[FinnFlyer]

Usually did my BFRs at KCLW because I know area well. But last time sat for 15 mins waiting for plane in front of us to finish whatever they were doing before takeoff. Also new FBO operator and flight school there now that I'm not familiar with.

Prior to that I tried an instructor with airplane at X60 because of apparent low rates. However, even though I had just done Sporty's BFR course, Instructor took his sweet time doing 1.5 hour pre- and post briefings and insisted on flight training area15 mins from the airport.

So I'm looking for recommendation for lowest cost airplane rental and instructor that can get it done in one hour.

Finn

 

[YellowJacket RV9]

Usually did my BFRs at KCLW because I know area well. But last time sat for 15 mins waiting for plane in front of us to finish whatever they were doing before takeoff. Also new FBO operator and flight school there now that I'm not familiar with.

Prior to that I tried an instructor with airplane at X60 because of apparent low rates. However, even though I had just done Sporty's BFR course, Instructor took his sweet time doing 1.5 hour pre- and post briefings and insisted on flight training area15 mins from the airport.

So I'm looking for recommendation for lowest cost airplane rental and instructor that can get it done in one hour.

Finn

Did my PPL at what is now called St Pete Air at SPG, was called Bay Air back then. My instructor has long since left but several are still there and I did a BFR / rental checkout several years ago there in a DA40. Busy airport but the tower does a great job keeping things moving efficiently. Having been based at KCLW for several years I can sympathize with waiting eons for the student pilot in front of you to finish their runup/ground lesson at the hold-short line.

 

[bonefishdave]

Usually did my BFRs at KCLW because I know area well. But last time sat for 15 mins waiting for plane in front of us to finish whatever they were doing before takeoff. Also new FBO operator and flight school there now that I'm not familiar with.

Prior to that I tried an instructor with airplane at X60 because of apparent low rates. However, even though I had just done Sporty's BFR course, Instructor took his sweet time doing 1.5 hour pre- and post briefings and insisted on flight training area15 mins from the airport.

So I'm looking for recommendation for lowest cost airplane rental and instructor that can get it done in one hour.

Finn

I doubt you will find an instructor that will ”get it done in one hour”
regulations state minimum of 1 hour ground instruction, and 1 hour of flight. That is two hours minimum, and that’s minimum.

 

[roadrunner20]

You could try RonSim on this forum. He's based at KCLW & flew his RV6A for years. He's located at the end of RV Alley.

 

[FinnFlyer]

I doubt you will find an instructor that will ”get it done in one hour”
regulations state minimum of 1 hour ground instruction, and 1 hour of flight. That is two hours minimum, and that’s minimum.

Are you not aware that Sporty's BFR course covers the ground section?

EDIT: I guess that course is not available anymore. I don't see it listed on their web site. I wonder what happened. One would do the course online and end up with a cert that stated one had completed the ground part of the BFR.

Never mind. It's called "Flight Review Course".

 

[BobTurner]

Are you not aware that Sporty's BFR course covers the ground section?

EDIT: I guess that course is not available anymore. I don't see it listed on their web site. I wonder what happened. One would do the course online and end up with a cert that stated one had completed the ground part of the BFR.

Never mind. It's called "Flight Review Course".

I’d never heard of this so I looked. Sportys says ‘Course accepted at the discretion of the cfi.’. And I don’t see anything in part 61 suggesting that such a ‘oral only’ sign off is valid. So imho you should run this past your cfi before simply expecting that he’ll be okay with it.

 

[BobTurner]

Are you not aware that Sporty's BFR course covers the ground section?

EDIT: I guess that course is not available anymore. I don't see it listed on their web site. I wonder what happened. One would do the course online and end up with a cert that stated one had completed the ground part of the BFR.

Never mind. It's called "Flight Review Course".

BTW, it’s called ‘flight review course’ because that’s now the official faa name. They dropped ‘BFR’ a few years ago because no one can spell ‘biennial’.

 

[Paul Thomas]

Fly Fast Track in PGD kept the ground right at one hour; the flight was just a little over that but I wasn't trying to do it in the minimum time.

 

[Gnvflyer]

You can do the ground portion for free on the FAA website. They give you a certificate on completion. My CFI accepted it at my last BFR.

There's a flight school at 42j, Keystone. Nice guys, great airport.

 

[FinnFlyer]

You can do the ground portion for free on the FAA website. They give you a certificate on completion. My CFI accepted it at my last BFR.

There's a flight school at 42j, Keystone. Nice guys, great airport.

First time I've heard about doing ground portion on FAA website. Tried to find it but couldn't, other than remote pilot. Can you point me to it?

 

[Dad's RV-10]

First time I've heard about doing ground portion on FAA website. Tried to find it but couldn't, other than remote pilot. Can you point me to it?

I believe this is the link.

The description implies it's a study and preparation guide, not a substitute for completing the required ground review.

"Completing this course in advance of your scheduled flight review will allow you and your instructor to use your ground time more efficiently."

 

[dmattmul]

Safer Skies Through Education - FAA - FAASTeam - FAASafety.gov

 

[FinnFlyer]

Well, so far I only see the Sporty's cert qualifying for having covered the one hour ground portion. Here's the cert from two years ago which the instructor accepted.

 

[BobTurner]

Well, so far I only see the Sporty's cert qualifying for having covered the one hour ground portion. Here's the cert from two years ago which the instructor accepted.

So, as a cfi but not a lawyer, I’ve been thinking about this. The issue I see is that far 61.56 is all written in the singular (‘instructor’). I would be uncomfortable certifying that ‘the flight review’ was satisfactory when I had no first hand knowledge of the oral. I would be happy to sign off the flight portion of the review, and reference John Smith cfi who has signed off the oral part on (date). That’s not explicitly mentioned in 61.56 but imho should be satisfactory. Keep the Sportys paperwork with your logbook, and remember that the review expires 24 calendar months after the earlier of the two sign offs. Two other things:
1. I know some pilots hate paying for ground time, so I tell Flight Review applicants, up front, that there will be a fixed charge ($20) for the ground review, regardless of how long it takes. This seems to forestall any resentment, as I gain nothing if the time extends beyond an hour.
2. I, and I think other cfi’s, take a dim view of pilots who tell us how to do our job. (“I want this review to take no more than an hour”). How can I possibly promise someone, in good faith, that I will find them competent to fly at the level of their certificate (private, commercial) after one hour, when I have never flown with them?

 

[FinnFlyer]

So, as a cfi but not a lawyer, I’ve been thinking about this. The issue I see is that far 61.56 is all written in the singular (‘instructor’). I would be uncomfortable certifying that ‘the flight review’ was satisfactory when I had no first hand knowledge of the oral. I would be happy to sign off the flight portion of the review, and reference John Smith cfi who has signed off the oral part on (date). That’s not explicitly mentioned in 61.56 but imho should be satisfactory. Keep the Sportys paperwork with your logbook, and remember that the review expires 24 calendar months after the earlier of the two sign offs. Two other things:
1. I know some pilots hate paying for ground time, so I tell Flight Review applicants, up front, that there will be a fixed charge ($20) for the ground review, regardless of how long it takes. This seems to forestall any resentment, as I gain nothing if the time extends beyond an hour.
2. I, and I think other cfi’s, take a dim view of pilots who tell us how to do our job. (“I want this review to take no more than an hour”). How can I possibly promise someone, in good faith, that I will find them competent to fly at the level of their certificate (private, commercial) after one hour, when I have never flown with them?

$20? If that was the rate around here I'd have no issue with paying the instructor for the ground portion. However, I feel the Sporty's course is more thorough and I probably spend several hours on it.

Obviously if the pilot needing the BFR cannot show he's competent in the one hour of flying and needs more training then that's OK. My beef is with dragging it out past the one hour if competence as private pilot has been shown. I guess that some instructors wants the pilot to demonstrate all of practical test standard maneuvers which I don't think is the intent of a BFR. I could be wrong.

 

[BobTurner]

…..I guess that some instructors wants the pilot to demonstrate all of practical test standard maneuvers which I don't think is the intent of a BFR. I could be wrong.

If you want to see what the FAA thinks a FR should look like, you can download AC 61-98B, especially chapters 3 and appendix 5. And/or ‘Conducting an Effective Flight Review’, also off the faa web site. These are guidance materials for cfi’s. If you read thru these, you’ll see that one of the recommendations (which I myself am guilty of not always following) is that a discussion should take place well in advance of flying, so the cfi has some idea of what’s going to be needed, and can give you a realistic time estimate. It’s definitely not supposed to be a ‘one size fits all’ sort of thing.