Overview of FAR 61.57 – Recent Flight Experience
Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) 61.57 establishes the minimum recent flight experience—or ‘currency’—that pilots must maintain to demonstrate proficiency and safely exercise their certificate privileges. This regulation ensures pilots can consistently operate aircraft with competence.
Currency requirements go beyond simple paperwork—they embody a practical safety approach. Through regular practice of critical maneuvers, FAR 61.57 helps prevent skill degradation while maintaining operational readiness.
Requirements for Recent Flight Experience
FAR 61.57 outlines several key requirements to maintain recent flight experience:
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General Currency: To carry passengers or serve as PIC in an aircraft requiring more than one pilot, you must complete three takeoffs and landings within the preceding 90 days in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type.
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Instrument Currency: To act as PIC under IFR, you must perform and log six instrument approaches, holding procedures, and intercepting/tracking courses within the preceding six calendar months under actual or simulated instrument conditions.
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Specialized Currency: Pilots operating tail wheel, high-performance, complex, or high-altitude aircraft must maintain currency specific to those types.
When pilots fall short of these requirements, they must complete a proficiency check with an authorized instructor or examiner before resuming specific operations.
Currency for Night Operations
Night flying introduces distinct challenges that demand specialized preparation. FAR 61.57(b) addresses this reality by requiring specific currency: pilots must complete at least three takeoffs and landings to a full stop within the preceding 90 days, all performed during the critical period from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
These night operations must occur in an aircraft matching the category and class the pilot intends to fly. Consider this scenario: a pilot who fulfills night currency requirements in a single-engine land airplane cannot use that currency to command a multi-engine aircraft at night. They must satisfy the specific requirements within that aircraft class as well.
Meticulous logbook documentation becomes crucial for night operations. Pilots frequently record sunset and sunrise times to establish clear compliance evidence.
Should night currency lapse, pilots can restore currency easily. Pilots can regain currency by completing the required takeoffs and landings with a qualified flight instructor aboard—the instructor doesn’t count as a passenger for this purpose.
Instrument Proficiency Checks Under FAR 61.57
An Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) serves as a comprehensive evaluation required when instrument currency lapses beyond six months. This thorough evaluation restores a pilot’s authority to act as PIC under IFR conditions.
The IPC encompasses a thorough evaluation of tasks drawn from the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). Key areas include instrument approaches, holding procedures, intercepting and tracking navigational courses, plus emergency operations under instrument conditions.
Pilots can complete an IPC in an appropriate aircraft or—as a cost-effective option—in a qualified flight simulator or training device.
Only authorized professionals may conduct an IPC. Upon successful completion, the evaluator provides a logbook endorsement that restores instrument privileges. Who qualifies as authorized? FAA-designated pilot examiners, Certified Flight Instructors with instrument ratings (CFI), and other individuals specifically authorized by the FAA Administrator.
Using Flight Simulators for Currency
FAR 61.57 permits pilots to utilize various FAA-recognized simulation devices for maintaining instrument currency. These include Full Flight Simulators (FFS), Flight Training Devices (FTD), and Aviation Training Devices (ATD)—both Basic (BAND) and Advanced (AAT) versions.
Simulators offer clear benefits for instrument currency maintenance. They’re cost-effective with no fuel costs and lower operating expenses than aircraft. They’re safer for practicing emergencies in controlled settings. And they’re more available since weather won’t cancel sessions.
Under FAR 61.57(c), pilots may employ these approved devices for required instrument tasks. However, certain requirements might still demand aircraft completion, depending on the simulator’s specific certification level.
For simulator sessions to count toward currency, two conditions must be met. The simulator must carry FAA approval for the performed tasks, and a qualified instructor must observe and document the session.
Regulatory Updates and Compliance
A significant update to FAR 61.57 clarifies that instructors don’t qualify as passengers during flight training. This distinction allows students to act as PIC without meeting passenger-carrying currency requirements—a change that greatly improves training logistics.
This clarification removes barriers without compromising safety standards. Both pilots and flight schools benefit from the streamlined approach.
Staying Informed About FAR Regulations
Pilots must stay current with regulatory changes. Several methods make this easier: The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provides the official, current source for all Cars. The Federal Register publishes proposed and final FAA rule changes. Aviation organizations like AOPA, EAA, and NCAA offer analysis and guidance through their publications. Flight reviews, safety seminars, and training courses often cover regulatory updates. Pilot communities—flying clubs and online forums—provide networks for sharing practical insights.