Flight Review Under 14 CFR 61.56

A flight review, formerly called the Biennial Flight Review (BFR), is a periodic assessment required by 14 CFR 61.56 for all pilots who wish to act as pilot in command (PIC). The FAA changed the name from "BFR" to "flight review" in 1997, but the older term persists in casual conversation.

The flight review is not a test or checkride. There is no formal pass/fail outcome. However, a CFI must endorse your logbook certifying that you have satisfactorily completed the review. If the CFI determines you are not proficient, they will recommend additional training — but no disapproval is filed with the FAA.

Without a current flight review, you cannot exercise PIC privileges. Your pilot certificate remains valid, but you are not legally current to fly as PIC until you complete a review or satisfy an equivalent requirement.

14 CFR 61.56(a) establishes minimum requirements: at least 1 hour of flight training and at least 1 hour of ground training — and the rule qualifies both. A glider pilot may substitute three instructional flights, each including a flight to traffic pattern altitude, for the hour of flight training (§61.56(b)). A pilot who holds a flight instructor certificate need not accomplish the hour of ground training if they meet §61.56(f). The ground portion must include a review of the current general operating and flight rules of 14 CFR Part 91. The flight portion must include maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the CFI, are necessary to demonstrate safe exercise of the privileges of your pilot certificate.

Some pilots do not need a flight review at all. §61.56 names three routes out and they are easy to miss. §61.56(d) exempts a pilot who, within the period, passed a proficiency check or earned a new certificate or rating. §61.56(e) exempts one who completed a phase of the FAA-sponsored WINGS program. And §61.56(g) exempts a student pilotwho is training for a certificate and holds a current solo endorsement under §61.87 — if that is you, the flight review is not something you are behind on.

These are minimums. A thorough flight review often takes 2-3 hours total. If it has been several years since your last review, or you have not been flying regularly, expect the CFI to spend more time evaluating and refreshing your skills. There is no regulatory maximum — the review takes as long as the CFI deems necessary.

The rule's own term is narrower than "CFI": 14 CFR 61.56(c) requires the review to be given by an authorized instructor, and (c)(2) requires the logbook endorsement to come from the authorized instructor who gave the review. A ground instructor alone cannot complete the flight portion.

A DPE or an FAA inspector does not give you a flight review — they operate a different mechanism. Under 61.56(d) a pilot who has passed a proficiency check or practical test conducted by an examiner, an approved pilot check airman, or a U.S. Armed Force need not accomplish the review at all. That is an exemption, not a way of doing it, and the difference is practical: there is no 61.56(c)(2) endorsement to collect at the end of it, because only an authorized instructor can write one.

Two more exemptions sit in the same section and are easy to miss. Under 61.56(e), one or more completed phases of an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency program (WINGS) removes the requirement. Under 61.56(g), a student pilot need not accomplish a flight review at all while undergoing training for a certificate and holding a current solo endorsement under 61.87. And 61.56(h) lets the review be combined with 61.57 recent-experience requirements in the same session, at the authorized instructor's discretion — one flight, two boxes ticked.

Flight instructors get a fourth relief, and it is partial: 61.56(f) waives only the one hour of ground training specified in paragraph (a), never the flight. It opens on one of two alternatives, and the second is the one usually forgotten: (f)(1) satisfactorily completing the recent experience requirements for a flight instructor certificate under 61.197, or (f)(2) reinstating flight instructor privileges by completing an approved flight instructor refresher course under 61.199(a)(1). A CFI who came back through a FIRC has the ground hour covered and still owes the flight.

Ground portion: The CFI will typically cover Part 91 general operating rules, airspace requirements, weather minimums, recent regulatory changes, and any areas where you need a refresher. Many CFIs also review aeronautical decision-making (ADM), risk management, and the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) updates.

Flight portion: Maneuvers vary by CFI and your certificate level. Common areas include steep turns, slow flight, stall recognition and recovery, ground reference maneuvers, emergency procedures, takeoffs and landings (including short-field and soft-field), and navigation. If you hold an instrument rating, the CFI may include instrument procedures, though this is not required.

The CFI tailors the review to your experience and flying habits. A pilot who regularly flies cross-country IFR will receive a different review than a pilot who mostly flies local VFR on weekends. The goal is to ensure you can safely exercise the privileges you hold.

The FAA's WINGS — Pilot Proficiency Program, administered by the FAASTeam (FAA Safety Team), provides an alternative pathway. Completing a full phase of WINGS satisfies the flight review requirement under 14 CFR 61.56(e). This is not an exemption — it is written directly into the regulation.

Each WINGS phase requires completing a set of knowledge topics (online courses through FAASafety.gov) and flight activities with a CFI. The knowledge topics cover subjects like weather, aeronautical decision-making, and runway safety. The flight activities target specific maneuvers and proficiency areas.

The advantage of WINGS is that it encourages ongoing proficiency rather than a single biennial event. You can work on WINGS activities throughout the year, building proficiency incrementally. Many CFIs recommend combining regular WINGS participation with periodic flight reviews for maximum benefit.

After a satisfactory flight review, the CFI endorses your logbook with the date, their signature, certificate number, and expiration date of their flight instructor certificate. The endorsement certifies that you have satisfactorily completed a flight review under 14 CFR 61.56.

Keep a record of your flight review endorsement. If you are ramp-checked by the FAA, you must be able to demonstrate that you have completed a flight review within the preceding 24 calendar months. The 24-month clock runs from the calendar month of your last review — if you complete a review in March 2026, it is valid through March 31, 2028.

If the CFI does not endorse your logbook (indicating the review was not satisfactorily completed), no record is filed with the FAA. You simply need additional training before attempting the review again. There is no penalty and no waiting period.

Letting the review lapse: Many pilots miscalculate the 24-month window. The review expires at the end of the 24th calendar month after the month you completed it. Mark your calendar and schedule the next review early.

Treating it as a formality: A flight review is an opportunity to identify and correct bad habits. Be honest with your CFI about areas where you feel less confident. The goal is proficiency, not checking a box.

Not preparing: Review Part 91 rules, current NOTAMs, and airspace changes before the ground portion. Chair fly the maneuvers you expect to perform. Arrive with your logbook, medical certificate, and pilot certificate. A prepared pilot gets more value from the review.

Forgetting equivalent events: Passing a practical test for a new certificate or rating, completing a WINGS phase, or successfully completing a Part 135 or Part 121 proficiency check all reset the 24-month clock. Check 14 CFR 61.56(d) and (e) for the full list.