3G Heli Prep ← 3GHeliPrep.com
← Private lesson plans
PH.I.A both lesson 45–60 minutes

Pilot Qualifications

Preflight Preparation · Task Task A. Pilot Qualifications

Completion Standards

Student demonstrates knowledge of all PH.I.A items to ACS standards without reference to materials. Risk management items correctly identified. All skill elements performed to ACS standards.

Objective

Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to identify and apply all Federal Aviation Regulations concerning private pilot helicopter qualifications. The student will demonstrate knowledge of certification requirements, recent flight experience, recordkeeping, privileges and limitations, medical certificate requirements, required documents, and BasicMed provisions per FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.A.K1-K5. The student will assess risk factors related to proficiency versus currency and unfamiliar equipment per FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.A.R1-R2. The student will correctly apply pilot-in-command requirements for VFR helicopter operations in evaluator-provided scenarios per FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.A.S1.

Content

Certification Requirements and Recent Flight Experience (14 CFR 61.56, 61.57)

Private Pilot Certificate Requirements A private pilot certificate for helicopters requires completion of training per 14 CFR 61.109(c), passing written and practical examinations, and demonstration of aeronautical knowledge and skill. The certificate has no expiration date, but currency requirements must be maintained to exercise privileges.

Flight Review Requirements (14 CFR 61.56) Every 24 calendar months, pilots must complete a flight review consisting of:

Recent Flight Experience (14 CFR 61.57) To carry passengers, pilots must have accomplished within the preceding 90 days:

Think of currency like a driver’s license - just having it doesn’t mean you’re sharp. You need recent practice to be safe.

Recordkeeping Requirements (14 CFR 61.51) Pilots must maintain accurate logbook records including:

Privileges and Limitations (14 CFR 61.113)

Private Pilot Privileges

Private Pilot Limitations

Medical Certificate Requirements (14 CFR 61.23, 61.53)

Class Requirements Private pilots require at least a Third-Class medical certificate or BasicMed authorization.

Third-Class Medical Privileges and Duration

Medical Certificate Limitations Must not act as PIC when:

Temporary Disqualifications Pilots are temporarily disqualified from flying when taking certain medications, experiencing specific medical conditions, or undergoing treatments that could impair judgment, memory, alertness, coordination, vision, or hearing.

Required Documents (14 CFR 61.3, 61.56, 61.57)

Documents Required for Flight

Remember the acronym “ARROW” for aircraft documents, but for pilot documents think “PMI-CR”: Pilot certificate, Medical/BasicMed, ID, Currency, Recent flight experience.

BasicMed Privileges and Limitations (14 CFR 68)

BasicMed Requirements

BasicMed Privileges

BasicMed Limitations

Risk Management Considerations

Proficiency versus Currency (PH.I.A.R1) Currency means legal minimums are met; proficiency means actual skill level for safe flight. A pilot can be current but not proficient. Consider:

Like a concert pianist, you might remember how to play, but without practice, your performance suffers.

Unfamiliar Helicopter Operations (PH.I.A.R2) Operating unfamiliar helicopters or avionics systems increases risk through:

Mitigation strategies include thorough preflight training, conservative operating margins, and gradual exposure to new systems.

Schedule

TimeContent
0:00-0:10Introduction and Objective Review
0:10-0:25Certification Requirements and Recent Flight Experience
0:25-0:40Privileges and Limitations
0:40-0:55Medical Certificate Requirements
0:55-1:05Required Documents
1:05-1:15BasicMed Provisions
1:15-1:25Risk Management Discussion
1:25-1:35Scenario-based Application Practice
1:35-1:45Questions and Review

Equipment

Instructor Actions

  1. Begin lesson by reviewing objective and explaining importance of understanding pilot qualifications for safe, legal helicopter operations
  2. Present certification requirements using 14 CFR 61 references, emphasizing no-expiration nature of certificate but currency requirements
  3. Demonstrate flight review requirements calculation using calendar month examples
  4. Explain recent flight experience using 90-day passenger currency requirements with specific helicopter examples
  5. Review proper logbook entries using student’s actual logbook as reference
  6. Present private pilot privileges with emphasis on cost-sharing limitations and business use restrictions
  7. Explain medical certificate classes and duration using age-based examples
  8. Discuss temporary disqualification scenarios using common medication and medical condition examples
  9. Review required documents using memory aids and practical examples
  10. Present BasicMed requirements, comparing privileges and limitations to standard medical certificate
  11. Facilitate discussion on proficiency versus currency using helicopter-specific scenarios
  12. Present unfamiliar helicopter risks using different helicopter types as examples
  13. Conduct scenario-based exercises requiring student to determine PIC qualification status
  14. Provide corrective feedback on any misunderstandings or incomplete responses
  15. Summarize key regulatory requirements and emphasize personal responsibility for compliance

Student Actions

Completion Standards

The lesson is complete when the student demonstrates mastery of FAA-S-ACS-15 PH.I.A standards by:

Knowledge Standards (PH.I.A.K1-K5):

Risk Management Standards (PH.I.A.R1-R2):

Skill Standards (PH.I.A.S1):

Want the complete lesson plan library as a downloadable Word document?

Download the Free CFI Lesson Plan Binder