FLIGHT REVIEW, WHAT DO YOU DO?

[MyNameIsNobody]

Just did my review:

CFI had me do a couple of the ASI courses prior to review and provide certificates of completion.

I am VFR and like the hood time so we  did a bunch of climbs and descents with turns to compass points.  Did Steep turns left and right.  Use of trim is huge here.  We also did some upset recovery with head between knees.

Did five touch and go's two with simulated engine out (push to idle at numbers).

He said "You know how to fly this thing, Take me home".

What does everybody else do?

Edited June 2, 2017 by MyNameIsNobody

[Andy95W]

When I give someone a BFR I look at what kind of flying they usually do and I have us do something different.  If its a guy who does a lot of cross country flying, we do maneuvers.  If its a VFR guy who just buzzes around, we plan a XC flight and "run into a few things to talk about later".

[ArtVandelay]

I hate maneuvers, it's hard on the plane: full rich, pulling power or max power, short field takeoffs, landings. My last BFR I used (abused) their plane.

[gsxrpilot]

I just take my friendly CFI for a $100 hamburger somewhere.

[Yetti]

I am up for one this month.  The last words from the CFI was "make it airline smooth"    I have been out in gusty crosswinds when others are on the ground, but would kind of like to know "what is going to get me"  so should I do some sort of upset training?  What would that look like in a mooney?

[Andy95W]

2 hours ago, Yetti said:

I am up for one this month.  The last words from the CFI was "make it airline smooth"    I have been out in gusty crosswinds when others are on the ground, but would kind of like to know "what is going to get me"  so should I do some sort of upset training?  What would that look like in a mooney?

Nothing is "going to get you".  It isn't a checkride, it is simply a means for the FAA to ensure that every 2 years your skills haven't deteriorated to an unsafe degree and (in the 1 hour of ground) to ensure you are aware of any major changes in rules or regulations.  I think your instructor is probably just having some fun with you to "make it airline smooth".

As a CFI, I really wish the FAA would rename this the BFT, or Biennial Flight Training.  That would more accurately describe what it is and what it is meant for.

So, as far as preparation: probably none required.  Since you are active on this forum, I think it is a reasonable assumption that you have stayed "up" on any major rule or regulation changes.  Maybe review the cloud clearance requirements and stuff like that.  Since you fly your airplane regularly, your skills probably haven't atrophied to the point that you're unsafe, so the flight portion is your opportunity to practice some things you haven't done in a while.

To me, this is kind of the point- you are an active part of the flight review.  Let your instructor know if there is something you would like to do during the review.  He/she will observe your flying skills and safety while doing those things and probably throw in a few things of his own.  The instructor will appreciate that you take an active interest in being a better pilot.  My suggestion, if you can't think of anything, is some of the Commercial maneuvers like Chandelles or Lazy 8s.  Fun, challenging, and something different.

I would say "good luck", but you don't need it.  I'll just say "Have Fun!" Instead.  Let us know how it goes.  If you come to Southeast Michigan, I'll fly with you (as long as you provide the post-flight debriefing beverages for us.)

[Ftlausa]

I just had mine, and the CFI did ground going over VFR charts and performance charts.  The flight portion involved slow flight, stalls, steep turns, unusual attitudes and short field landings at three different airports in quick succession. 

[Mooneymite]

The recommendations for the BFR are set forth in AC 61-98C.

The CFI, if he is doing his job, follows it.

I give BFR's for free to people in my neighborhood, but am about to stop giving them altogether because a few people take it as a personal affront that I actually want to see them fly a plane.....they just want the sign off....because we're neighbors.  Yes, generally the CFI knows in the first five minutes if you need training, but the AC is pretty specific in certain areas.

If you are receiving a BFR, read over the AC and see if you're getting "the real thing", or just a pat on the butt.

https://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Advisory_Circular/AC_61-98C.pdf

Also look at:  https://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/media/flight_review.pdf

[RLCarter]

BFR's are fairly none eventful, an hour on the ground and an hour in the air. The one I enjoyed the most was done at night with a vacuum pump failure. Grab a CFI and show them what you know, in return they will show you what you thought you knew. It's a mandatory excuse to fly.........

[gsxrpilot]

Ok, I'm one of those guys looking for a sign-off. I fly about 200 hours a year and stay very current. I do as much IFR/IMC as I can, and log a lot of formation hours.  I'm happy for a CFI to make sure I'm safe to exercise the privileges of my certificate, but I'm not looking for additional training in the BFR. I'm working on the Commercial and love to be challenged there and am challenged there. But on the BFR, I'll show you what I need to show and lets be done.

The last time I paid a CFI for a BFR or IPC, I got the distinct feeling that he was trying to prove to me that I needed the training and kept coming up with more and more difficult tasks to find something I'd fail at. It just wasn't fun and I'll never hire him again. I'm fortunate that my little brother is a CFI and he's the only one I'll use for BFR's now. I'm using a different CFI for the commercial training and am loving the challenge, but BFR, no.

[Mooneymite]

1 hour ago, gsxrpilot said:

Ok, I'm one of those guys looking for a sign-off

I understand that.

However, just like you wouldn't ask your IA to sign your plane off without "due diligence", the CFI is bound by the rules.

If you find a CFI who doesn't follow the rules, that's a good reason not to use him....for anything.

Commercial pilots with 1000's of hours get checked twice a year and most learn something each time.

Make it a learning experience, not something to be avoided/gun-decked.  You'll get out of it what you put into it.

[RLCarter]

Just now, gsxrpilot said:

Ok, I'm one of those guys looking for a sign-off. I fly about 200 hours a year and stay very current. I do as much IFR/IMC as I can, and log a lot of formation hours.  I'm happy for a CFI to make sure I'm safe to exercise the privileges of my certificate, but I'm not looking for additional training in the BFR. I'm working on the Commercial and love to be challenged there and am challenged there. But on the BFR, I'll show you what I need to show and lets be done.

The last time I paid a CFI for a BFR or IPC, I got the distinct feeling that he was trying to prove to me that I needed the training and kept coming up with more and more difficult tasks to find something I'd fail at. It just wasn't fun and I'll never hire him again. I'm fortunate that my little brother is a CFI and he's the only one I'll use for BFR's now. I'm using a different CFI for the commercial training and am loving the challenge, but BFR, no.

The nice thing about gaining a rating is it resets the clock on the BFR. My regular CFI is now a DPE, been having trouble finding a CFI to finish up my Commercial so I can move on to CFI. My last BFR was done during the 5hr Mooney time the insurance required,

[Skates97]

9 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

The nice thing about gaining a rating is it resets the clock on the BFR. My regular CFI is now a DPE, been having trouble finding a CFI to finish up my Commercial so I can move on to CFI. My last BFR was done during the 5hr Mooney time the insurance required,

I didn't even think of that. I should have had my CFI sign off on a BFR when I was doing my 10 hours transition training.

[MooneyMitch]

I use the FAAST program.  No so called, Flight Review.

[N201MKTurbo]

Rene makes me do the commercial PTS....

[Mooneymite]

7 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

Rene makes me do the commercial PTS....

Now that's "above and beyond"!

[Bob_Belville]

2 hours ago, Andy95W said:

As a CFI, I really wish the FAA would rename this the BFT, or Biennial Flight Training.  That would more accurately describe what it is and what it is meant for.

As a CFI I'm sure you know that it has not been a BFR for many years. It's simply a FR.   (At least you have it biennial, a CFII based at KMRN has biannual on his business cards sitting on the FBO counter.)

I did a MAPA PPP in September and got a FR, an IPC, and night currency logged. I think I'll plan to do that next time around. Costs a lot more but it's a chance to learn something.

[flyboy0681]

I don't mind the BFR, but what I don't care for are those CFI's that say "this is the way you should do it", which is more often than not, his technique. This has happened to me twice and while I did just fine on the maneuver,  the CFI's didn't like the way I executed it. 

The long and short of it is, there's no way anybody is going to change techniques that I have been successfully using for 37 years.

 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Mooneymite said:

Now that's "above and beyond"!

We are part of a mutual abuse club. Actually, you can run through it in about an hour.

[Andy95W]

1 hour ago, Bob_Belville said:

As a CFI I'm sure you know that it has not been a BFR for many years. It's simply a FR.   

Yeah, I know.  Every once in a while I've been known to refer to ARSAs and TCAs, too.

[midlifeflyer]

I just gave a FR today. As usual, I gave homework and asked if there was anything he wanted to work on and we incorporated those into the training session. Good pilot, which I could tell very quickly and did his assigned homework. 

In flight, we did a fairly standard set of flight maneuvers - stalls, slow flight, steep turns - particularly given the FAA's current emphasis on loss of control in maneuvering flight and the related rationale behind the changes in slow flight standards. We added two maneuvers I include if the pilot hasn't done them before - falling leaf stalls and landing with the ASI covered. Since one of the "want to work on" items was IFR GPS use, we included a few things on that too, including a diversion with a landing.

None are intended to trick or "catch" anyone. The reg requires me to be satisfied the trainee can "demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate." I'm looking for good aircraft control and good cockpit procedures.

[Danb]

I generally attend a managed 2-3 day program yearly, the last 6-7 years it was the MAPA weekend program, I like the MAPA programs since they are Mooney specific. I have my instructors work on my deficiencies of which there are many.

[midlifeflyer]

13 minutes ago, bluehighwayflyer said:

Was this in a Mooney, @midlifeflyer? I have enjoyed falling leaf stalls in several other aircraft but in the Mooney I didn't find them to be enjoyable and no longer perform threm. Just curious as to your thoughts and impressions. 

No. In this case it was in a Cherokee. But the goal of the maneuver is maintaining good coordination with rudder so it's a valuable exercise. I've done them in most of the aircraft I've flown. Some are definitely more "enjoyable" than others. 

[Yetti]

11 hours ago, Andy95W said:

Nothing is "going to get you".  It isn't a checkride, it is simply a means for the FAA to ensure that every 2 years your skills haven't deteriorated to an unsafe degree and (in the 1 hour of ground) to ensure you are aware of any major changes in rules or regulations.  I think your instructor is probably just having some fun with you to "make it airline smooth".

 

 

Nope he is serious.  And when I mean "get me" not on the BFR, but when I am flying along and I need to get out of a situation that has been presented to me.  

I am fine with power off abeam the numbers and such.

He is particular about taxing and landing on the center line. Other wise there will be some wise crack about "Now landing one six Left"... as I seem to land a bit left of centerline.

Maybe commercial maneuvers is the thing to learn.

[RLCarter]

3 minutes ago, Yetti said:

Maybe commercial maneuvers is the thing to learn.

The flight review should be held to the ratings you have, not the ones he would like you to meet. Years ago on my Private ck ride I planted the little 150 firmly on the ground (borderline hard landing), DPE said it was a little hard and I explained it was windy as hell, his response was go back around, second landing was identical (maybe a little softer) he said that was the same as the first, my response was "Yep, so was the wind"...taxied back to the hangar and he gave me my temporary airman certificate...