Pilot licence

[xfeed]

This is a question for American pilots:

Does a PPL ever expire? An American friend of mine says his father hasn't flown for 20 years but he still has his licence and gets "up-dated" without flying. I was under the impression that "if you don't use it you lose it". Maybe he is correct and I just assumed that you had to keep current. Just interested.

Cheers!

[The Greaser]

Just needs to meet the standard of knowledge and flying to be able to pass a biennial flight review plus have a valid third class medical. How many hours of training it may require to reach that standard depends on the individual - maybe 3 hours, maybe 40 hours.

[xfeed]

Thanks for that Greaser. That's interesting, I thought they were like driving licences.

Cheers!

[None]

The Certified Flight Instructor license is valid for only 24 months. It must be renewed before the end of the 24th month, or it must be revalidated, which is much more complicated.

The Private, Commercial, and ATP licenses (and ratings) have no expiration. A BFR is required every 24 months, and it is necessary to meet recency of experience to fly with passengers, or to operate IFR.

FAR 61: (c) Other pilot certificates. A pilot certificate (other than a student pilot certificate) issued under this part is issued without a specific expiration date. The holder of a pilot certificate issued on the basis of a foreign pilot license may exercise the privileges of that certificate only while that person's foreign pilot license is effective.

§ 61.56 Flight review.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (f) of this section, a flight review consists of a minimum of 1 hour of flight training and 1 hour of ground training. The review must include:

(1) A review of the current general operating and flight rules of part 91 of this chapter; and

(2) A review of those maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate.

(c) Except as provided in paragraphs (d), (e), and (g) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft unless, since the beginning of the 24th calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, that person has—

(1) Accomplished a flight review given in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an authorized instructor and

(2) A logbook endorsed from an authorized instructor who gave the review certifying that the person has satisfactorily completed the review.

(d) A person who has, within the period specified in paragraph (c) of this section, passed a pilot proficiency check conducted by an examiner, an approved pilot check airman, or a U.S. Armed Force, for a pilot certificate, rating, or operating privilege need not accomplish the flight review required by this section.

(e) A person who has, within the period specified in paragraph (c) of this section, satisfactorily accomplished one or more phases of an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency award program need not accomplish the flight review required by this section.


§ 61.57 Recent flight experience: Pilot in command.
top
(a) General experience. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers or of an aircraft certificated for more than one pilot flight crewmember unless that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings within the preceding 90 days, and—

(i) The person acted as the sole manipulator of the flight controls; and

(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required), and, if the aircraft to be flown is an airplane with a tailwheel, the takeoffs and landings must have been made to a full stop in an airplane with a tailwheel.

(2) For the purpose of meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a person may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft under day VFR or day IFR, provided no persons or property are carried on board the aircraft, other than those necessary for the conduct of the flight.


(b) Night takeoff and landing experience. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, unless within the preceding 90 days that person has made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, and—

(i) That person acted as sole manipulator of the flight controls; and

(ii) The required takeoffs and landings were performed in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required).

(c) Instrument experience. Except as provided in paragraph (e) of this section, no person may act as pilot in command under IFR or in weather conditions less than the minimums prescribed for VFR, unless within the preceding 6 calendar months, that person has:

(1) For the purpose of obtaining instrument experience in an aircraft (other than a glider), performed and logged under actual or simulated instrument conditions, either in flight in the appropriate category of aircraft for the instrument privileges sought or in a flight simulator or flight training device that is representative of the aircraft category for the instrument privileges sought—

(i) At least six instrument approaches;

(ii) Holding procedures; and

(iii) Intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigation systems.

[pilotusa]

Well, if he hasn't actually flown in 20 years, he cannot exercise any privileges of his pilot's license. It hasn't expired, per se, but then it's functionally useless.

It's impossible to LEGALLY "update" without flying. Every two years he must fly with an instructor who will "review" his competency. There's no minimum amount of flight time prescribed; it could technically be once around the pattern...a very wide pattern. But an instructor must sign an endorsement that he has been given a satisfactory FLIGHT review.

He may keep it "updated" without flying by having a less-that-scrupulous, good-buddy instructor just pencil-whip the endorsement without demanding the flight. But this is not legal.

[B2N2]

Well Pilot-USA it does say 1 hr of flight training.

and:

§ 61.56 Flight review.


(2) A review of those maneuvers and procedures that, at the discretion of the person giving the review, are necessary for the pilot to demonstrate the safe exercise of the privileges of the pilot certificate.

Generally up to PPL standard if that's the license held.
Anything less would be pencil-whipping I agree.