Sport Pilot Flight Review

[Silvaire]

I think I already know the answer to this question but I'm going to put out here anyway to see what the consensus is:

Can a Private Pilot who has downgraded himself to Sport Pilot status (does not hold current medical) do a flight review in a non LSA aircraft such as a Cessna 150?

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Why in the world wouldn't you be able to? (Assuming the CFI can act as PIC)

You need a medical to act as PIC, not to receive instruction.

 

[frfly172]

Why not just get the review in a Lsa? If you make the CFI the pilot in command,you are getting instruction,not sure your truly getting a flight review. Let's see what the CFIs on the board say.

 

[Greg Bockelman]

You can get just as good a flight review in a non LSA as you can an LSA. Who is legal PIC is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[poadeleted20]

Can a Private Pilot who has downgraded himself to Sport Pilot status (does not hold current medical) do a flight review in a non LSA aircraft such as a Cessna 150?

Yes -- as long as the instructor giving the review is legal to act as PIC of that Standard category aircraft (including holding a valid medical certificate) and your PP ticket still says "Airplane Single Engine Land" on the back. Even though you aren't legal to act as PIC of that Cessna 150, you remain "rated" in it, and that's the only requirement on your side per 61.56(c)(1).

It would only be a problem if you had surrendered your Private Pilot certificate in exchange for a Sport Pilot certificate, because then you would no longer be "rated" in that Cessna 150. Just ceasing to maintain your medical certificate does not cancel your "rated" status.

 

[Silvaire]

Okay that sounds reasonable and I can see it in the cited FAR. My take on it was a bit different however and I guess this leads to another question:

Is a flight review instruction or is it an examination? If it's an examination doesn't the person undergoing the exam have to act as PIC during that evaluation?

 

[James331]

A flight review in a plane cross covers someone who is licensed in a plane and helicopter and glider.

 

[BillTIZ]

Okay that sounds reasonable and I can see it in the cited FAR. My take on it was a bit different however and I guess this leads to another question:

Is a flight review instruction or is it an examination? If it's an examination doesn't the person undergoing the exam have to act as PIC during that evaluation?

A Flight Review is not an "exam", CFI do not administer exams, but the do provide instruction. You cannot fail a Flight Review, but an instructor may determine more training is received before signing off on 61.56 completion.

 

[Silvaire]

Thanks that makes sense, as Ron pointed out you can't "lose" the rating and as you pointed out you can't "fail" a flight review.

Still though, and this is the final question:

Do you have to be PIC to pass a flight review?

My sense from this discussion is that you do not and that makes sense because if you were to prove your proficiency in a more complex airplane you'd be covered. I know that's non-nonsensical because being able to land a 150 hp Cessna 172 doesn't mean you can land a Remos or a 65 hp J3 but as far as the rules go that's how it's written.

 

[James331]

You don't HAVE to be PIC, I've BFRed folks who haven't flown in 5yrs, just have to demonstrate to me that you can act as PIC.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Do you have to be PIC to pass a flight review?

if you had to be PIC, then if your flight review ever expired, you could not get a review because you would not be PIC.

 

[poadeleted20]

Is a flight review instruction or is it an examination?

Per 61.56(a), it is "training": "a flight review consists of a minimum of 1 hour of flight training and 1 hour of ground training."

If it's an examination doesn't the person undergoing the exam have to act as PIC during that evaluation?

That requirement exists only in 61.47 for a "practical test", but even then, there is an exception allowing the examiner to act as PIC for a practical test by prior arrangement. In any event, per 61.56, a flight review is not a practical test, so 61.47 isn't relevant.

 

[poadeleted20]

Do you have to be PIC to pass a flight review?

No -- nothing in 61.56 says you have to be PIC during the flight review, only that you be rated in the aircraft in which the flight review is conducted. And per 61.56(c), you don't "pass" a flight review, you "accomplish" a flight review.

 

[Silvaire]

Thanks everyone, this seems pretty clear now. In fact now that I think about it if you had to be PIC during a flight review it would create a "catch 22" because if your BFR had lapsed you couldn't act as PIC until the review had been accomplished and if you had to be PIC you couldn't accomplish the review.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Thanks everyone, this seems pretty clear now. In fact now that I think about it if you had to be PIC during a flight review it would create a "catch 22" because if your BFR had lapsed you couldn't act as PIC until the review had been accomplished and if you had to be PIC you couldn't accomplish the review.

It's even easier than that - the FAR is generally pretty clear about what activities require one to be the pilot in command. Read the passenger currency reg.