Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

8 Answers

Carrying Passengers (Flight Review)

Asked by: 22220 views , ,
General Aviation, Student Pilot

I am sudying for my FAA written exam and am confused about what I am reading regarding a pilot being able to carry passengers.

Please consider these two statements contained in my book:

1) To act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers, a pilot must show by logbook endorsement the satisfactory completion of a flight review or completion of a pilot proficiency check within the preceeding 24 calendar months.

2) To act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers, the pilot must have made at least three takeoffs and three landings in an aircraft of the same category and class, and if a type rating is require, of the same type, within the preceeding 90 days.

Statement 1 suggests to me that as long as I am "current" (with an appropriate logbook endorsement), I am able to carry passengers.  Whereas, I am taking statement 2 to mean unless I have flown within the preceeding 90 days (in the same aircraft that I have been flying), I am unable to carry passengers.

So, which is it?  Can I carry passengers as long as I am current?  Or, am I am unable to carry passengers if I have not flown in 90 days?

I am sure my confusion exists from misinterpreting these two statements.  Please help me clear it up.  Thank you! 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

8 Answers



  1. Brian on Nov 20, 2010

    Your book is obscuring the regulation and in so doing that screwing up your understanding of the topic at hand. My opinion, of course.
     
    Read regulations 61.56 on flight review and 61.57 on recency of flight experience for a pilot in command.
     
    Short answer is you must have a current BFR (61.56), a current medical (61.23), and meet the landing requirements of 61.57 to act as a PIC with passengers.
     
    The difference between the two regulations is you cannot act as a PIC at all, solo or with passengers, if you do not meet the requirements of 61.56. However, if you have met 61.56’s requirements you can fly solo, even if you don’t meet the requirements for 61.57. The later regulation only pertains to carriage of passengers.
     
    Now don’t be lazy and go read those regulations! That book is your bible and is filled with answers that can keep you and your ticket safe. 🙂
     
    ~Brian

    +1 Votes Thumb up 4 Votes Thumb down 3 Votes



  2. Pilot143 on Nov 20, 2010

    Ok, let me see if I understand.  So, I’m current.  I’ve gotten my pilot’s license, and I’m current.
    However, If I don’t FLY WITH AN INSTRUCTOR/EXAMINER (and make three takeoffs and landings) at least every 90 days to get the appropriate endorsement, I am unable to carry passengers?
    I can fly solo…I just can’t carry passengers?
    It seems as if you lived in a town far away from an area with examiners/instructors, it would be really frustrating to travel every 90 days just to get the appropriate endorsement to carry passengers.
    I’m sure this is really basic; the wording is just confusing my understanding. 
    P.S. – Do instructors have to get flight reviewed/get a currency by other instructors/examiners?  I’m sure the answer is “yes”, but I’d like to know for sure how this is accomplished.

    -3 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 3 Votes



  3. Wesley Beard on Nov 20, 2010

    The regulations require you to have a current endorsement from a CFI / examiner once every two years to fly solo.
     
    To carry passengers you must be able to fly solo (current within the past two years with a flight review/ pilot proficiency check) and you need to have logged three takeoffs and landings in the preceding 90 days.
     
    To get those three landings the regulations require that you are the sole manipulator of the controls while landing.  You can log those landings while flying solo; while flying with a CFI / examiner as long as they don’t help with the landings; or with passengers provided you already are current with your landings.
     
    This is my suggestion.  Fly solo to get the required landings and then have fun taking passengers flying with you.  Each flight make three landings and you are legal for the next 90 days to carry passengers.
     
    If you don’t fly for 90 days then you will know that you cannot carry passengers again till you solo and make your three landings.  However, if you exceed your two year window on the flight review then you are not legal to solo and as a result not legal to fly with passengers.

    +4 Votes Thumb up 4 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. Brian on Nov 20, 2010

    …Qt: Pilot143…”However, If I don’t FLY WITH AN INSTRUCTOR/EXAMINER (and make three takeoffs and landings) at least every 90 days to get the appropriate endorsement, I am unable to carry passengers?”…
     
    You made the same mistake that still gets me when debating a regulation. Regulations must be read with meticulous attention to detail. Do not read into a regulation, as you have here. Read only the words that are there and again read, don’t skim.
     
    There is absolutely no mention of an examiner or instructor in the subsections of 61.57 pertaining to you. These subsections are 61.57 (a) & (b) now, and later, during instrument studies, (c). It is less to read than has been posted here. So go read them, here are links to online regulations: READ 61.57 and READ 61.56 TOO!
     
    I will only do a little work for you, by answering the quoted question. Read the following subsection of 61.57.
     
    61.57 (a) (2) — For the purpose of meeting the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, a person may act as a pilot in command of an aircraft under day VFR or day IFR, provided no persons or property are carried on board the aircraft, other than those necessary for the conduct of the flight.
     
    This subsection of 61.57 unarguably answers your question with a stiff NO, you do not need an instructor to meet the requirements of 61.57 (a) (1). 

    As for your other question, take a look through the regulations and report back.
     
    Tip: Read every section pertaining to instructors, flight reviews, recency, and any other synonyms to those words. Start in part 61 table of contents. Good luck.
     
    PS “My dog ate my FAR/AIM” isn’t an excuse since I gave you links to the online text. 
     
    ~Brian
     

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  5. Pilot143 on Nov 21, 2010

    Oh! I think I get it! I can log the 3 takeoffs and landings myself (within the preceeding 90 days). They don’t HAVE to be “signed off on” by an examiner/instructor…as long as I log them in my flight log myself.

    I’m still new to understanding log book rules.

    Should I continue to log ALL of my flights even after I get my license? Is this a rule? The reason I am asking is because I never see my instructor log flights after we fly. I guess that’s because he wasn’t the PIC.

    Also, what keeps someone from just “logging” a flight every 90 days (in order to carry passengers) if he/she didn’t actually fly? I guess nothing but conscience and the fact that you be committing a federal crime.

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  6. Pilot143 on Nov 21, 2010

    P.S. – Can those three logged takeoffs and landings can be touch and go’s?

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  7. Brian on Nov 21, 2010

    I’m not answering your above questions until you read the regulations. I’m not doing this to be mean, but self reliance is a life saver in this field. You ask about logbooks when part 61.51, 5 sections earlier then the ones you should have been reading, says “pilot logbooks.”
     
    A bit of common sense and about a half hour poking around 61 would answer each of your questions. Feel free to post up specific questions, quoting sections of the regulation, and I’ll be glad to assist you in understanding the phraseology. However, I believe you will learn nothing from this if we just sit here and keep rattling off answers you can easily find yourself. 
     
    CLICK THIS TO READ PART 61: Relevant sections include, but are not limited to: Subparts A, C, and E. Read all of them word for word, if you were my student this would be homework. 😉

    +2 Votes Thumb up 2 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  8. MH60S Pilot on Jan 02, 2015

    Go up by yourself. Beat the pattern up three times. Taxi to the hub, log your three, pick up your friend. Current. Legal. Game time. 🙂 #navyway

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.