Flight review (BFR) requirements
What's in a flight review, when it's due, and what counts instead.
Once you're a pilot, you can't act as pilot in command unless you've had a flight review in the last 24 calendar months (14 CFR 61.56). Pilots still call it a BFR, from its old name, the biennial flight review.
What a flight review includes
- At least 1 hour of ground training: a review of the general operating and flight rules in 14 CFR Part 91.
- At least 1 hour of flight training: the maneuvers and procedures the instructor decides you need to show safe pilot in command skills.
- It's given by an authorized flight instructor, who endorses your logbook when you complete it.
When it's due
It's good through the end of the 24th calendar month. A review completed on March 10, 2026 is good through March 31, 2028.
Things that count instead
- Passing a practical test (checkride) for a pilot certificate, rating or operating privilege.
- Completing a phase of the FAA WINGS pilot proficiency program.
A flight review isn't a pass or fail test. If you need more training, the instructor simply doesn't sign it off yet. Brush up on the regulations with the flashcards.
Flashcards
Regulations decks with spaced repetition
Open →Currency lesson
Flight reviews and passenger currency
Open →Common questions
How often do pilots need a flight review?
Every 24 calendar months to act as pilot in command.
How long is a flight review?
At least 1 hour of ground training and 1 hour of flight training.
Does a checkride count as a flight review?
Yes. Passing a practical test for a certificate, rating or operating privilege counts.
Sources, review & change history
- Published
- Oct 26, 2026
- Review status
- Written from the FAA sources linked in the text. Not yet re-checked line by line or reviewed by a flight instructor.
- Changes
- Oct 26, 2026: first published.
Study aid only. Your instructor, current 14 CFR and the FAA's handbooks and ACS have the final word.