Bi-Annual Flight Review... after not flying for a while.

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rt4388

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rt4388
After not actually flying in 18 months (I do a lot of chair flying at work), I went back up for the first time today. I felt really good--6 landings with no problem, maneuvers were fine, but a little trouble with the radio work--the CFI said that he would sign me off for my flight review and to check out the airplane. My question is would you all spend a bit more time with an instructor before going solo or taking up friends? I'm planning on about an hour with an instructor next weekend, but I expected it to take a little longer to get the feel for things again. I was comfortable in the plane and flying around, but it just seems too fast. Am I missing something?
Thanks for the help and insight!
 
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Lolz. Thanks for the insight.
 
I think only you can answer that question. It depends how comfortable you are.
 
Congrats on getting back current again. Flying more with an instructor is a good thing when you are knocking the rust off. Even if you don't get more time with an instructor, I would certainly spend more time practicing solo before taking friends and family up. I am so much more focused when flying solo. When I have friends in the plane it is way more distracting.

I just had my bi-annual yesterday. Since I have my own airplane I am able to fly more than the CFI that was checking me out. Even so, there is always something to be learned. It is good to have someone help you hone up on your weak areas.
 
I felt the same way after my BFR last year which was my first flight in a year. I just took it up solo and did a bunch of pattern work. My first landing was not good but then it all came back to me and I felt comfortable being PIC again.
 
rt4388 said:
After not actually flying in 18 months (I do a lot of chair flying at work), I went back up for the first time today. I felt really good--6 landings with no problem, maneuvers were fine, but a little trouble with the radio work--the CFI said that he would sign me off for my flight review and to check out the airplane. My question is would you all spend a bit more time with an instructor before going solo or taking up friends? I'm planning on about an hour with an instructor next weekend, but I expected it to take a little longer to get the feel for things again. I was comfortable in the plane and flying around, but it just seems too fast. Am I missing something?
Thanks for the help and insight!
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Probably a very good idea - I flew for the first time in about 20 months yesterday and I know I would not have wanted to do it without an instructor on board to catch any serious brain farts. I was definitely rusty. Beyond that, as an owner I had to worry about insurance requirements, and my insurance policy mandated 5 hours prior to solo. (As a renter, that may or may not be an issue for you - though it might if you carry renters insurance; check your policy.)
 
rt4388 said:
After not actually flying in 18 months (I do a lot of chair flying at work), I went back up for the first time today. I felt really good--6 landings with no problem, maneuvers were fine, but a little trouble with the radio work--the CFI said that he would sign me off for my flight review and to check out the airplane. My question is would you all spend a bit more time with an instructor before going solo or taking up friends? I'm planning on about an hour with an instructor next weekend, but I expected it to take a little longer to get the feel for things again. I was comfortable in the plane and flying around, but it just seems too fast. Am I missing something?
Thanks for the help and insight!
Click to expand...
That you are wondering about it and even asking the question says that you should do a little solo until you quit asking the question before you take passengers up. I'll betcha one flight might do it. Sounds like task management is the fly in the ointment.
 
I too just got back into it after about a 3 year hiatus. My first flight up for the flight review was one of the windiest days of the year as a direct crosswind. Nailed all the landings and my cfi was ready to sign me off after an hour but I asked to keep flying with him over the next couple of weekends. Flew 2 more times with him then flew solo for a few weeks and now taking passengers up. Now with each cross country I'm trying to go a little further and go to more complicated airports/airspace. All is going good but I'm still trying to find my natural groove and routine that I had in the past. Eventually it'll all become second nature again!
 
My longest down time was 7 months in over 20 years flying that was due to maintenance on my plane. That first flight I felt I was behind in the flight process, a little slow in performing my PIC responsibilities. A few solo flights and I felt much more comfortable. Only you can determine what is needed, an hour or two with a CFI would be well worth it. Not to mention educational and fun..
 
Oh, you loathsome creature. Take this scarlet D and place it on all your clothing, so as to bear the shame of needing dual time.

Always go with how you feel. Now and later. A few years ago, with thousands of hours under my belt, I just did not like how I was handling crosswinds in a certain airframe. Took a more experienced instructor up with me, we sorted it out in four trips around the pattern. Easy peasy.
 
I was just going to post a question about my flight review, which is due July 5. I'm joining a new club and the club grand poo-bah is a stickler for little things (like the prop has to be exactly vertical when you park the plane at the end of a flight). The checkout process sounds a little ... unfairly rigorous.

I'm a little nervous that he may also have a more precise requirement for other aspects of the flight review as well.

If he doesn't like my flying, he'll return my deposit and I can go back to renting at the flight school. But if he doesn't like my flying and ground work for the FR, can he ground me by writing something in my log book?

Here's a thread about the flight review which includes a screen shot of the rule.

https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/com...n-count-as-the-book-portion-of-my-bfr.101500/
 
No, a CFI does not have the power to ground you. If he doesn't like you flying and ground knowledge enough to sign you off for a FR, he is just supposed to list what you did do as instruction. That's it, then you can just go somewhere else and get it done, or go back to him to finish, whatever. This falls squarely under the oft quoted saying that "you can't fail a flight review".

And I had a plane that the prop would stop perfectly vertically by itself. Hated it. The birds loved to perch there and crap all over the spinner.
 
You wanna talk rusty? I went to the AOPA Rusty Pilot Seminar last winter. I was by far the rustiest guy there. About 38 years since I had flown last. I read a few places that you should expect to take two hours of dual for every year you haven't flown. Really? That would be 76 hours of dual to get my BFR? I got my license in the first place with right at 40 hours. I found a CFI. We flew a little over an hour and he signed me off. I did book him for the next day to fly over to what would be my home airport when I bought my plane, and we shot a few landings at this rather strange airport but big trees on one end and power lines on the other that slopes uphill to the north. That was the last time I flew until May when I went to test fly an Ercoupe in Oklahoma. I bought it. When I flew it home to near Houston, it was the first cross country flying I did in 40 years. And I flew the Ercoupe through the Dallas Class Bravo. Now that was fun!
 
RussR said:
No, a CFI does not have the power to ground you. If he doesn't like you flying and ground knowledge enough to sign you off for a FR, he is just supposed to list what you did do as instruction. That's it, then you can just go somewhere else and get it done, or go back to him to finish, whatever. This falls squarely under the oft quoted saying that "you can't fail a flight review".

And I had a plane that the prop would stop perfectly vertically by itself. Hated it. The birds loved to perch there and crap all over the spinner.
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I prefer to park my prop vertically. If it's horizontal, I find birds are more likely to perch. Lots of birds.
 
Ken Thompson said:
I read a few places that you should expect to take two hours of dual for every year you haven't flown. Really? That would be 76 hours of dual to get my BFR?
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I've never heard of 2 hours per year, but have heard a rule of thumb of 1 hour per year, which is more reasonable. But, like any rule of thumb, it breaks down at the edges*. Everybody will be different, etc.

* Like the "air pressure drops 1 inch per thousand feet" rule of thumb - it's pretty much true up to about 6 or 7000 feet, but after that it's not very accurate, and the approximation gets worse the higher you go.
 
champ driver said:
What's a "Bi-annual", and do I need one those to fly?
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Not trying to be picky, but since you asked:


Definition of biannual
  1. 1 : occurring twice a year

Definition of biennial
  1. 1 : occurring every two years a biennial celebration
 
I'd do a BFR and maybe another hour with an instructor just to get an outside opinion on whether or not your feeling of comfort is warranted or if there are things you need to brush up on before business as usual. Bear in mind that a BFR is basically just a dummy test, to get the most out of it you need a CFI who actually cares whether or not you're safe and will put you through all the paces and put in the time to correct any problems/practice anything you forgot.

I don't think many hours of re-training are necessary or anything just a review of what you already know and have forgotten and a little practice in the pattern is sufficient. I wouldn't plan for more than an afternoon.
 
JOhnH said:
Not trying to be picky, but since you asked:


Definition of biannual
  1. 1 : occurring twice a year

Definition of biennial
  1. 1 : occurring every two years a biennial celebration
Click to expand...

I think I had one of those many years ago, maybe I'll think about getting another one again, maybe 4 or 5 years from now.
 
I think if you ever feel the need to ask the question regarding flying with an instructor, the answer is an obvious yes.
 
Justin M said:
I'm joining a new club and the club grand poo-bah is a stickler for little things (like the prop has to be exactly vertical when you park the plane at the end of a flight). The checkout process sounds a little ... unfairly rigorous.
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I wouldn't deal with a jackass like that.
 
JOhnH said:
Not trying to be picky, but since you asked:
Definition of biannual 1 : occurring twice a year
Definition of biennial 1 : occurring every two years a biennial celebration
Click to expand...

Probably this goes to the pet peeve thread, but Bi-monthly vs Semi-monthly.
 
Ken Thompson said:
I prefer to park my prop vertically. If it's horizontal, I find birds are more likely to perch. Lots of birds.
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Never had any trouble with birds.

Picked up the habit of placing them horizontal on busy ramps in case someone taxis too close... their wing will pass above it and the cowl in a high wing. Did that for years.

Then later learned to just leave the %**#<€#^ things alone. I don't need to be moving it or touching it post-flight, so I just don't.

Every once in a while I succumb to the original habit.
 
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