In short: The flight review, required every 24 calendar months, includes at least an hour of flight and an hour of ground review covering Part 91. Rod Machado admits the regulations side is the part most pilots dread, and in this video he introduces an interactive course that combines Part 61, Part 91 and airspace material to make that review more engaging.
Video: “Rod Machado’s Interactive Flight Review eLearning Course” by Rod Machado, from his YouTube channel.
What you’ll learn
- The basic flight and ground time requirements of a flight review
- Why Rod says regulation review shouldn’t wait until the day before
- Why rules change over time and need periodic refreshing
- Which regulation areas the combined course covers
- Why understanding the reasons behind airspace design helps you remember the rules
The part of the flight review pilots dread
Rod lays out the requirement plainly: every 24 calendar months, you fly with an instructor for at least an hour and complete at least an hour of ground review on Part 91. For most pilots, he says, the flying is the easy part. Reading regulations is what makes the mind go numb, and he has plenty of fun describing just how boring it can feel.
Still, he insists there is no way around it. Knowing the regulations matters, and you should not wait until the day before your review to bring that knowledge up to standard. Rules also change over the years, and Rod points to a then-current aircraft registration renewal requirement that surprised many owners, a reminder that what you learned long ago may no longer be accurate.
What the combined course covers
To help, Rod combined two of his interactive eLearning courses into one flight review package. It covers Part 61, which deals with airman certification and currency, Part 91 general operating and flight rules, and the rules and techniques for operating in different types of airspace. According to the description, it uses animations, videos, narration, interactions and quizzes, and can be studied in a browser or downloaded to a tablet.
Rod puts special emphasis on airspace. Rather than simply listing rules, the course explains why the airspace system is built the way it is, and he believes understanding that reasoning helps the rules stick.
Not just for review day
Rod’s closing suggestion is that there is no better time than now to brush up, even if your review is months away. He pitches the course to pilots preparing for a review, rusty pilots returning to flying, and anyone who wants to keep their regulatory and airspace knowledge sharp.
Go deeper with Rod Machado
For a thorough reference on regulations, airspace and the rest of the knowledge a flight review touches, Rod’s pilot handbook is a natural companion. Learn more in Rod Machado’s Private/Commercial Pilot Handbook.
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