FAA extends COVID relief

[flyingron]

Here's the official link: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2020-13960.pdf

Alas, they didn't give blanket exetensions on times until September. THey still insist on ****ting on the recreational pilot. They did open up the relief to any private pilot with 500 hours to things that are incidental to business or emplyment, transport for medical needs or essential supplies, or needing to move a plane for things like annuals.

Most time limits are now extended to September. The medical and written test expiration applies to all. The other issues the FAA continues to have a burr up their ass about.

 

[chemgeek]

Yes, no change to the allowed flight privileges for pilots flying beyond their flight review expiration. To restore full flight privileges as a private pilot, you must complete a flight review if you are more than 24 months out. I was down for 2 weeks until our airport flight instruction was cleared by the state to open. I completed an IPC/FR, only to find that I narrowly missed being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 due to a delayed potential exposure discovery for my flight instructor.

I really don't think it would have been a significant safety issue to simply extend flight review requirements indefinitely, perhaps with some online training requirements that might be as beneficial as a full FR, to keep private pilots in the air without exposing one to health risks. I don't think the private pilot population will start falling out of the sky if some don't have a FR in the last 24 months. Hey, but I'm good for 24 months now. I think I'll go to 12 month cycles on my FR in the future, now that work is no longer in the way, to avoid a similar situation in the future.

 

[Fearless Tower]

Yes, no change to the allowed flight privileges for pilots flying beyond their flight review expiration. To restore full flight privileges as a private pilot, you must complete a flight review if you are more than 24 months out. I was down for 2 weeks until our airport flight instruction was cleared by the state to open. I completed an IPC/FR, only to find that I narrowly missed being exposed to SARS-CoV-2 due to a delayed potential exposure discovery for my flight instructor.

I really don't think it would have been a significant safety issue to simply extend flight review requirements indefinitely, perhaps with some online training requirements that might be as beneficial as a full FR, to keep private pilots in the air without exposing one to health risks. I don't think the private pilot population will start falling out of the sky if some don't have a FR in the last 24 months. Hey, but I'm good for 24 months now. I think I'll go to 12 month cycles on my FR in the future, now that work is no longer in the way, to avoid a similar situation in the future.

Are you reading the same SFAR I’m reading?

There was relief for flight review expiring during the original COVID SFAR. The new SFAR expanded to include flight reviews expiring July-September.


https://nbaa.org/wp-content/uploads...us/FAA-SFAR-118-COVID-19-Relief-Extention.pdf

There is a handy table in that document that summarizes it all.

 

[RyanB]

So if our flight review expires in July and we’re given a grace period per the FAA, than what about for insurance? Do they still require it to be completed during the usual 24 calendar month window in order to maintain coverage?

 

[Fearless Tower]

So if our flight review expires in July and we’re given a grace period per the FAA, than what about for insurance? Do they still require it to be completed during the usual 24 calendar month window in order to maintain coverage?

Insurance requires a current Flight Review. The SFAR temporarily extends the validity of the FR, so no issue. The SFAR was a HUGE improvement over the FAAs original COVID solution which was to ‘not take enforcement action’ when certain expire. That wording could have created issues for insurance.

 

[RyanB]

Insurance requires a current Flight Review. The SFAR temporarily extends the validity of the FR, so no issue. The SFAR was a HUGE improvement over the FAAs original COVID solution which was to ‘not take enforcement action’ when certain expire. That wording could have created issues for insurance.

So it really doesn’t matter what the SFAR says, if insurance still requires a current flight review. You just won’t get busted by the FAA if they happened to find out you lapsed.

 

[Fearless Tower]

So it really doesn’t matter what the SFAR says, if insurance still requires a current flight review. You just won’t get busted by the FAA if they happened to find out you lapsed.

No, that was the old plan. With the SFAR, your medical and Flight Review expiration is extended (if they were set to expire during the COVID period.

 

[RyanB]

No, that was the old plan. With the SFAR, your medical and Flight Review expiration is extended (if they were set to expire during the COVID period.

That’s what I’m saying, but if you still want to be covered through your insurance, than you’ll still need to stay current through the standard 24 month window, if I’m understanding correctly. Doesn’t matter what the FAA decides to do.

Pardon my ignorance if I’m misunderstanding.

 

[Fearless Tower]

That’s what I’m saying, but if you still want to be covered through your insurance, than you’ll still need to stay current through the standard 24 month window, if I’m understanding correctly. Doesn’t matter what the FAA decides to do.

Pardon my ignorance if I’m misunderstanding.

No. Not at all. The FAA through the Code of Federal Regulations sets the periodicity of various things like medicals, annual inspections, flight reviews, IPCs....etc.

My insurance company says I need a current Flight Review and Medical. They do not set the periodicity.

By mechanism of the SFAR, the CFRs are temporarily modified, so you are still in compliance. Therefore, the insurance company can’t refuse to cover you, unless you have some special language or stipulations in your specific policy that are more restrictive than the FAA (some people have policies that require an annual IPC even if the FAA doesn’t, for example). If your policy is written that way, it might be a good idea to call and confirm. But if they refuse to cover under the SFAR, unless you are getting a screaming good deal, I’d be looking for another underwriter.

 

[RyanB]

No. Not at all. The FAA through the Code of Federal Regulations sets the periodicity of various things like medicals, annual inspections, flight reviews, IPCs....etc.

My insurance company says I need a current Flight Review and Medical. They do not set the periodicity.

By mechanism of the SFAR, the CFRs are temporarily modified, so you are still in compliance. Therefore, the insurance company can’t refuse to cover you, unless you have some special language or stipulations in your specific policy that are more restrictive than the FAA (some people have policies that require an annual IPC even if the FAA doesn’t, for example). If your policy is written that way, it might be a good idea to call and confirm. But if they refuse to cover under the SFAR, unless you are getting a screaming good deal, I’d be looking for another underwriter.

I gotcha! Thanks for the explanation, I should be good then with AOPA, but I’ll likely call them just to be safe. Will probably go ahead and get my BFR knocked out anyway.

 

[Brad Z]

I gotcha! Thanks for the explanation, I should be good then with AOPA, but I’ll likely call them just to be safe. Will probably go ahead and get my BFR knocked out anyway.

Just read your policy. If your policy specifies how recently your medical exam is, then that's what you need to do. If it says you just need to be Medically current, then the SFAR extends the period of currency.

 

[dmspilot]

So I drove 2 1/2 hours each way the other day to find an AME who wasn't booked solid for nothing.

 

[flyingron]

You only get the (FAA) relief on flight review and other currency issues if you are flying one of the exempted operations which do not cover recreational flying.

 

[chemgeek]

Are you reading the same SFAR I’m reading?

There was relief for flight review expiring during the original COVID SFAR. The new SFAR expanded to include flight reviews expiring July-September.


https://nbaa.org/wp-content/uploads...us/FAA-SFAR-118-COVID-19-Relief-Extention.pdf

There is a handy table in that document that summarizes it all.

But the "relief" does not include full flight privileges for private pilots. It merely extends the current relief a few extra months. If you are a private pilot not flying for one of the designated purposes in the SFAR, you may not exercise your extended flight review requirements.

 

[chemgeek]

So it really doesn’t matter what the SFAR says, if insurance still requires a current flight review. You just won’t get busted by the FAA if they happened to find out you lapsed.

Call your insurance agent. My insurer had no problem with coverage for operation conforming to the SFAR.