FAA Licence, what does it look like?
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Paros, Greece
As I remember the BFR is a bit more than just an hour with an instructor. It basically consists of some airbourne time (minimum one hour) where you demonstarte some or all of the skills required to conduct a safe flight, plus at least an hour on the ground training/answering questions and receiving tuition as required (see 14 CFR part 61:56). Mine was pretty infomal - I answered quite a few things wrong and the instructor was happy to just put me right rather than fail me. Make sure you understand their airspace fully and can read their charts properly. Also try to look at a copy of the Airport Facilities Directory before you go - get used to what all the numbers and codes mean. Oh, and ATC light signals - they seemed pretty hot on those too for some reason!
A BFR is carried out by any certified FAA instructor so it's not up to the level of a Skills Test/GFT. The basic idea is to check that you are safe to fly. For example, I'd have thought that demonstrating that you know where to look (in the POH) for the specific numbers for your aircraft is sufficient rather than knowing them all from memory. I didn't have any questionnare to fill in - just the question and answer session with the instructor.
I have a great book "Guide to the Biennial Flight Review", by Jackie Spanitz, published by "Aviation Supplies & Academincs Inc.", ISBN 1-56027-444-1 which basically contains all the excercises and questions that you can be asked. It's kinda like a mixture of the PPL confuser (without the answers) and the CAA Aviation Safety leaflets. It cost about $5 from an FBO over there - priceless reference. It's intended as a guide both for the candidate and the instructor giving the review and is full of useful info. The guy who did my BFR gave me about 1hr to read it over lunch and then we did the test.
As for the FSDO, I suppose it's worth asking if you can change to LGB. After all, it'd just mean they have to send a copy of the letter to the other office - hardly rocket science for them. You can get the FSDO phone number from the FAA website - call them now and get it sorted! If not, arrange to call at the LAX one on arrival (I assume you're flying into LAX) and get it over and done with - you'll be much happier with the peice if paper in your pocket, believe me!
A BFR is carried out by any certified FAA instructor so it's not up to the level of a Skills Test/GFT. The basic idea is to check that you are safe to fly. For example, I'd have thought that demonstrating that you know where to look (in the POH) for the specific numbers for your aircraft is sufficient rather than knowing them all from memory. I didn't have any questionnare to fill in - just the question and answer session with the instructor.
I have a great book "Guide to the Biennial Flight Review", by Jackie Spanitz, published by "Aviation Supplies & Academincs Inc.", ISBN 1-56027-444-1 which basically contains all the excercises and questions that you can be asked. It's kinda like a mixture of the PPL confuser (without the answers) and the CAA Aviation Safety leaflets. It cost about $5 from an FBO over there - priceless reference. It's intended as a guide both for the candidate and the instructor giving the review and is full of useful info. The guy who did my BFR gave me about 1hr to read it over lunch and then we did the test.
As for the FSDO, I suppose it's worth asking if you can change to LGB. After all, it'd just mean they have to send a copy of the letter to the other office - hardly rocket science for them. You can get the FSDO phone number from the FAA website - call them now and get it sorted! If not, arrange to call at the LAX one on arrival (I assume you're flying into LAX) and get it over and done with - you'll be much happier with the peice if paper in your pocket, believe me!
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Sydney
If you do the BFR quiz in the pilot lounge you can just ask everyone else for the answers - I tihnk it's supposed to be open-book afterall 
As for getting to LA FSDO, if you have to, you can get from Long Beach to LAX by public transport for just $1.35 in a little over an hour. Take a bus towards downtown LB (there is a bus route passing Rainbow, incidently) and ask for an inter-agency transfer ticket, then hop off downtown and ride the LA metro/tram to Aviation station where there's a free shuttle bus to LAX and sometimes a taxi or two. The FSDO is on the south perimeter of the airfield, dunno the exact address, might be just a short walk, but probably a taxi would be better!
As for getting to LA FSDO, if you have to, you can get from Long Beach to LAX by public transport for just $1.35 in a little over an hour. Take a bus towards downtown LB (there is a bus route passing Rainbow, incidently) and ask for an inter-agency transfer ticket, then hop off downtown and ride the LA metro/tram to Aviation station where there's a free shuttle bus to LAX and sometimes a taxi or two. The FSDO is on the south perimeter of the airfield, dunno the exact address, might be just a short walk, but probably a taxi would be better!
Joined: May 2001
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From: 75N 16E
but probably a taxi would be better!
The questionaire thing is an FBO thing, nothing to do with a BFR. From what I remember the club checkout is fairly in depth, and for good reason, which is why it can be classed as BFR. Your instructor will go through the "ground school" bit as part of the checkout.
Cheers
EA
I'matightbastard
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Texas
I haven't read the entire thread but...
An instructor will never fail a candidate for a Flight Review. If he doesn't think you're acceptable, he'll just put it down as regular training, or preparation for a flight review.
That's just the way it's done and the way the FAA want it done - in my experience.
I think the name changed from BFR to Flight Review as well as there was talk about it not being every two years. It should be an informal process of an hour plus an hour. I make sure anything the FAA is stressing gets covered (runway incursion is the current favourite) and then I ask the candidate what his weaknesses or special requests are and we work on those.
I wish they had a similar thing with cars :roll eyes:
Good luck
the instructor was happy to just put me right rather than fail me.
That's just the way it's done and the way the FAA want it done - in my experience.
I think the name changed from BFR to Flight Review as well as there was talk about it not being every two years. It should be an informal process of an hour plus an hour. I make sure anything the FAA is stressing gets covered (runway incursion is the current favourite) and then I ask the candidate what his weaknesses or special requests are and we work on those.
I wish they had a similar thing with cars :roll eyes:
Good luck
Joined: May 2001
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From: 75N 16E
runway incursion is the current favourite
) until you do, or else they get fed up and give you a bollocking
Flies for fun
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Wishing it was somewhere sunny!
The BFR isn't that bad, basically, as has been said, its a one hour ground followed by one hour in the air and it's about whether you are safe to be in the air and flying one of the club aircraft. You can expect for sure, questions about US airspace and in particular that you understand class Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Military Operations areas and Restricted airspaces and the clearances necessary to enter them. Airspaces and sectional maps are very different from the UK. You will certainly get questions about aircraft weight and balance and be expected to do a calculation for departure from a high altitude airport because there are lots of them in SoCal. You will have the benefit of the POH so that you can look at the tables and Mr Piper's words of wisdom. You will get questions about runway and taxiway markings and make sure that you know what US road markings look like so that you can differentiate between taxiways and perimeter roads! ALL runway and taxiway instructions MUST be read back on controlled airfields! As I've said before, don't be too sad if you are required to do more than the minimum 1 hr checkout before they set you loose. I trained in the US but I do know of foreigners (yes that's us!) who have been required to undergo more than 1 hours familiarisation training. US traffic paterns might be as odd to you as "standard overhead joins" in the UK were to me. 
Have a look at this link, might be interesting to you!http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/piper_cherokee.pdf
Have a look at this link, might be interesting to you!http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications/piper_cherokee.pdf
Last edited by Sensible; 22nd May 2003 at 16:32.
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Paros, Greece
This is a very popular topic at LGB as I believe they hold the US annual record for RW incursions....
Make sure you are fully aware of the implications of a 'Land and Hold Short' clearance. You will be recommended to reject such clearances if at all unsure, but you do need to know to expect them at the busier airfields over there. I can't imagine you not being quizzed on this in your BFR.
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: London, UK
For the record, I've done two BFR, including one at Rainbow Air and on neither was I really asked any questions, at least not in the formal sense. There was a bit of pointing at the map and saying "Do you know what that magenta line means?" and me saying "Urm, I've read about it but I can't recall" and them explaining it. It was one hour of ground instruction and one hour of flying around doing a few stalls, slow flight, etc. Most definitely not a test - the instructor demonstrated various things to me first.
Rainbow Air's checkout is fairly thorough and they do give you a sheet of written questions, but they are very easy generally, plus you can take it away with you (I did mine overnight) plus you can use the handbook plus I left a few blank and said I don't know and the instructor and I filled them in together.
All in all, neither of these things are anything to worry about. That, OBK, is probably why they've not mentioned any of it.
Rainbow Air's checkout is fairly thorough and they do give you a sheet of written questions, but they are very easy generally, plus you can take it away with you (I did mine overnight) plus you can use the handbook plus I left a few blank and said I don't know and the instructor and I filled them in together.
All in all, neither of these things are anything to worry about. That, OBK, is probably why they've not mentioned any of it.
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Yorkshire
LAHSO have been in use very frequently when I have used KLGB so its worth getting your instructor to go through them with you during your check.
Its also worth noting that during your check/BFR at Rainbow that if you intend filing IFR they may give you a quick check out on that as well to make sure you arent a donkey in the air. Its worth doing anyway especially if you havent flown it for a while or you are new to the US ways of doing things.
Its also worth noting that during your check/BFR at Rainbow that if you intend filing IFR they may give you a quick check out on that as well to make sure you arent a donkey in the air. Its worth doing anyway especially if you havent flown it for a while or you are new to the US ways of doing things.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 524
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From: uk
Hi Julian
I have never flown IFR in UK so I might have to have a lesson or two on flying via the V routes in America.
Are there any websites for tips on flying in the USA? Just so I can catch up with their way of doing things.
Cheers
obk
I have never flown IFR in UK so I might have to have a lesson or two on flying via the V routes in America.
Are there any websites for tips on flying in the USA? Just so I can catch up with their way of doing things.
Cheers
obk
I'matightbastard
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: Texas
Just being 
but wanted to point out the difference between a flight reveiw, required by the regs to continue flying and a check out required by an fbo/club to satisfy their insurance/common sense requirements.
[/ ]
Also, yes I was told to repeat every taxi instruction that involved a runwaym so I just repeat 'em all verbatim anyway as it's amazing how much more memorable that makes the information.
back on I guess
but wanted to point out the difference between a flight reveiw, required by the regs to continue flying and a check out required by an fbo/club to satisfy their insurance/common sense requirements.[/
]Also, yes I was told to repeat every taxi instruction that involved a runwaym so I just repeat 'em all verbatim anyway as it's amazing how much more memorable that makes the information.
back on I guess
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Paros, Greece
Are there any websites for tips on flying in the USA? Just so I can catch up with their way of doing things.
The starting point would be to read 14 CFR Part 91 (here) . You'll also find links on that page to the rules on airspace and airman cerification etc. but Part 91 contains most of what you need to know for basic VFR flights. It's not quite as 'wordy' as our ANO or rules of the air, but if it's not clear there are other websites out there with 'plain English' versions of the FAR's.
Other good websites (which have probably been listed many times before) are:
www.avweb.com - a commerical site offering news and articles about GA in the USA
www.airnav.com - contains airfield, runway and frequency details and links to FBO's for every public use airport in the US.
www.pilotage.com - details of airports in the LA basin/San diego area including charts, arial photos, links to FBO's and other businesses.
These are just the first three I thought of that may be of use to you. There must be thousands of others. AVWEB alone has enough interesting articles, reviews and quizzes to keep you busy for several weeks of solid internet access (I know, I used to work nights alone
)
Joined: May 2001
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From: 75N 16E
There was a really good post by one of the CFIIs from the place you're going to a couple of weeks back. It was removed due to advertising, or assumed advertising, and I don't know if it ever re-surfaced. If it did, it contains averything you ever wanted to know about stateside flying. Try searching for it...
CU
EA
CU
EA
