FAA Part 61 Currency Rules Every Pilot Forgets

I have been flying long enough to see this happen in every pilot group, including instructors.

A pilot is current, legal, and sharp for months… until one day they say, “I think I’m good, I flew last month.”

Then we open the logbook and realize something small expired quietly. Usually it is night passenger currency. Sometimes it is IFR currency. And once in a while, it is the flight review itself.

FAA Part 61 currency rules are not complicated, but they are easy to forget because each one has a different timeline, and the calendar does not care how experienced you are.

This guide is written the way I brief my own community pilots. Clear, practical, and based on how it actually plays out in the real world.

The Big Picture of FAA Currency

When pilots talk about “currency,” they usually mean one of four buckets:

1) Flight Review Currency (61.56)

The flight review is your baseline “you can act as PIC” requirement.

2) Passenger Carrying Currency (61.57)

This includes:

• Day passenger currency (90 day landings)

• Night passenger currency (90 days plus the night landing requirement)

3) Instrument Currency (61.57(c))

This is separate from being rated. It is the “recent experience” requirement to fly IFR.

4) Additional Specialty Currency

This includes things like:

• Tailwheel endorsement proficiency

• High performance and complex endorsements (not “currency” legally, but proficiency matters)

• Specific operator or insurance requirements

For this article, we focus on the currency rules most pilots trip over.

Flight Review Requirements (14 CFR 61.56)

A flight review is required at least every 24 calendar months to act as PIC, unless you meet an exception.

A key phrase there is calendar months.

That means:

• If your flight review was completed on June 10, 2024

• It remains valid through June 30, 2026

This concept helps pilots avoid the “day counting” trap.

What counts as a flight review?

The FAA requires:

• At least 1 hour of flight training

• At least 1 hour of ground training

• Given by an authorized instructor

• With an endorsement that you completed a flight review

What can substitute for a flight review?

Many activities can reset the clock. A practical test for a certificate or rating is a common one.

A checkride can “count” as a flight review because you have demonstrated the required proficiency for that certificate or rating.

Passenger Carrying Currency (14 CFR 61.57(a) and (b))

Passenger currency is where most pilots get surprised.

Day passenger carrying currency

To carry passengers, you must have made three takeoffs and three landings within the preceding 90 days in the same category and class.

If you are flying:

• Airplane single engine land You must be current in airplane single engine land.

Tailwheel rule (important nuance)

If you are carrying passengers in a tailwheel airplane, those landings must be to a full stop.

Night passenger currency

Night passenger currency has its own additional requirement.

You need:

• Three takeoffs and three landings

• To a full stop

• During the period that begins one hour after sunset and ends one hour before sunrise

• Within the preceding 90 days To carry passengers at night. (FAA language is very specific.)

This is why pilots sometimes think they are night current, but they only did touch and go landings, or did them too early.

IFR Currency Under 61.57(c)

Instrument currency is one of the most misunderstood areas in Part 61. The rule itself is clear, but pilots often misapply it.

The basic IFR currency requirement

Within the preceding six calendar months, you must have performed and logged:

• Six instrument approaches

• Holding procedures and tasks

• Intercepting and tracking courses through the use of navigational electronic systems Federal Register

What if you are not current?

This is where the “grace period” concept comes in.

If you are not current, you have six additional calendar months to regain currency by performing the required tasks with a safety pilot or in an approved training device, as applicable.

If you exceed that window, then:

When an IPC is required

If you have failed to meet the instrument experience requirements for more than six calendar months, you must complete an Instrument Proficiency Check to regain currency. Federal Register

This is one of the most important lines in the regulation because it removes ambiguity.

Flight Review vs IPC

A flight review does not automatically restore IFR currency.

An IPC can also satisfy a flight review if it meets the required elements, but do not assume.

If you fly IFR, treat these as separate planning items until your instructor endorses appropriately.

The FAA Currency Trap Most Pilots Fall Into

Here are the most common real world mistakes I see:

Mistake 1: Confusing calendar months and days

Flight review and IFR currency use calendar months. Passenger currency uses days.

Mistake 2: Logging approaches but skipping holding or tracking

The regulation requires approaches plus holding plus intercepting and tracking. Federal Register

Mistake 3: Assuming “night landings” count when they happened too early

Night currency uses a specific window: one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.

Mistake 4: Being “legal” but not proficient

Currency is not proficiency.

Currency is a legal minimum. Proficiency is what keeps you safe when weather, traffic, and workload get busy.

Pilot Insight (From Instructor Experience)

Here is the honest truth: the pilots who stay current with the least stress do not “remember.” They track.

They use:

• A simple calendar reminder

• A spreadsheet

• An app

• A repeating note in the logbook

And they plan currency flights the same way they plan maintenance. In advance.

Also, the best pilots I know treat currency as a chance to practice the skills they care about, not as a box to check.

That mindset keeps you both legal and sharp.

Action Checklist (Use This Every Month)

Monthly FAA Currency Self Check

Open your logbook, then ask:

Flight Review

• Is my flight review valid for the next 60 days?

• If not, schedule it now.

Passenger Currency

• Do I have 3 takeoffs and landings in the last 90 days in this category and class?

• If I plan to carry passengers at night, do I have full stop landings in the night window?

IFR Currency

• In the last 6 calendar months, do I have:

  • Six approaches

  • Holding

  • Intercepting and tracking?

• If not, where am I in the 6 month grace period?

• If out of the grace period, schedule an IPC.

Reality Check

• Even if I am legal, do I feel proficient for the flight I am planning?

FAQ (SEO Style Questions)

1) What are FAA Part 61 currency rules?

They are recent experience requirements in Part 61, including flight review requirements and passenger and IFR currency rules for acting as PIC.

2) How often is a flight review required under FAA Part 61?

A flight review is required every 24 calendar months under 61.56 unless you meet an exception.

3) How do I stay current to carry passengers?

You need three takeoffs and three landings in the preceding 90 days in the same category and class, with additional requirements for tailwheel and night operations.

4) What is the IFR currency requirement under 61.57(c)?

Within six calendar months you must log six approaches, holding, and intercepting and tracking using navigational systems. Federal Register

5) When do I need an instrument proficiency check?

If you have been out of instrument currency for more than six calendar months, you must complete an IPC. Federal Register

6) Does a flight review make me IFR current?

No. Flight review currency and IFR currency are separate requirements unless specific tasks and endorsements are completed.

7) What is the difference between being current and proficient?

Currency is meeting the legal minimum. Proficiency is being actually capable and safe for the flight you plan.

Conclusion and Community CTA

FAA Part 61 currency rules are not hard, but they require a pilot mindset: track it, plan it, and respect the details.

If you want to help the IFPA community, comment below with:

• The currency rule that surprised you the most

• Your favorite method to track flight review, IFR currency, and passenger currency

• Any tips you have for staying both legal and proficient

We all benefit when pilots share what they learned the hard way.