FAA Pilot Recency: Log Three Takeoffs and Landings in 90 Days
To carry passengers you must have logged three takeoffs and three landings in the preceding 90 days, with full-stop landings required at night and in tailwheel aircraft as specified by regulation. Instrument flying under IFR requires completing instrument approaches, holding procedures, and course intercept or tracking tasks within the required recent period. These minimums come from 14 CFR 61.57 and §61.56, and once instrument currency lapses beyond the allowed grace period, an instrument proficiency check (IPC) is required to reestablish currency.
TL;DR:
- Tailwheel and night landings require full stops, and night currency applies from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
- Instrument currency requires six approaches, holds, and course intercepts or tracking within six calendar months; pilots then have another six months before an IPC is required.
- Flight reviews recur every 24 calendar months, with at least one hour each of ground and flight instruction; a qualifying FAA WINGS phase satisfies the requirement.
- Part 121 and Part 135 operators set separate recurrent schedules, may credit approved Level B, C, or D simulator sessions, and expect detailed company records.
Table of Contents
- Where the rules live: CFR sections and FAA guidance
- Meeting the 90-day takeoff and landing rule
- Instrument currency: the six-month task list and the IPC
- Flight review basics and how WINGS can substitute
- Why airline and charter recency rules look different
- A checklist for reestablishing lapsed currency
- Where targeted simulator training fits
- Legal currency is not the same as being sharp
- How Simulator Center supports pilots regaining currency
- FAQ
- Sources
Where the rules live: CFR sections and FAA guidance
Two sections of federal law carry nearly all of the weight here. 14 CFR 61.57 governs recent flight experience, meaning takeoffs, landings, and instrument tasks. §61.56 governs the flight review, the broader proficiency check every certificated pilot needs every 24 calendar months regardless of how much they fly. Advisory circulars sit on top of these rules as guidance, not law: they explain how the FAA expects pilots and instructors to apply the regulations, and they often recommend going beyond the bare minimums.
- 14 CFR 61.57 sets recency for passenger-carrying, night operations, and instrument flying.
- §61.56 sets a flight review baseline every 24 calendar months for every pilot certificate.
- Advisory circulars like AC 61-98 interpret these rules without creating new legal requirements.
- Part 121 and Part 135 operators layer their own prescriptive recency programs on top of Part 61.
Operators flying under Part 121 or Part 135, or training through a Part 142 approved curriculum, often replace the general aviation defaults with their own structured recurrent schedules. That difference matters once you move from personal flying into professional operations.
Meeting the 90-day takeoff and landing rule
14 CFR 61.57 requires three takeoffs and three landings as sole manipulator of the controls within the preceding 90 days before you can act as pilot in command while carrying passengers. The landings must match the category, class, and, when applicable, type of aircraft you intend to fly. A pilot current in a single-engine Cessna is not current in a multi-engine Baron, and a type-rated jet pilot needs type-specific landings, not just category and class.
- Confirm category, class, and type match the aircraft you plan to fly with passengers.
- Count only full-stop landings if the aircraft has a tailwheel.
- Confirm night landings were flown between one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, to a full stop.
- Cross-check your logbook dates against the 90-day window before every passenger flight.
Pro Tip: Log takeoffs and landings as discrete entries, not just flight time, so an inspector or chief pilot can verify currency at a glance.
Sloppy logging is the most common way pilots lose track of recency without realizing it. A single combined “3 landings” note without a date range or aircraft type gives an operator nothing to check against the rule.
Instrument currency: the six-month task list and the IPC
Under 14 CFR 61.57, acting as PIC under IFR requires six instrument approaches, holding procedures, and intercepting and tracking courses within the preceding six calendar months.
- Six instrument approaches of any type authorized for the aircraft or simulator used.
- Holding procedures, performed and logged as a distinct task.
- Intercepting and tracking navigational courses, whether via radio nav or GPS.
- Credit for approaches flown under a view-limiting device with a safety pilot, properly logged.
Instrument currency has a hard reset: once the six-calendar-month window closes without completing these tasks, you get one additional six-month grace period to requalify through practice alone. After that, 14 CFR 61.57 requires a full instrument proficiency check before resuming IFR flight as PIC.
An IPC combines an oral knowledge review and a flight or simulator check covering required procedures covering approaches, holds, and intercepts, administered by an authorized instructor or examiner.
Flight review basics and how WINGS can substitute
§61.56 sets a floor of one hour of ground instruction and one hour of flight instruction every 24 calendar months for every certificated pilot, regardless of how often you fly. An instructor can extend either portion when a pilot’s skills warrant more work, and nothing in the rule caps how thorough a review can be.
- A flight review requires a minimum of one hour of ground instruction and one hour of flight instruction within 24 calendar months.
- Completing a phase of the FAA WINGS program satisfies the flight review requirement.
- Certain FAA-approved or operator proficiency checks also substitute for the flight review.
- Instructors are expected to tailor review content to the pilot’s typical mission, not a generic script.
A pilot flying short cross-countries in a fixed-gear single benefits from a different review than one flying complex retracts into busy terminal airspace, and the content should reflect that.
Why airline and charter recency rules look different
Professional operations do not run on the Part 61 defaults. §135.247 establishes its own recent experience requirements for Part 135 pilots, and Part 121 carriers maintain comparably structured programs.
- Operators can credit approved Level B, C, or D simulator sessions toward takeoff, landing, and instrument recency.
- Recurrent checks happen on operator-defined schedules, often more frequent than the Part 61 minimums.
- Logging expectations are stricter, typically tracking type-specific hours and check cycles in company records, not just a personal logbook.
A GA pilot moving into charter or airline flying should expect to follow the operator’s recurrent training calendar rather than the 90-day and six-month windows used for personal flying.
A checklist for reestablishing lapsed currency
Getting current again follows a few well-worn paths, and the right one depends on what lapsed.
- Takeoff and landing currency: fly supervised dual with a CFI, logging each takeoff and landing with date, aircraft, and landing type.
- Instrument currency: brief the regulations and procedures on the ground, then fly or sim the six required tasks, finishing with an IPC if the six-month grace period has passed.
- Flight review: complete a WINGS phase if you are already working through the program, or schedule a standard ground-and-flight review matched to your usual flying.
- Documentation: log simulated approaches with the device and safety pilot noted, and get a logbook endorsement for any IPC or flight review completed.
Pro Tip: Keep a running currency tracker, even a simple spreadsheet, so you see a lapse coming before it happens rather than discovering it the morning of a flight.
Operators and inspectors look for dated, specific entries, not vague summaries, so build that habit before you need it.
Where targeted simulator training fits
A full-motion simulator session can provide loggable instrument approach, holding, and tracking practice when flown under an authorized instructor, directly supporting the six-month task list. Our simulator training sessions are built around this kind of targeted practice on specific airframes. Beyond bare recency, structured coursework like an ATP-CTP course or a full type rating builds proficiency that goes well past what any single IPC or flight review covers, which matters once you are flying for pay.
Legal currency is not the same as being sharp
Meeting the regulatory minimums keeps you legal, not necessarily sharp. Treat 61.57 and 61.56 as a floor, use WINGS phases and periodic simulator sessions to find the gaps those minimums do not catch, and fly enough that currency is a formality rather than a scramble.
— Jake
How Simulator Center supports pilots regaining currency
We offer full-motion simulator sessions designed for instrument proficiency practice, IPC preparation, and recurrent training, alongside structured type-rating and ATP-CTP coursework for pilots building toward professional operations.
- Full-motion simulator sessions on specific airframes for approach, holding, and tracking practice.
- IPC and recurrency prep packages structured around the six-calendar-month task list.
- Type-rating and ATP-CTP programs for pilots moving toward airline or charter careers.
Check available sessions and courses on our simulator training page to schedule the training that matches where your currency stands today.
FAQ
What are the requirements to be a Part 135 pilot?
Part 135 pilots must hold the appropriate certificate and ratings for the operation, plus meet the recent experience requirements in §135.247, which allows approved simulator credit toward takeoff, landing, and instrument currency. Specific minimums vary by operator and aircraft category, so the operator’s training department sets the exact recurrent schedule.
How long does an instrument proficiency check remain valid?
An IPC itself does not expire on a set clock. It reestablishes your instrument currency, after which the standard six-calendar-month task requirement applies again until your next required IPC or recurring instrument tasks.
Can simulator time count toward recency requirements?
Yes, approved simulator sessions can count toward instrument approaches, holds, and tracking tasks under 14 CFR 61.57, and Part 121/135 operators commonly credit Level B, C, or D sessions toward recent experience under §135.247. The device and task must be logged correctly to count.
Does completing a WINGS phase replace the flight review?
Completing a qualifying phase of the FAA WINGS program satisfies the flight review requirement under §61.56. It still needs to be logged and dated like any other flight review completion.
What happens if my instrument currency lapses past six months?
Once you pass six months beyond your last six-calendar-month instrument window without completing the required tasks, you must complete a full instrument proficiency check before acting as PIC under IFR again, per 14 CFR 61.57. The IPC typically combines an oral review with a flight or simulator check of approaches, holds, and intercepts.
Sources
- 14 CFR 61.57 - Recent flight experience: Pilot in command.
- § 61.56 Flight review.
- § 135.247 Pilot qualifications: Recent experience.