What’s New With the Flight Review?

Examining MOSAIC rule impact, how to conquer ‘airspace fade,’ and ongoing EFB vs. paper chart debate.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, March 03, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

When it has been more than a decade since you were the PIC, there can be some jitters involved with a flight review. [Credit: CanvaPro]

Key Takeaways:

The Montana Aviation Conference highlighted the new MOSAIC rule, significantly expanding opportunities for sport pilots to fly larger and faster aircraft with appropriate training and endorsements.
Attendees of the Rusty Pilots seminar frequently showed knowledge gaps in airspace regulations, towered airport operations, and radio communication ("mic fright"), indicating common areas needing review.
The increasing use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) was discussed, emphasizing the need for pilots to understand underlying aviation theory and ensure device reliability and battery life.
Flight reviews are proficiency-based with no maximum hour limit, focusing on ensuring pilots meet certification standards, which may require extensive retraining for those returning to aviation after a long break.

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I have just returned from Billings, Montana, where I had the honor of attending the Montana Aviation Conference. The annual event is three days of aviation organizations and pilots gathering to attend workshops and seminars, view exhibit wares, and listen to speakers.

I was one of the speakers, administering the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Rusty Pilots seminar. I have been traveling around the country doing these seminars since 2017, and I must say they bring me great joy. The seminar is approximately three and a half hours of ground instruction and can be used to help satisfy the required ground component for the flight review. The presentation is part illustrated lecture and part guided discussion.