Iowa winters can be extremely hit or miss for flying. At best they're inconsistent, and maintaining real proficiency becomes genuinely difficult. That inconsistency brings up one of aviation's most important — and most ignored — distinctions: currency does not equal proficiency.
If you hold a Private Pilot certificate, the Federal Aviation Regulations outline specific minimum requirements you must meet to legally exercise the privileges of your certificate. If you don't meet those requirements, you aren't considered "current." These are legal minimums — nothing more.
For example, to act as PIC carrying passengers, you need 3 takeoffs and 3 landings within the preceding 90 days. That's the currency requirement. It's a floor, not a ceiling.
Merriam-Webster defines "proficient" as being "able to do something to a higher than average standard." In aviation, proficiency means consistently performing skills at or better than the completion standards your training demands — whether that's the Airman Certification Standards or goals set between you and your CFI.
If the regulation says 3 takeoffs and landings in 90 days, ask yourself honestly: would 3 landings make you feel genuinely sharp and competent? For most pilots, the honest answer is no.
The skills associated with being PIC include takeoffs and landings, yes — but also avionics management, flight planning, autopilot operation, ATC communication, weather interpretation, and aeronautical decision-making. Does accomplishing 3 landings build your skillset across all of those areas? It does not.
Currency tells you whether you're legal. Proficiency tells you whether you're safe.
Spending time flying solo is valuable for building confidence. But flying with a CFI is the proven path to measurable improvement — you get real-time, specific feedback that you can immediately apply in the cockpit. That feedback loop is something you simply can't replicate on your own.
In aviation, a core principle of safety is that all pilots should be continuously learning and improving. Acknowledging this isn't a sign of weakness. Denying it means accepting a lower standard of safety in your own operations.
I've flown proficiency refreshers with pilots across Central Iowa — some who haven't flown in months, some who fly regularly but want to sharpen specific skills, some who want an honest outside perspective on their flying. Every one of those flights produced something meaningful.
You should never feel afraid to call a CFI and say "I want to get sharper." That's what serious pilots do. It's not an admission of failure — it's what distinguishes a pilot who takes safety seriously from one who doesn't.
Don't get complacent and believe that just because you're meeting currency minimums, you're a safe, proficient pilot. The minimums are the starting line, not the finish line.
If you're in the Central Iowa area and want to sharpen your skills — whether you haven't flown in months, want to master a specific maneuver, or simply want quality outside feedback — reach out. I can fly in your aircraft, or we can fly through the Central Iowa Flying Club in the Piper Archers.
Blue Skies,
Ethan Narber · CFI, Narber Aviation