Is an IPC a substitute for 6 approaches?

Its just a case of a poorly worded FAR. Certainly the FAA has always
held that an IPC meets the instrument currency requirements of 61.56 as
does an instrument checkride (which is also not stated in the FAR,
after your instrument checkride are you not instrument current???).
BTW: A CFII checkride does not automatically reset your clock.

-Robert

wrote:
Interesting. That an IPC would make a pilot current for IFR for 6
months, regardless of the number of approaches done, is something that
I've always just thought I've "known". But looking at the regs, to my
surprise, they just don't seem to say that.

So where did the notion come from? Well, I think I know where it got
stuck in my head, at least, namely from an FAA IR knowledge test bank
question, which goes a little something like this:

4021 A20
How long does a pilot meet the recency of experience requirements
for IFR flight
after successfully completing an instrument proficiency check if no
further
IFR flights are made?
A. 90 days.
B. 6 calendar months.
C. 12 calendat months.

I think the "intent" is that the IPC resets the clock, regardless of
number of approaches. It would be "nice", though, if the rules actually
stated what many of us are assuming they mean.
-harry