FAA

Time for one and all to carefully reread 61.56.

A flight review can be conducted by a CFI in any category that the pilot
(and instructor) are qualified to fly. A flight review in an aircraft
covers the requirements for ALL the pilot's certificates and ratings. That
means the flight review in a glider covers the airplane requirement. That
means a relatively inexperience CFIG could give a flight review to an ATP,
mult-engine seaplane pilot and the pilot in question would be legal to fly
all the aircraft allowed on his or her certificate. Similarly, the checkride
the 747 pilot gets from the check airman every 6 months meets the flight
review requirements for a glider.

I have seen airplane pilots who were fighting the FAA over their medical
either get an flight review or add a glider rating because it got them legal
to fly an airplane once their medical got straightened out.

Here is the scary one (even a "squirrel)... A pilot shows up at your glider
club. He or she is certificated in gliders and airplanes and was a towpilot
years ago. The pilot has not flown in many years. They get a checkout by a
CFI in a club glider which is also endorsed as a flight review. This
checkout consisted of 3 flights. That pilot is now qualified to jump in the
tow plane (even a taildragger if they were at one time qualified) and tow
anyone, including a student. Sound crazy? That is the way the rules are
written. The only currency requirement for the tow pilot was the 3 glider
flight on tow, a current medical, and current flight review.


"Mark James Boyd" wrote in message
...
A "squirrel" case is when a guy argues something that
might be true, but is so far in left field you gotta smile...
I'm about to present one:

The Flight review is only applicable to aircraft the pilot is rated for.
If the power pilot has been soloed but is not rated in glider then
they cannot get a flight review in a glider.

Not exactly. The Wings program satisfies the requirement for a
flight review. I've seen NOTHING in the wings requirements
that requires the pilot to do the Wings training in an
aircraft the pilot is rated in. That doesn't mean it isn't there,
and I welcome feedback if someone finds a "rating" wording in the
Wings description, but I haven't seen it.

So if you believe this "squirrel" case, an unrated pilot can do
the Wings training in a glider, and this would count as a flight
review.

I personally love the Wings program, because I am not required
to make any evaluation of the pilot in their logbook. I
simply endorse that the pilot has done the training as
outlined in the Wings program. I don't have to endorse
that they were any GOOD at it, just that they did it.

A 61.56 Flight review, on the other hand, means I have to
review those manuevers necessary for the pilot to "demonstrate
the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot
certificate." This is a complete nightmare. If the guy
has ATP AMEL, ASEL, ASES, tailwheel and glider, and a Citation type
rating, there's maybe one CFI in 1000 who can review all of
these privileges. Otherwise you gotta sign a flight review
without checking all the stuff and if he barrels it in
in a Seabee, his widow wants to talk to you...

So I do almost all my Flight reviews as Wings phases.
It's a great program, it's a good reward system, it's
less onerous than the regular flight review, and
everyone leaves with a smile...oh, and if a Wing's
participant has a minor gaff with the FAA, they look
favorably on the extra effort and are more likely
to accept some sincere contriteness... :P

Don't quote me on this, but they may even have the little
wings pin without the prop, so it's for gliders? Maybe
not (I've never done it), but wouldn't THAT be something
for the hat!

If you're a CFI or pilot and you aren't familiar with this
program, you may be surprised at the benefits...
Heck, I even have student pilots do phases of Wings. Even
though it isn't a flight review (since they aren't
rated) it still gets them a little pin.

I just wish the SJ FSDO hadn't stopped sending out those
cool little blue Wings Seminar announcements...WHAAAA!!
(whines and sniffles).

A "squirrel" case is when a guy argues something that
might be true, but is so far in left field you gotta smile...
I'm about to present one:

The Flight review is only applicable to aircraft the pilot is rated for.
If the power pilot has been soloed but is not rated in glider then
they cannot get a flight review in a glider.

Not exactly. The Wings program satisfies the requirement for a
flight review. I've seen NOTHING in the wings requirements
that requires the pilot to do the Wings training in an
aircraft the pilot is rated in. That doesn't mean it isn't there,
and I welcome feedback if someone finds a "rating" wording in the
Wings description, but I haven't seen it.

So if you believe this "squirrel" case, an unrated pilot can do
the Wings training in a glider, and this would count as a flight
review.

I personally love the Wings program, because I am not required
to make any evaluation of the pilot in their logbook. I
simply endorse that the pilot has done the training as
outlined in the Wings program. I don't have to endorse
that they were any GOOD at it, just that they did it.

A 61.56 Flight review, on the other hand, means I have to
review those manuevers necessary for the pilot to "demonstrate
the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot
certificate." This is a complete nightmare. If the guy
has ATP AMEL, ASEL, ASES, tailwheel and glider, and a Citation type
rating, there's maybe one CFI in 1000 who can review all of
these privileges. Otherwise you gotta sign a flight review
without checking all the stuff and if he barrels it in
in a Seabee, his widow wants to talk to you...

So I do almost all my Flight reviews as Wings phases.
It's a great program, it's a good reward system, it's
less onerous than the regular flight review, and
everyone leaves with a smile...oh, and if a Wing's
participant has a minor gaff with the FAA, they look
favorably on the extra effort and are more likely
to accept some sincere contriteness... :P

Don't quote me on this, but they may even have the little
wings pin without the prop, so it's for gliders? Maybe
not (I've never done it), but wouldn't THAT be something
for the hat!

If you're a CFI or pilot and you aren't familiar with this
program, you may be surprised at the benefits...
Heck, I even have student pilots do phases of Wings. Even
though it isn't a flight review (since they aren't
rated) it still gets them a little pin.

I just wish the SJ FSDO hadn't stopped sending out those
cool little blue Wings Seminar announcements...WHAAAA!!
(whines and sniffles).