Jay Honeck wrote:

The problem, of course, is that I know in advance precisely what is covered
in the BFR, and practice it twice a week. This makes learning anything new
from a BFR problematic, although I do usually come away from a BFR with a
new thing or two. Which is why it's a good thing.

Which, again, is quite different from saying that a BFR is "necessary" for a
pilot who flies as often as Mary and I do. Quite frankly, it's not.


Hi Jay!

Nice pic and article in AOPA Mag!

Just a small point about your above comment. Many times the more we
fly, the "more" we start to practice things wrong. A BFR is a great way
to have a "second opinion" take a look at our habits to make sure they
are still good ones and that nothing bad has "crept" in that might start
to become a problem.

I have flown for 20 years with a major airline (27 years total) and also
do a fair share of GA flying...including competition aerobatics. I rack
up around 700 flying hours per year doing both. I'd like to add some
points to your premise that pilots' who fly often don't need BFR's.

1. The requirement to take a BFR forces everyone to crack a book every
24 months and "learn and relearn" important items and procedures that
otherwise would fall by the wayside. Call it ego, laziness,
complacency....(or just being a pilot)

2. A BFR will "hopefully" uncover bad habits and procedures that are
being done incorrectly and correct them before they get worse. Flying a
lot but doing something potentially dangerous that we don't recognize
ourselves, only reinforces the bad habit further and makes it harder to
correct...or worse yet, breeds another bad habit. :-(

3. As a past check airman for my airline, I witnessed many bad habits
that had crept into an otherwise very proficient pilot's procedures
despite flying a the very regimented environment of a major airline day
in and day out. Flying without very specific procedures can lead to even
further deviations over time...such as the GA environment.

4. As you pointed out, 99% of the time something new and helpful is
learned during a BFR, and this new knowledge or skill can make a
difference. The goal is to constantly learn more, and if we can learn
from others knowledge (experience / mistakes) all the better for us.
I'd rather learn from someone else's experience / mistakes vs. making
them myself.

Having said the above, I still find it quite interesting that medical
doctors never have to take "checkrides" to prove their competency in the
hospital (as a doctor) once their diploma is hanging on their wall. ;-)

Take care,

BJ