This question comes from Clayton:

I am a commercial pilot, single and multi engine ratings with instrument privilages. I am also a CFI single engine land.I recently received my CFI ticket and I’m confused on if the CFI ride counts as a biannual. Regs say that any additional rating qualifies as biannual but since the CFI is a different certificate will I still have to have a biannual?

To start let’s review the regulation that discusses flight reviews, 14 CFR 61.56. If you look at paragraph (d) it states that a “pilot who has passed a pilot proficiency check does not need to accomplish the flight review required by this section.” So does a CFI checkride count as a pilot proficiency check?

The answer is No. Why? Well, because the FAA specifically says so. Not in the regulation of course (that would be too easy) but in this recently released request for interpretation on 14 CFR 61.56(D) They specifically state that:

The answer is that a successful completion of a flight instructor practical test within the preceding 24 calendar months does not automatically relieve a pilot of the requirement to complete §61.56 flight review. A flight instructor practical test is not a pilot proficiency check for a pilot certificate, rating or an operating privilege, or any other acceptable substitute for a flight review specifically listed in § 61.56(d). A flight instructor practical test is not primarily focused on piloting skills but rather on one’s instructional skills. Thus, prima facie, it does not constitute a pilot proficiency check adequate to substitute for a flight review, as specified under § 61.56(d).

One way around this however (and the FAA ruling says so) is to request from your DE that your BFR and CFI checkride be done in conjunction. Acoording to the regs, a flight review requires one hour of ground and flight training. I don’t know about you, but my CFI checkride lasted A LOT longer than one hour on both the ground and flight portion of the practical test. Just be sure that your DE puts in an additional endorsement in your lookbook that attests to the fact that you have met the requirements of 61.56.

Congratulations on your CFI. Hopefully this helps you some.

Here is the link again to this FAA interpretation.

Fly Safe!

I don’t know about you, but an ICAO flight plan can be rather confusing and intimidating at first glance. However, once you go through it a couple of times, it really isn’t that bad. There are a couple of fields that are different and take a little explanation but that’s why I’m here!

In order to help you, I’ve created a short video tutorial describing and explaining the fields found on a FAA form 7233-4 or International Flight Plan form. I have to add a disclaimer. This is not a authoritative all encompassing, everything but the kitchen sink video. This is a very basic, here-is-how-I-did-it, kind of video. I ask that you check, use and consult all references provided by the FAA (not me).

Here are some links to references to use while watching the tutorial:

FAA Form 7233-4 International Flight Plan Form (pdf)

FAA Letter to Airman concerning the change (pdf)

Advisory Circular 90-100A - U.S. RNAV Operations (pdf)

Flight Services - ICAO Flight Plans (the FAA printed version of this tutorial)

Roger’s Runway - If you have a Garmin 430/530 there is some more information here pertaining to RNAV capability

Doc8643 - ICAO Aircraft Type Designators

Information about what to put in Box 18 when filing RNAV

I was looking at some crazy midwest weather today at the Aviation Weather Center and noticed an interesting note in the “Top News”. Apparently, on November 5, 2008 the Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF) will change from a 24 hour forecast period to new format to support a 30 hour TAF.

A quick background information about what a TAF is. A TAF stands for Terminal Aerodrome Forecast. It is a standard weather product that pilots use to look at forecasted weather over the next 24 hours. It will tell pilots what the prevailing weather will be in terms that are important for pilots such as wind, cloud ceiling and visibility. Pilots use this weather product to make determination about what kind of instrument approach they will use at an airport and if they have to file an alternate airport if they can’t make it into their primary airport.

I did a little more research on this new TAF rule and found that this is being done because of some of the factors affecting long haul carriers. Imagine if you an airline pilot and you are trying to plan a 14-18 hour flight. If you have a 24 hour TAF that was issued 4 hours ago, you wouldn’t know the weather at the time you are proposed to land! That’s no good. So now we have 30 hour TAFs to help those long haul guys out.

The FAA took a look and determined that only 32 of the biggest airports in the country will need a 30 hour TAF but to keep all TAFs the same they have determined that all TAFs (even the 24 hour ones) will be in this new format.

I looked at a sample of this new TAF format. It seems the big difference is the addition of the date to the time group. Here is a sample 24 hour TAF in the new format:

KABC 131128Z 1312/1412 14005KT P6SM OVC040
TEMPO 1312/1316 OVC025
FM131600 13015G23KT P6SM OVC015
FM132100 13015G22KT P6SM OVC008
TEMPO 1321/1401 1SM -SN
FM140100 09015KT 3SM BR OVC006
TEMPO 1401/1405 2SM -SN BLSN
FM140500 01015KT 5SM BR OVC006=

As you can tell there is a little extra clutter in there that extra clutter is the date! If you can figure out the first line, the rest of it is easy.

KABC 131128Z 1312/1412 14005KT P6SM OVC040

This forecast which was prepared on the 13th of the month at 11:28 Zulu is is valid from the 13th at 12:00 Zulu to the 14th at 12:00 Zulu. Let’s look at a sample forecast period:

TEMPO 1321/1401 1SM -SN

This forecast line says that temporarily (less than 2 hours) between the 13th at 21:00 Zulu and the 14th at 01:00 Zulu the weather will be 1 statue mile with light snow. See, no problem! Just teach yourself to think of the first 2 digits as dates and all will be well!

If you would like to learn some more about this new forecast the FAA has provided some websites for you to visit. Only one problem. The urls they provided are all in upper case and they only work in lower case! So I converted them all to lower case for you to use without a problem.

A listing of all the affected TAFS:

http://www.weather.gov/os/aviation/pdfs/30_hr_taf_tables.pdf

A FAA explanation of the 30 hour TAF and TAF testbed:

http://www.weather.gov/os/aviation/taf_testbed.shtml

National Guidelines regarding the TAF will be included in an appendix as part of a future update of NWS instruction regarding TAFS:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/directives/sym/pd01008013curr.pdf

And finally, if you are a forecaster and want to know how to edit the new TAF format (there is a nice graphic there for users as well)

http://aviationweather.gov/notice/taf30.php

Fly Safe (even if you are flying for 18+ hours)