UNDER WHAT FLIGHT OPERATIONS IS A PILOT REQUIRED TO BE INSTRUMENT RATED
WHEN OPERATIONS INCLUDE:
A.) UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR FLIGHT PLAN)
B.) IN WEATHER CONDITIONS LESS THAN THE MINIMUM FOR VFR FLIGHT
C.) IN CLASS A AIRSPACE
D.) UNDER SPECIAL VFR WITHIN CLASS B, CLASS C, CLASS D AND CLASS E SURFACE AREAS BETWEEN SUNSET & SUNRISE
E.) WHEN CARRYING PASSENGERS FOR HIRE ON CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHTS IN EXCESS OF 50 NAUTICAL MILES OR AT NIGHT
WHAT CURRENCY EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET FOR A PILOT TO ACT AS PIC OF A FLIGHT UNDER IFR?
A PILOT ACTING AS PIC UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS:
A.) MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF A FLIGHT REVIEW
B.) TO CARRY PASSENGERS, 3 TAKEOFFS AND LANDING WITHIN THE PRECEDING 90 DAYS IN AN AIRCRAFT OF THE SAME CATEGIORY, CLASS, & TYPE IF A TYPE RATING IS REQUIRED
C.) WIHTIN THE 6 CALENDAR MONTHS PRECEDING THE MONTH OF THE FLIGHT PERFORMED & LOGGED IN ACTUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS OR UNDER SIMULATED CONDITIONS USING A VIEW-LIMITING DEVICE, AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING TASKS IN AN AIRPLANE
- ANY 6 INSTRUMENT APPROACHES
- HOLDING PROCEDURES & TASKS
- INTERCEPTING AND TRACKING COURSES THROUGH THE USE OF NAVIGATIONAL ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING CURRENT AND BEING PROFICIENT?
CURRENCY VS. PROFICIENCY:
- BEING CURRENT MEANS THAT A PILOT HAS ACCOMPLISHED THE MINIMUM FAA REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS WITHIN A SPECIFIC TIME PERIOD TO EXERCISE THE PRIVILEGES OF THE CERTIFICATE; MEANS THE PILOT IS LEGAL TO MAKE A FLIGHT, BUT DOES NOT MEAN THE PILOT IS PROFICIENT & COMPETENT TO TAKE THE FLIGHT
- A PROFICIENT PILOT IS CAPABLE OF CONDUCTING A FLIGHT WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF COMPETENCE; PROFICIENCY REQUIRES THAT THE PILOT HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS; PROFICIENT IS NOT ABOUT BEING LEGAL IN TERMS OF REGULATIONS, BUT IT IS ABOUT BEING SMART & SAFE IN TERMS OF PILOT EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCE
MUST A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR BE PRESENT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON USING AN AVIATION TRAINING DEVICE TO MAINTAIN YOUR IFR CURRENCY?
NO. A PILOT MAY ACCOMPLISH THE RECENCY OF EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS IN A FULL FLIGHT SIMULATOR, FLIGHT TRAINING DEVICE, OR AVIATION TRAINING DEVICE, PROVIDED THE DEVICE REPRESENTS THE CATEGORY OF AIRCRAFT FOR THE INSTRUMENT RATING PRIVILEGES TO BE MAINTAINED AND THE PILOT PERFORMS THE TASKS & ITERATIONS IN SIMULATED INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS
ARE YOU REQUIRED TO HAVE AN INSTRUCTOR PRESENT WHEN USING TIME IN AN FULL FLIGHT SIMULATOR, FLIGHT TRAINING DEVICE, OR AVIATION TRAINING DEVICE TO ACQUIRE INSTRUMENT AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE FOR A PILOT CERTIFICATE OR RATING?
YES, AN INSTRUCTOR MUST BE PRESENT. A PERSON MAY USE TIME IN A FULL FLIGHT SIMULATOR, FLIGHT TRAINING DEVICE, OR AVIATION TRAINING DEVICE FOR ACQUIRING INSTRUMENT AERONATICAL EXPEREINCE FOR A PILOT CERTIFICATE OR RATING, PROVIDED AN AUTHORIZED INSTRUCTOR IS PRESENT TO OBSERVE THAT TIME & SIGNS THE PERSON’S LOGBOOK OR TRAINING RECORD TO VERIFY THE TIME & THE CONTENT OF THE TRAINING SESSION
IF A PILOT NEEDS TO COMPLETE AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECK (IPC) TO REGAIN CURRENCY, WHO CAN ADMINISTER THIS CHECK?
AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECK MUST BE GIVEN BY:
A.) AN EXAMINER
B.) A PERSON AUTHORIZED BY THE U.S ARMED FORCES TO CONDUCT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TESTS, PROVIDED THE PERSON BEING TESTED IS A MEMBER OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES;
C.) A COMPANY CHECK PILOT WHO IS AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TESTS UNDER 14. CFR PART 121, 125, OR 135 OR PART 91, SUBPART K, & PROVIDED THAT BOTH THE CHECK PILOT AND THE PILOT BEING TESTED ARE EMPLOYEES OF THEAT OPERATOR OR FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP PROGRAM MANAGER, AS APPLICABLE
D.) AN AUTHORIZED INSTRUCTOR
E.) A PERSON APPROVED BY THE FAA ADMINISTRATOR TO CONDUCT INSTRUMENT PRACTICAL TESTS
IF A PILOT NEEDS TO COMPLETE AN INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY CHECK (IPC) TO REGAIN CURRENCY, WHAT MUST THEY DO ON THE CHECK?
- FIND FURTHER GUIDANCE IN AC 61-98
- GENERALLY, A PILOT SHOULD KNOW THAT AN IPC WILL REQUIRE AT LEAST THREE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO BE CONDUCTED WITH ONE OF THEM BEING A PARTIAL PANEL SIMULATION, HOLDING, TRACKING, & NAVIGATING PROCEDURES; UNLIKE WHEN MAINTAINING CURRENCY, A PILOT MAY NOT FLY THE SAME APPROACHES OVER AND OVER TO REGAIN CURRENCY
- NO GROUND TRAINING IS REQUIRED FOR AN IPC
WHAT ARE THE REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS FOR A PERSON TO ACT AS A “SAFETY PILOT”
THE SAFETY PILOT MUST:
A.) POSSESS AT LWAST A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH CATEGORY AND CLASS RATINGS APPROPRIATE TO THE AIRCRAFT BEING FLOWN
B.) POSSESS AN APPROPRIATE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE (THE SAFETY PILOT IS ACTING AS A REQUIRED CREW MEMBER)
C.) IF THE FLIGHT IS TO BE CONDUCTED ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE PERSON ACTING AS PIC OF THE FLIGHT MUST HOLD AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND BE INSTRUMENT CURRENT
- THEY CAN POSSESS BASICMED & BE A SAFETY PILOT (RULE CHANGED DECEMBER 2022)
WHEN LOGGING INSTRUMENT TIME, WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN EACH LOGBOOK ENTRY?
- EACH ENTRY MUST INCLUDE THE LOCATION AND TYPE OF EACH INSTRUMENT APPROACH ACCOMPLISHED AND THE NAME OF THE SAFETY PILOT, IF REQUIRED
WHAT CONDITIONS ARE NECESSARY FOR A PILOT TO LOG INSTRUMENT TIME?
A PERSON MAY LOG INSTRUMENT TIME ONLY FOR THAT FLIGHT TIME WHEN THE PERSON OPERATES THE AIRCRAFT SOLELY BY REFERENCE TO INSTRUMENTS UNDER ACTUAL OR SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS
WHAT REQUIREMENTS MUST BE MET BEFORE A PILOT CAN LOG AN IAP FOR CURRENCY OR TRAINING?
REQUIREMENTS THAT MUST BE MET:
A.) WHEN CONDUCTED IN AN AIRCRAFT, THE PILTO MUST OPERATE THAT AIRCRAFT OR AUTHORIZED TRAINING DEVICE SOLELY BE REFERENCE TO INSTRUMENTS
B.) WHEN CONDUCTED IN AN AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT MUST BE ESTABLISHED ON EACH REQUIRED SEGMENT OF THE IAP TO THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE (MDA) OR DECISION ALTITUDE/DECISION HEIGHT (DA/DH0
C.) WHEN CONDUCTED IN AN AIRCRAFT SIMULATING INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS, THE SIMULATED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) MUST CONTINUE TO MDA OR DA/DH
D.) WHEN CONDUCTED IN AN AIRCRAFT, THE FLIGHT MUST BE CONDUCTED UNDER ACTUAL OR SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS
E.) WHEN CONDUCTED IN AN AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING IN IMC, THE AIRCRAFT TRANSITIONS FROM IMC TO VISUAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS ON THE FINAL APPROACH SEMENT OF THE IAP PRIOR TO OR UPON REACHING MDA OR DA/DH
IS A PILOT REQUIRED TO FLY THE ENTIRE APPROACH PROCEDURE IN ORDER TO LOG IT FOR CURRENCY?
- EXCEPT WHEN BEING RADAR VECTORED TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, OR OTHERWISE DIRECTED THROUGH AN APPROPRIATE ATC CLEARANCE TO A SPECIFIC IAP, PILOTS MUST EXECUTE THE ENTIRE IAP COMMENCING AT AN IAF OR ASSOCIATED FEEDER ROUTE & FLY THE INITIAL SEGMENT, THE INTERMEDIATE SEGMENT, & THE FINAL SEGMENT OF AN IAP
- IF THE PILOT COMPLETES THESE SEGMENTS, OR RECEIVES VECTORS TO THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE, HE OR SHE MAY LOG THE IAP
