-in-command. Without a satisfactory flight review within the preceding 24 calendar months, a pilot may not act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft.

How do you count the 24 calendar months for a flight review — does it go by the exact date or the end of the month?

Under 14 CFR 61.56, the 24-calendar-month period is calculated using calendar months, meaning it extends to the end of the month in which the review was completed. For example, if your flight review was completed on March 15, 2023, your currency remains valid through March 31, 2025. This is consistent with how the FAA interprets calendar month currency throughout 14 CFR Part 61. Completing a new flight review before that deadline resets the 24-calendar-month clock from the month of the new review.

What's the difference between a flight review and a proficiency check — can one substitute for the other?

A flight review under 14 CFR 61.56 is a general currency requirement for all certificated pilots, while a proficiency check is a formal evaluation typically required for pilots operating under specific certificate privileges, such as an airline transport pilot certificate or certain commercial operations under 14 CFR Parts 121 or 135. Under 14 CFR 61.56(d), a successful completion of a pilot proficiency check conducted by an examiner, an approved pilot check airman, or a U.S. Armed Forces check pilot does satisfy the flight review requirement. However, a standard flight review conducted by a certificated flight instructor does not automatically fulfill the requirements of a formal proficiency check. Pilots should review the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (PHAK) and the applicable regulations to understand which events qualify as substitutes.

Flight Review Requirements and Currency Under FAR 61.56

Before you climb into the left seat and take command of an aircraft, federal regulations require that your skills and knowledge stay current. The flight review — sometimes still called a biennial flight review or BFR, though that term is no longer official — is the FAA's primary recurring check on every certificated pilot's competency. Understanding exactly what the flight review requires, when it expires, and what can substitute for it is essential knowledge both for the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test and for your entire flying career.

The governing regulation is 14 CFR § 61.56. It applies to every person who holds a pilot certificate and wants to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) of an aircraft. This is not a check ride — no grade is given and no new certificate is issued — but a failure to complete one means you legally cannot act as PIC, regardless of how many hours you have logged.

What the Flight Review Requires

Section 61.56 establishes a clear minimum content standard. A compliant flight review must include at least one hour of ground training and at least one hour of flight training. These are minimums, not targets. In practice, most reviews take considerably longer, especially if a pilot has not flown recently or wants to brush up on specific maneuvers.

The ground portion must cover a review of the current general operating and flight rules of 14 CFR Part 91. This is not a casual chat — the instructor is expected to ensure the pilot understands the rules that govern every VFR flight: airspace, weather minimums, right-of-way rules, fuel requirements, and more. The FAA's Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge provides the conceptual foundation for these topics.

The flight portion must include a review of those maneuvers and procedures that the authorized instructor considers necessary to demonstrate that the pilot can safely exercise the privileges of their certificate. There is no prescribed maneuver list in § 61.56 itself. The instructor has broad professional discretion to tailor the flight portion to the specific pilot, the aircraft category and class being flown, and any observed deficiencies. This flexibility is intentional — a 500-hour private pilot who flies every week has different needs than a rusty pilot returning after a two-year break.

Who Can Conduct a Flight Review

The flight review must be conducted by an authorized instructor. Under 14 CFR § 61.56, this means a person who holds a flight instructor certificate with the appropriate aircraft category and class rating. A certificated flight instructor (CFI) with, say, only an airplane single-engine rating cannot sign off a flight review conducted in a multi-engine airplane or a helicopter. The instructor's ratings must be appropriate for the aircraft in which the review is conducted.

At the completion of a satisfactory review, the authorized instructor endorses the pilot's logbook. The endorsement is the official record — there is no separate FAA form filed. If the instructor determines that the pilot is not yet ready, no endorsement is given, and the pilot is not current. The instructor cannot issue a partial or conditional endorsement; the review is either complete and satisfactory, or it is not complete.

The 24 Calendar-Month Rule

A flight review remains valid for 24 calendar months. Calendar months, in FAA usage, means the review is good through the last day of the same month, two years later. For example, a flight review completed on March 15, 2024, remains valid through March 31, 2026. The day of the month does not matter — only the month and year of completion. This is one of the most commonly tested points on the FAA knowledge exam.

To act as PIC on April 1, 2026, that pilot would need either a new flight review or a qualifying substitute before the end of March 2026. Flying on March 31 as PIC is legal; flying on April 1 without a new review is not.

What Can Substitute for a Flight Review

Section 61.56(d) and (e) list several events that reset the 24-calendar-month clock without requiring a formal flight review. These substitutes are important to know for the test and for practical planning:

Successful completion of a practical test (check ride) for any pilot certificate or rating. If you add an instrument rating or earn a commercial certificate, that check ride satisfies the flight review requirement, and your 24-month clock restarts from the month of that check ride.
Completion of a phase of the FAA Wings — Pilot Proficiency Program. The FAA Wings program allows pilots to earn credit toward flight review currency by completing approved knowledge and flight activity courses. A completed Wings phase is a legitimate substitute under § 61.56(e).
Successful completion of certain U.S. military pilot proficiency checks, as specified in the regulation, can also serve as a substitute for pilots who hold both civilian and military pilot status.

One common misconception is that completing an instrument proficiency check (IPC) alone satisfies the flight review requirement. An IPC restores instrument currency under § 61.57, but it does not automatically substitute for a flight review unless it is structured and endorsed specifically as both — a combined flight review and IPC conducted by an appropriately rated flight instructor.

Why the Flight Review Matters

The flight review is not bureaucratic paperwork — it is a safety net built into the regulatory system. Unlike an airline pilot who undergoes recurrent training every six months under Part 121, a private pilot operating under Part 91 could theoretically fly almost every day or go years between flights. The 24-month flight review ensures that at least once every two years, every certificated pilot sits down with a qualified instructor to confirm that their knowledge of the rules is current and that their stick-and-rudder skills are at an acceptable safety level.

Accident data consistently shows that pilot proficiency degrades with inactivity. The Airplane Flying Handbook emphasizes that even experienced pilots can develop subtle bad habits or forget procedures when they fly infrequently. The flight review is an opportunity to catch and correct those issues before they lead to an incident or accident. Many CFIs treat the flight review as a chance to introduce a pilot to any new airspace rule changes, updated procedures, or technology updates since the last review.

Key Numbers and Rules

Minimum ground training: 1 hour, covering 14 CFR Part 91 operating rules.
Minimum flight training: 1 hour, covering maneuvers and procedures the CFI deems necessary.
Validity period: 24 calendar months from the month of completion.
Expiration: Expires at the end of the 24th calendar month — the last day of that month.
No FAA form required: A logbook endorsement by the authorized instructor is the only required record.
Applicable certificate holders: All pilot certificate holders. Student pilots are governed separately by the solo endorsement requirements of § 61.87 rather than by § 61.56.
Substitutes: Practical test (check ride), FAA Wings phase completion, qualifying military proficiency check.
IPC alone does NOT substitute unless endorsed as a combined flight review.

Common Test Traps

Calendar months vs. calendar days: The flight review is valid for 24 calendar months, not 730 days. A review done on January 3 expires at the end of January two years later — January 31, not on January 3. Do not confuse this with recency of experience requirements under § 61.57, which use calendar months differently.
The IPC substitution myth: The FAA knowledge test and many pilots assume an IPC automatically restores full PIC currency. It does not substitute for a flight review unless specifically structured and endorsed as one by an authorized instructor.
Acting as PIC vs. logging PIC time: The flight review requirement governs whether you can legally act as PIC. A safety pilot situation or acting as a required crewmember is a separate legal question — but for most practical purposes, if you cannot act as PIC due to an expired flight review, you cannot legally command a flight.
Student pilots and solo: Student pilots flying solo under an instructor's solo endorsement are exercising the privileges granted under § 61.87, which governs their currency and supervision requirements — not § 61.56. The flight review requirement applies to certificated pilots exercising PIC privileges under § 61.56, so student pilots are subject to a separate regulatory framework rather than an exemption from acting as PIC.
Practical test resets the clock: Many students do not realize that passing a private pilot check ride itself serves as a flight review. Your 24-month window starts from the month you pass your first check ride, and every subsequent rating or certificate check ride resets it again.

Staying current is one of the most straightforward obligations in general aviation. Mark your logbook, set a calendar reminder 23 months out, and treat each flight review as what it truly is — a free coaching session with a qualified CFI to make you a safer, sharper pilot.