The FAA issued a final rule on September 30, 2020, that further amends Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) 118. Aviation activity continues to increase, and the industry is beginning to address the backlog of required training, checking, and testing requirements. However, many of the challenges that existed when the FAA first issued the SFAR in April remain today as the public health emergency continues. SFAR 118-2 is effective on October 1, 2020, and is available for public display in the Federal Register here: https://bit.ly/30Gs4i3.
Flight Review
- If you were current to act as PIC in March 2020 (had a current flight review)
- Your flight review was/is due in March 2020 through January 2021
- Pilots in any operation that requires at least a commercial pilot certificate (for compensation or hire, flight instruction, NOT pleasure flight!)
- Or, operations requiring private pilot certificates who have:
- 500 hours total time
- 400 hours as PIC
- 50 hours in the last 12 calendar months
- Doing these types of operations:
- Incidental to business or employment
- In support of family medical needs or to transport essential goods for personal use
- Necessary to fly an aircraft to a location in order to meet a requirement of this chapter
- A flight to transport essential goods and/or medical supplies to support public health needs
- Persons onboard must be essential to the flight
Then, your flight review can be extended according to the table below if,
To mitigate any safety risk, the pilot must have logged at least 10 hours of PIC time within the twelve calendar months preceding the month the flight review was due. This flight time must be obtained in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated. In addition, eligible pilots will need to complete FAA Safety Team online courses totaling at least three WINGS credits. The courses must have been completed in January 2020 or later to meet this requirement. Completion of the safety courses demonstrates continued learning and pilot professional development.
Prerequisites for Practical Tests (§61.39)
The ability to present a successful expired knowledge test report when applying of a certificate or rating.
Three months for knowledge test results expiring between 03/01/2020 through 09/30/2020. Two months for those knowledge test results expiring between 10/31/2020 through 01/31/2021. This relief will not be available for knowledge test results that expire after 01/31/2021.
