Currency vs Proficiency
Currency and proficiency answer different questions. Currency concerns applicable legal requirements; proficiency is the broader ability to perform relevant flying tasks with appropriate knowledge, judgment and control.
Currency is a threshold, not a complete skills inventory
Regulations establish requirements for particular privileges and operations. They do not attempt to measure every skill a pilot may need on a specific flight.
Proficiency depends on context
A pilot's practical readiness depends on aircraft, environment, experience, recent flying and the task itself. Crosswind landing proficiency and instrument scan proficiency, for example, can change independently.
Use both layers
First verify legal eligibility using current authoritative sources. Then review the skills relevant to the flight and decide what deserves practice or instruction.
Track what you actually practice
A skill-by-skill history can make recurrent training more deliberate. It does not prove proficiency, but it can reveal which areas have not been revisited recently.
Practice Targets are personal reminders. They do not establish regulatory currency, proficiency, legal eligibility to fly, or compliance with a specific operating requirement.
Authoritative references
- FAA AC 61-98E — Currency Requirements and Guidance for the Flight Review and Instrument Proficiency Check
- FAA AC 61-91K — WINGS—Pilot Proficiency Program
- Electronic Code of Federal Regulations — 14 CFR Part 61
A practical example
A pilot may satisfy an applicable passenger-carrying recent-experience requirement while having little recent exposure to strong crosswinds. The legal question and the operational skill question need separate answers.
A useful order
- Verify applicable legal requirements.
- Define the flight you intend to make.
- Identify the skills and conditions involved.
- Compare those with recent experience.
- Use instruction or practice where appropriate.
Related resources
This page is a general reference. Verify current regulations, aircraft documentation and operating requirements applicable to your flight.