Pilot Currency Tracker (14 CFR 61.57)
Track your currency against 14 CFR 61.57 for helicopter PIC. The calculator covers the three most common currency windows: day VFR (3 takeoffs + landings in 90 days), night VFR (3 night full-stop landings in 90 days), and IFR (6 approaches + holding + intercepting/tracking in 6 months). This is a planning aid - your logbook is the authoritative legal record.
Calculator inputs and results
Day VFR PIC currency
Night VFR PIC currency
IFR PIC currency
Source: 14 CFR 61.57. Day VFR (61.57(a)): 3 takeoffs + 3 landings within preceding 90 days in same category, class, and type if a type rating is required. Night VFR (61.57(b)): 3 takeoffs + 3 landings to a full stop in the period 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise, within preceding 90 days. IFR (61.57(c)): within 6 months, 6 instrument approaches + holding procedures + intercepting and tracking courses through use of navigation systems. If lapsed, regain currency under 61.57(d) instrument proficiency check or with an authorized instructor before carrying passengers / acting as PIC under IFR. This tracker is an aid only - your logbook is the legal record.
How this calculator works
Day VFR PIC (14 CFR 61.57(a)): To carry passengers as PIC, the pilot must have made 3 takeoffs and 3 landings as the sole manipulator of the flight controls within the preceding 90 days in the same category, class, and type (if a type rating is required).
Night VFR PIC (14 CFR 61.57(b)): To carry passengers as PIC during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise, the pilot must have made 3 takeoffs and 3 landings to a FULL STOP at night within the preceding 90 days, same category/class/type.
IFR currency (14 CFR 61.57(c)): To act as PIC under IFR or in IMC, the pilot must have performed and logged within the preceding 6 months: 6 instrument approaches, holding procedures, and intercepting/tracking courses through use of navigation systems.
Lapsed currency: Day/night VFR lapsed currency is regained by completing the 3 takeoffs/landings before carrying passengers. IFR lapsed beyond the 6-month window has a 6-month grace period (61.57(d)) during which it can be regained by accomplishing the tasks; after that it requires an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) with an authorized instructor.
Default assumptions & sources
Every default value the calculator starts with, the realistic range you'd see in the field, and the source we used to set it.
| Input | Default | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day VFR window | 90 days | fixed by FAA | 14 CFR 61.57(a) |
| Night VFR window | 90 days | fixed by FAA | 14 CFR 61.57(b) |
| Night definition | +1h after sunset to -1h before sunrise | FAA definition | 14 CFR 61.57(b)(1) |
| IFR window | 6 months | fixed by FAA | 14 CFR 61.57(c) |
| IFR grace period | additional 6 months | fixed by FAA | 14 CFR 61.57(d) |
What's not modeled
The calculator covers the major cost and time line items. These additional factors apply in some cases but aren't included in the estimate:
- Category and class - the calculator does not validate that takeoffs/landings were in the correct category (rotorcraft) and class (helicopter)
- Type rating requirement - aircraft over 12,500 lb or turbojet require type-specific currency
- Tailwheel currency (14 CFR 61.31(i)) - not applicable to most helicopters
- Currency for second-in-command or training pilots - separate rules apply
- Flight review (14 CFR 61.56) - separate 24-month requirement, NOT currency
- Medical certification - separate requirement (Part 67) but not currency
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between currency and a flight review?
Currency (14 CFR 61.57) is a 90-day or 6-month rolling window that you must satisfy to carry passengers or act as PIC under IFR. Flight review (14 CFR 61.56) is a separate 24-month requirement: one hour of ground instruction + one hour of flight instruction with an authorized instructor. Both are required - they are not substitutes for each other.
#Does a touch-and-go count as a landing for day currency?
Yes for day VFR currency under 61.57(a). NO for night VFR currency under 61.57(b) - night landings must be to a FULL STOP. This is a common compliance gap, and the FAA has issued enforcement on pilots who completed 3 night touch-and-goes and incorrectly considered themselves night-current.
#How is night defined for currency?
Per 14 CFR 61.57(b)(1), night for currency purposes is the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise. This is more restrictive than the 14 CFR 1.1 night definition (end of evening civil twilight to beginning of morning civil twilight). For night currency you must conduct the 3 full-stop landings within this stricter window.
#If my IFR currency lapses, do I need an IPC?
Not immediately. Per 14 CFR 61.57(d), if you lapse IFR currency, you have a 6-month grace period during which you can regain currency by performing the 61.57(c) tasks (6 approaches + holding + intercepting/tracking). If 6 months pass beyond the original 6-month window (12 months total since last current), you must take an Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC) with an authorized instructor before exercising IFR PIC privileges.
#Is this calculator a substitute for my logbook?
No. Your logbook is the legal record per 14 CFR 61.51. This calculator is a quick planning aid only - if you fly under IFR, on PIC duties, or in any FAA enforcement scenario, the logbook entries are what FAA and your operator review. Many EFBs (ForeFlight, Garmin Pilot) include currency tracking that pulls from logged flights - those are more reliable than manual tracking.
#Related guides & tools
This calculator provides estimates only. Actual aircraft performance and regulatory compliance vary by specific aircraft serial number, density altitude, gross weight, equipment installations, and operator's FAA-approved General Operations Manual / OpSpec. Always verify with primary sources: the FAA (faa.gov), 14 CFR (eCFR at ecfr.gov), your aircraft Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM) or Pilot Operating Handbook (POH), the relevant FAA Advisory Circular, and NTSB safety studies for the operational profile.