Is Your Flight Review Set to Expire, But You Can’t Fly With a CFI Because of COVID-19?

You may be able to extend your flight review grace period for up to three months by earning three WINGS credits. WINGS is the FAA’s Pilot Proficiency Program. You can get WINGS credits by going to FAASafety.gov. Hover over “Activities, Courses, Seminars & Webinars” then choose “Courses” for online training, or “Seminars & Webinars” if you prefer to earn credit by attending a live webinar. There are over 500 online courses and lots of webinars available. To complete a phase of WINGS, you’ll need to complete three flight credits when things get back to normal but to extend your flight review, three ground or “knowledge” WINGS  credits is all you need.

The intent of the requirement to take three online courses is to make the demonstration of continued learning and professional development universally available, easy to complete and rational. The SFAR requires three WINGS knowledge credits since January 2020. The credits can be any set of online courses, activities, webinars, or even seminars prior to the shelter in place, that provide the three WINGS credits. Online learning, activities, courses, Zoom or prior seminars, and webinars are acceptable.

There are also other requirements explained in a new, 93-page document that the FAA has posted to the Federal Register. For all the details, see the new Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) that covers Relief for certain persons and operations during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak. The SFAR is effective April 30. The Federal Register version is available at this link: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/05/04/2020-09472/relief-for-certain-persons-and-operations-during-the-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-outbreak.

Some of the requirements are:

• Current to act as PIC in March of 2020
• Flight review due March through June of 2020
• Pilots in any operation that requires at least a commercial pilot certificate
• Or, operations requiring private pilot certificates who have:
  • 500 hours total time
  • 400 hours as PIC
  • 50 hours last 12 calendar months
  • Doing these types of operations:
    • Incidental to business or employment
    • In support of family medical needs or to transport essential goods for personal use
    • Necessary to fly an aircraft to a location in order to meet a requirement of this chapter
    • A flight to transport essential goods and/or medical supplies to support public health needs
  • Persons onboard must be essential to the flight

You get the idea. However, be sure to read the full SFAR before you use it to exercise an extension of your flight review. Make sure that you, and the operation you will be flying, meet the requirements of the SFAR.

For technical questions concerning this action for pilots, contact:
Craig Holmes, General Aviation and Commercial Division
Federal Aviation Administration,
800 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591
Telephone (202) 267-1100; email:  9-AVS-AFS800-COVID19-Correspondence@faa.gov