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Flight Review and IPC in Hillsboro, OR
A Flight Review is required every 24 calendar months to act as Pilot in Command (PIC) in the United States. It's not a test or checkride—rather, it's a collaborative refresher with a flight instructor to help you stay safe, current, and confident in the cockpit.
If you're instrument rated but haven’t met the currency requirements under FAR 61.57(c), you’ll need an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) to regain your IFR privileges. The IPC is not a formal test, but it must be conducted by an authorized instructor (CFII). It includes both ground and flight portions and is designed to refresh and evaluate your ability to safely operate under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
It is important to note that although a flight review is only required every 24 calendar months, and an IPC only when you are out of currency, we recommend conducting these checks more often than that, especially if you are taking any significant amount of time away from flying.
What you need to know
To act as PIC, you must complete a Flight Review every 24 calendar months (unless you’ve completed a checkride or other qualifying substitute).
Separately, to act as PIC under IFR or in IMC, you must meet instrument currency requirements—and if you’re not current (or not confident), an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) is the standard way to get back to IFR-ready.
Timing Requirement
Plan for around 1–1.5 hours of ground instruction (depending on experience and proficiency), covering:
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Applicable Part 91 regulations (VFR/IFR as appropriate)
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Airspace and chart review
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Weather interpretation and go/no-go decision making
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Risk management and ADM (aeronautical decision-making)
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For IPCs: IFR planning, clearances, approach briefings, alternates, and IFR risk management
Ground Review
Plan for around 1.5 hours of flight instruction (depending on experience and proficiency), tailored to your flying and goals.
For a Flight Review, this typically includes:
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Maneuvers and procedures relevant to your certificate and typical flying
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Emphasis on safety, coordination, and control
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Scenario-based training (pattern work, cross-country ops, airspace, emergencies)
For an IPC, this focuses on IFR proficiency, such as:
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IFR procedures and cockpit workflow
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Holds, approaches, missed approaches, and instrument departures (as applicable)
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Partial panel / abnormal situations (as appropriate)
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Strong ATC communications and workload management
Flight Portion
You can satisfy the Flight Review requirement in other ways, such as:
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Earning a new certificate or rating
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Completing a checkride for another category/class
For an IPC, there are no substitutes. If you go more than 6 months beyond your instrument currency window (i.e., haven't completed the 6 approaches, holding, and tracking within the past 12 months), you must complete an IPC to legally fly as PIC under IFR again.
What Counts as a Substitute?
In our professional Flight Training Program, you will take to the skies with the help of top industry experts. You'll fly first with our experienced instructors in the cockpit, then eventually by yourself, with your instructor lending a hand on the ground. You'll learn every important maneuver you need to achieve your goals: whether as a private pilot, commercial pilot, or certified flight instructor.
Students may train in our aircraft or in their own! Our flight training courses are designed to do more than just help you pass an exam. Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and experience to be a great pilot.
