Flight Reviews, IPCs & Pilot Proficiency Training
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What recurrent training do certificated pilots need?
Every certificated pilot needs a flight review (commonly called a BFR) every 24 calendar months under 14 CFR 61.56 — at least one hour of ground and one hour of flight training. Instrument-rated pilots whose currency has lapsed need an instrument proficiency check (IPC). Best Pilot Training Virginia provides flight reviews, IPCs, rusty pilot refreshers, and aircraft checkouts at KPVG in Chesapeake.
Flight reviews that are actually useful
A flight review is not a test — you cannot fail it, only complete it or keep training. We treat it as a genuine proficiency session: we will talk through what kind of flying you do, pick ground topics and maneuvers that matter for it, and spend the flight time on the things that make you safer, not a rote checklist. Regulatory minimum is one hour of ground and one hour of flight; pilots who have not flown recently often benefit from more, and we will tell you honestly if that is the case.
Getting back in the air after years away
Pilot certificates do not expire. If you have not flown in five, ten, or twenty years, your certificate is still valid — you need a flight review, possibly a current medical (or BasicMed qualification), and enough training to be genuinely proficient again. Rust comes off faster than most returning pilots expect: the hands remember, and the regulations and avionics are usually the bigger catch-up. We will build a refresher plan around your actual starting point, not a one-size package.
IPCs, checkouts, and owner-pilot training
We provide instrument proficiency checks per 14 CFR 61.57(d) for pilots whose instrument currency has lapsed, aircraft checkouts for renters and new owners, and recurrent training tailored to insurance checkout requirements. If you own your aircraft, training in it is often the most valuable proficiency work you can do — ask us about instructing in owner aircraft.
Common questions
How long does a flight review take?
The regulatory minimum is one hour of ground training and one hour of flight training. Plan for a half day in practice. Pilots returning after a long layoff often need additional sessions to fly to a safe standard — we will be straightforward about it.
My instrument currency lapsed. Do I need a full checkride again?
No. If you are within the applicable window you can restore currency with recent experience requirements; beyond it, an instrument proficiency check (IPC) with an instructor — not an FAA checkride — restores your IFR privileges.
Do you do insurance checkouts?
Yes. If your insurer requires dual instruction or a checkout in type, we can usually provide it — contact us with the aircraft type and the policy requirements.