Definition
A periodic check required by 14 CFR 61.56 in which a certificated pilot completes at least one hour of ground training and one hour of flight training with an authorized instructor to remain legally current to act as pilot in command. The instructor evaluates the pilot's knowledge of current general operating and flight rules and a review of those maneuvers and procedures necessary for safe flight, and signs the pilot's logbook upon satisfactory completion.
Plain English
Every two years (calendar months), a pilot must sit down with an instructor for a refresher -- about an hour on the ground talking through rules and decisions, and about an hour flying together -- to keep their license usable. It is not a pass/fail test; it is a check-in to make sure the pilot is still safe and current.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter flight reviews in recurrent training, logbook endorsements, and instructor-led discussions about risk management.
Derivation
Review comes from older words meaning “to look at again.” That fits the aviation use: a flight review is not first-time training; it is a planned second look at a pilot’s knowledge, habits, and flying skill.
Why Pilots Care
A pilot who has not completed a flight review within the required period cannot act as pilot in command until the review is done, directly affecting legal flying ability and safety.
Intuition Check
Do not read “flight review” as a casual opinion about how a flight went. In FAA use, it means a specific recurring review with an instructor that affects whether a pilot may continue acting as pilot in command.
Example Sentence 1
Maria scheduled her flight review with a local CFI a month before the deadline so she would not lapse out of currency.
Example Sentence 2
During the flight review the instructor evaluated emergency procedures and decision-making in changing weather.