[Pilots] Upcoming change to 70-1 for flight currency

[Greg Bestul]

Hello MN Wing Pilots,

We have an upcoming change to 70-1 and FRO check lists that relate to pilot currency. These are due to the FAA changing currency regulations for recency of flight experience.
The bottom line is, if you are not landing current (3 take offs and landings within the last 90 days) you cannot go fly a CAP plane solo to regain currency. You must go with a flight instructor to get your landing currency back. This will apply to day and night currency.
For FRO's there will be changes to the checklist for releasing flights that will have you confirm landing currency.

So, if you are not landing current at this time, your chance to go up by yourself and do some landings to get current again is short. I don't have a date yet for the change but it will be coming soon.

I have copied the letter from NHQ below with all of the details.

Thank you for all you do,
[cid:faaafafd-c1a3-4aaa-abb8-6c8c80f5eceb]
Capt. Greg Bestul
Minnesota Wing Director of Operations
Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary
612-251-4786
GoCivilAirPatrol.com<https://www.gocivilairpatrol.com/>
MNCAP.org<https://www.mncap.org/>





CAP/DO has proposed changes to CAPR 70-1, CAP Flight Management, as well as the ORM/RAW and FRO checklists in response to a change to the Federal Register by the FAA in regard to 14 CFR 61.57, Recent Flight Experience: Pilot In Command.



In response to a recent change in the Federal Register, the FAA has revised 14 CFR 61.57(a)(1), Recent Flight Experience: Pilot in Command, replacing the term "passengers" with "persons". Additionally, the FAA has expanded on the definition of "person" in 14 CFR 1.1. This regulatory change has implications for Civil Air Patrol operations, necessitating updates to CAPR 70-1, CAP Flight Management, to mitigate potential risks associated with the new rule.



Rationale for the Change:

Previously, under 14 CFR 61.57, a CAP pilot who was not PIC current could utilize a safety pilot to regain currency. However, with this rule change, the FAA explicitly prohibits anyone else from being in the airplane during a flight where the pilot is regaining currency, except for an FAA-certificated flight instructor (CFI). Furthermore, even when a CFI is present, the sole purpose of the flight must be to regain currency.

While 14 CFR 61.57 still allows a non-current pilot to conduct the flight solo to regain currency, CAP has determined that allowing non-current pilots to operate CAP aircraft without oversight poses an unnecessary risk. As a result, CAP has made the decision to prohibit solo flights for currency in CAP aircraft.



Changes in CAPR 70-1:

To ensure compliance with FAA regulations while maintaining CAP’s risk management posture, CAP/DO has proposed the following modifications to CAPR 70-1 (proposed language is bold/italicized):

  *   6.3. Proficiency Flying
     *   6.3.3. CAP pilots who are not PIC current under 14 CFR 61.57 are not authorized to operate CAP airplanes solo to regain currency. Non-current pilots must be accompanied by a CAP Instructor Pilot (IP), and the sole purpose of the flight must be to regain currency.
  *   9.1. Aircraft Use – General Requirements
     *   9.1.6. CAP pilots who are not current under 14 CFR 61.57 are prohibited from conducting solo flights in CAP airplanes to regain currency. To conduct a flight for regaining currency, the pilot must be accompanied by a CAP Instructor Pilot.
  *   9.4. Aircraft Use – Prohibited Activities. The following operations are prohibited in CAP Aircraft:
     *   9.4.16. Flights for the purpose of regaining PIC currency except when accompanied by a CAP Instructor Pilot (IP) and the sole purpose of the flight is to regain currency.
  *   9.11. Normal Operating Procedures
  *   9.11.3. Risk Management
  *   9.11.3.4. Flight Release
     *   9.11.3.4.11. CAP pilots who do not meet the currency requirements of 14 CFR 61.57 must have a CAP Instructor Pilot onboard, and the flight must be conducted solely for the purpose of regaining currency.



Additional Risk Mitigation Measures:

To further support this change, CAP will modify its Risk Assessment Worksheet (RAW/ORM) to include the following question:

  *   Is the PIC current IAW 14 CFR 61.57 (in class and type)?
     *   Very Current – Within last 30 days
     *   Current – Within 31 to 90 Days
     *   Not Current – > 90 Days (CAP IP on Sortie)
     *   Not Current – > 90 Days (No CAP IP on Sortie) – NO GO



If a pilot is not current IAW the FAR, and they indicate so on the RAW/ORM, the flight risk score will increase beyond the limits of release below the CAP/DO level.



Flight Release Officer (FRO) Guidance Updates:

To ensure Flight Release Officers have the necessary tools to enforce these procedural changes, updates will be made to the FRO checklist to provide additional guidance and clarity on expectations related to currency requirements for CAP pilots and Go/NO GO situations.



These changes are intended to align CAP operations with the new FAA regulation while maintaining our commitment to flight safety and risk mitigation.



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