Flight reviews (formerly BFR) are a normal part of being a pilot. Whether you’re a private pilot who flies once a month for fun or a flight instructor who flies daily for work, we all have to go through some type of evaluation at some point to keep our certificates current.

One thing that will reset the clock on the 24 calendar month deadline for a flight review is passing a practical test, like a checkride for a new rating or certificate. If you’re like me and have gone through a 141 program, or have tested for multiple certs close together, you may have gone a long time without ever experiencing a flight review.

My first flight review

As a brand new CFI, the first flight review I ever experienced was one I gave to someone else! Not only was it the first flight review I’d ever experienced, but it was also the first real flight lesson I ever taught. Other intimidating factors included unfamiliar avionics in a new-to-me plane, flying in a location I’d only flown in twice before, and the guy who needed the flight review had over 13,000 total hours. Stacked up against my 235 total hours at the time… needless to say, I was highly motivated to put my all into prepping for this flight.

This mildly daunting scenario pushed me to research and prepare to the point where I now consider myself an intermediate-level authority on flight reviews. (I’d call myself an expert but I still only have one flight review under my belt, so I won’t get ahead of myself just yet.)

If you’re nearing a flight review yourself, whether conducting it as the CFI or being subjected to it as the pilot up for renewal, here’s what to expect.

Preliminary steps for a good flight review

Before we go any further, take a look at this document from the FAA: Conducting an Effective Flight Review.

This is really everything you need to conduct a flight review in one place. It includes forms to gather information on the pilot’s experience, guidance on the ground and flight portions, and review materials for before and after the review.

Read on for my summary/ hot takes on this doc.

1.Gather information

A successful flight review starts with gathering information about the pilot up for renewal. As the CFI, be prepared to ask for the pilot’s existing certificates, ratings, and total hours. Perhaps most importantly, be sure to ask them about their recent experience with the specific type of aircraft they’ll be using for their review.

Is the aircraft one they fly regularly, or is it a rental they’ve never used before? Do they normally fly multi-engine and need to get checked out in a single-engine? Has it been three days or three years since they were last in a plane at all?

My 13,000-hour guy primarily flew helicopters and turboprops and hadn’t seen the inside of a single-engine piston airplane in a long time. If I had let myself be intimidated by his total time and assumed he knew more than me about the Piper Archer we were flying that day, we would’ve been in trouble.

You’d be surprised; many pilots seeking out flight reviews are getting back into general aviation or a type of aircraft after being out of the game for a while. Never assume anyone’s abilities based on total time or ratings alone.

2. Manage expectations

This step is super important for the CFI to emphasize. Not all flight reviews look the same, and for good reason.

While the requirement is for one hour of ground and one hour of flight training, the reality is that some pilots will need more time. Don’t rush a review just to squeeze it in the bare minimum amount of time if the pilot being reviewed could really benefit from a little extra training.

It’s a good idea for the CFI to set the expectation up front that while the flight review may only take 2.5-3 hours from beginning to end in a perfect world, it’s entirely possible for it to take longer. If you really dig into every topic the FAA recommends covering in a flight review, it can take a few extra hours or days to complete a flight review.

The good news is, there’s no way to fail a flight review. Either you pass, or you keep training until you pass.

On the other hand, a flight review also should not be nearly as grueling or intense as a checkride. The primary goal of the flight review is safety. If the pilot being reviewed can demonstrate that they are safe, competent, and have good judgment, they should have no problem receiving that completion endorsement.

3. Pre-meeting assignment

To help structure the ground portion in a practical way, the FAA suggests the CFI assign a cross-country flight plan before the review takes place. This sets up the ground for a good discussion around real-world flying based on the PAVE checklist.

Once in the actual review, CFI and pilot can discuss all details surrounding the flight plan; from picking a route and cruising altitude to evaluating weather and ensuring the plane and pilot are fit to fly the mission.

This step is entirely optional, but it does provide a solid structure for a well-rounded review. I’d recommend this for most, though not all, flight reviews.

I didn’t end up assigning Mr. 13,000 a cross-country flight plan, because, to be honest, it felt a little silly considering the type of flying he was doing. An older pilot who has been flying the same two or three routes for decades, staying very local and flying on a private pilot certificate just for fun, isn’t going to use that skill often, if ever.

Instead, we talked through what a typical flight looks like for him, from beginning to end, and focused our conversation on regulations, airspace, and changes to some local airports and procedures.

Don’t be afraid to tailor the review to the specific needs of the pilot. What makes sense for one won’t make sense for all.