Some important notes about currency calculations!

MyFlightbook computes currency according to United States FAA rules (FAR 61.57 in particular). Meeting 61.57 can be subject to some interpretation. This page describes how MyFlightbook computes currency and expiration dates. Being current, however, does not mean that you are legal.  For example, if you do not have the right certification, or a flight review, if you do not have the right medical, if you have alcohol in your system, or if you are still a student, then you may be current but you are not legal. 

Ultimately, you and only you can determine if you are legal to fly a given flight, regardless of what MyFlightbook reports.  You are responsible for this determination.

Training Devices (Simulators, FTDs, and ATDs)

61.57 was updated in October 2009 to enable flight training devices ("FTD") and aviation training devices ("ATD"), in addition to flight simulators ("FS") for instrument currency.  MyFlightbook now supports these, but relies on you to identify the level of the simulator/training-device, and to use it in accordance with the regulations to.  Rather than get mired in all of the details of certification levels and protocols, MyFlightbook simply asks you to identify how it should treat flights in a training device.  MyFlightbook simplifies this to 4 basic levels:

If you are entering a flight performed in a training device, make sure that you have specified the correct level above in the aircraft definition that you use.  In other words, if you log a landing, approach or hold in a training device that you identify as being allowed for such, MyFlightbook will count it towards currency, so don't log it if it is not appropriately certified or if you didn't do it under the required procedure.

Instrument Currency

MyFlightbook now supports Australian rules for instrument currency. MyFlightbook considers any precision approach to be 3D, and computes the # of 2D approaches in a given flight as (Total approaches) minus (precision approaches). Also, Australian rules provide for azimuth operations and course deviation indicator operations. Since these are often not explicitly logged, and are implicit in conducting all but a few instrument operations or approach, these are ignored for purposes of reporting instrument currency.

Night Currency

When computing night-time currency, MyFlightbook only requires night-time full-stop landings. FAR 61.57, however, requires 3 takeoffs as well. You can enter these (via "Additional Flight Properties"). If both the required landings and takeoffs are found, MyFlightbook will report your currency as expiring at the earlier of when the landings or takeoffs expire. But if the required landings are found and the required takeoffs are NOT found, then MyFlightbook will still report you as being current with an expiration date that ignores the takeoffs; it will, however, give you a warning that all of the required takeoffs were not found.  It's a good idea to log them, though, so that you can show that you have them if there is ever a question.

MyFlightbook now supports 61.57(e) as an alternative to 61.57(b) for qualifying pilots of turbine-powered airplanes. This regulation only applies to type-rated airplanes requiring more than one pilot; if you fly a turbine-powered type-rated airplane that is certified for single-pilot operations, please ensure that the model correctly reflects single-pilot certification to prevent 61.57(e) from being erroneously applied to it.

EASA

You can turn on EASA/LAPL currency rules in preferences. The main difference from FAA rules is night currency. If you use EASA rules, then one night takeoff and one night landing (full stop or touch-and-go) are sufficient to be current per FCL.060. Note, however, that the language of FCL.060 around night currency requirements does say "...or holds an IR", without qualifying that the IR is current or even in the same category/class as the regular passenger currency. As a result, MyFlightbook will suppress reporting of night currency if it sees any evidence that you hold an IR, such as an instrument checkride or an IPC, since night currency in that scenario is redundant with passenger currency.

EASA rules also require various ratings to be revalidated. At the moment, this is not implemented internally, but you can use a custom Deadline to track ratings that require revalidation. Note that an instrument rating is one that requires revalidation (as opposed to recent flight experience); MyFlightbook reports any FAA instrument currency by default; this is not suppressed when using EASA/LAPL currency

If you have a Light Aircraft Pilot License (LAPL-A or LAPL-H), you can now track your currency in MyFlightbook. Turn on the option for LAPL currency in Preferences. Note that if you fall out of currency, you must either have a proficiency check or make up the required time and landings either with dual instruction or "solo under supervision". To record these:

SFAR 73

SFAR 73 requires two things for Robinson R-22 and R-44 helicopters:

  1. You must have had a flight review an an R-22/R-44 in order to be current in an R-22/R-44 (respectively). This uses a 12 month or a 24 month window, depending on how much helicopter and R22/R44 time you have.
  2. Your flight recency experience per 61.57 must have been in an R-22/R-44 (respectively)
MyFlightbook now supports SFAR 73. Note that the 2nd requirement, pertaining to 61.57, is essentially identical to the requirement for type-rated aircraft, at least as far as 61.57 recency is concerned. Namely, the recent flight experience must be in the same make/model, not just category/class. As such, the R-22/R-44 models in the system have been assigned pseudo-"types" of R22 and R44 (respectively), which segregates currency in these aircraft from other helicopters, as if they were type rated. Yes, I know they're not. But the requirements from SFAR 73 essentially treats them as if they did require a type rating. However, while 61.57(c) (IFR currency) does not distinguish by type within a category of aircraft, SFAR 73 essentially requires it. As a result, a flight in an R22 or R44 will contribute to Rotocraft IFR currency (and normal Helicopter passenger-carrying currency), as well as to R22 or R44 currency, but a flight in a non-R22/R44 helicopter will NOT contribute to R22 or R44 currency.

FAR 117

MyFlightbook computes flight duty periods and rest periods as per FAR 117 (you can turn this option off or on in preferences). This FAR is complicated, and MyFlightbook can only tell you how much rest you've had and how much flight duty time you've had. But it cannot tell you whether you can accept a given assignment.

More information about FAR 117 support can be found in the blog.

Miscellaneous

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