First BFR coming up next month

I find the ground portion more challenging than the flying part. ;)

Cheers
 
Assume you'll have to know and do everything you had to know or do for the examiner on your PP check ride.

That is pretty much what my CFI has done on my first BFR.

I hadn't flown in six months due to work and medical issues, and by the time I found time and had the medical issues cleared up I was past 24 months since my check ride. I've got the ground portion out of the way and we did some air work but we couldn't finish it up, so I'll be finishing up (I hope) next Monday. I was very rusty on recovery from unusual attitudes under the hood. Also had problems with power-on stall recovery, which kinda sucks because I had started to get comfortable, if not good, at those.

My CFI jokingly says that "The beatings will continue until morale improves."
 
Basic maneuvers that you did to get your license, fly to local airport, takeoffs and landings, sim engine failure. Overview of airspace and regs, cloud clearance, charts.

Show the CFI that you are confident and able in the aircraft and you wont have a issue.

If Mr. CFI doesnt feel you are going to get lost, bust airspace/pi$$ off the feds, or lawndart the thing and you'll probably do fine.
 
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Technically, it's refresher instruction, not really a test. If you're really deficient or have a CFI with OCD, you might not get signed off, but this is really to resharpen your skills.

The FAA has guidance on what will be taught during a flight review, but there's also some leeway. Do an honest self-assessment of your knowledge and skills, and see if you can get some specific help, both on the ground and in the air, in areas where you find you're rusty.
 
Good guidance from the FAA.

Remember, this is your review. Think about what you you want to accomplish. What are your weak areas and where are you stronger. There is no reason why the review needs to be minimum time. Flying is fun. The instructor is what, 50 per hour max. Do something you haven't done in the past or recently. Are you night current? Maybe you should fly at night. Own it.
 
I agree, since it's something you are required to do make it into what you want it to be. One time I went as far as to get a Seaplane rating because any checkride for a rating resets your BFR clock. That may seem extreme but what's a BFR cost, two hundred bucks? It's the same as getting a $200 discount coupon for your new rating. :D
 
The FAA Wings program, which gets mixed reviews, also resets the clock when you complete a phase.

Cheers
 
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It's like a PPL oral, not just flying, so brush up on that.
 
Remember one thing: This isn't primary flight training. YOU are paying the CFI, and he cannot fail you.

Without being arrogant, keep that relationship clearly in mind. Things will work out nicely. :)

Mary and I usually tell the CFI what we want to brush up on. One year, Mary wanted to practice the FISK approach into OSH (it was her turn to fly in), so the guy set up pretend scenarios simulating tight right-hand landing patterns on Rwy 27 at OSH.

Other years, it will be power-off spot landings. We tell him what we want, and he takes it from there.

Now, this being your first BFR, chances are that you don't even know what you want, yet. So, just ride with it, and let him come up with stuff. Just try not to get get stuck with some dinosaur that makes you track VORs all day. That happened to Mary one year, and she learned precisely nothing.
 
Strictly the judgement of the CFI within the guidelines. Could be fly an hour and BS a bit, or it could be the Spanish Inquisition. I've had both ends of the spectrum. My most recent was informative and educational.
 
Sac Arrow said:
...Could be fly an hour and BS a bit, or it could be the Spanish Inquisition...
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It's like AME's. One guy wants to see if you have a pulse and can fog a mirror while the next one has you jumping up and down on one leg for three and a half minutes.:dunno:
 
jonnyjetprop said:
Good guidance from the FAA.

Remember, this is your review. Think about what you you want to accomplish. What are your weak areas and where are you stronger. There is no reason why the review needs to be minimum time. Flying is fun. The instructor is what, 50 per hour max. Do something you haven't done in the past or recently. Are you night current? Maybe you should fly at night. Own it.
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Must be nice. $60-80/hr is common in the Bay Area.
 
It is a great chance to push the envelope a little, my last BFR was at night, after a 12hour work day in MVFR. I got to see how I perform under those conditions with the back up of a CFI sitting next to me.
 
Another vote for WINGS. You take a number of online courses which you get up to three credits, and up to 3 hours flight time with your favorite underemployed CFI, submit the paperwork and you get credit for completing the phase.
Register here: http://www.faasafety.gov/default.aspx
Sample courses:
Aeronautical Decision Making for VFR Pilots
Description:
This course is designed to provide pilots with some additional tools to aid in the decision making process. It is also intended to raise awareness of the need to identify and mitigate risk. The course is based on the FAA’s Risk Management Handbook.
or:
Avoiding Loss of Control
Description:
It is hard to imagine losing control of an airplane in flight. But far too frequently that is exactly what happens and usually with serious results. Most loss-of-control accidents are fatal. These accidents happen in both VFR and IMC conditions, during the day and at night. They are not limited to inexperienced or VFR only pilots. This course will explore some of the factors that can lead to loss-of-control and will provide some practical steps that can be taken by pilots to help avoid LOC. Several links to external sources of information are provided. These links are considered to be part of the course. Pilots are strongly encouraged to follow these links, either while taking the course or upon completion so that a more complete arsenal against the loss-of-control accident can be built.


And the flight phase is all about stuff you should be able to do now including pattern work, short field takeoffs and landings, emergency procedures, etc.



You could also get a new rating.
 
Look at it as more of a friendly conversation between you and your CFI .And take the opportunity to go over your weak spots with the instructor.The more relaxed you are the more you will get from the experience.just my opinion
 
I'm a Sport Pilot way past time for a BFR, and have not been flying for a couple of years, as I was building a Sonex. I am buying a CTSW, so I'm training in one locally and the instructor agreed that once he's comfortable with my skills in the airplane he'll sign me off to solo and write up the BFR as part of those hours. I have 3.6hrs in it so far, and I'm almost there. The flying skills came back pretty quickly, but I was pretty rough on that first flight. We've also been talking over airspace, emergency procedures, etc before and after each flight, so that will satisfy the ground school requirement.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Wow! I guess CA CFIs aren't the underpaid ramp rats they are around here... I think our last BFRs cost $100 -- for TWO of us.
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With the cost to live in the People's Republic of California means they are probably way underpaid. :D

Cheers
 
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