Every 24 months, a pilot must have achieved 12 hours flying in the last 12 months of the 24 month period. This may consist of up to 6 hours dual flying. One of these hours must be with an instructor.
The hour with the instructor has no set format, it is usually spent going over old skills that may not have been practiced recently i.e stalls, PFLs, EFATO, general emergencies, spiral dives, unusual attitudes and a couple of circuits. Note that if the licence has lapsed and you have not had the one hours instruction, Brian wilI be able to renew your licence with some refresher training (see below).

Renewals

If your licence has lapsed, for whatever reason, then you'll need a renewal. Providing you are within 5 years of it lapsing, you will need refresher training. Brian can easily conduct this training and flight check with you.
If your licence has lapsed for more than 5 years then you will need to send your logbook to the CAA for assessment in order to determine what training you will be required to complete for renewal of your licence.

IMC Course

The IMC course is a natural step forward for those who have qualified for their Private Pilots Licence. It permits pilots to fly in IMC outside controlled airspace although the real purpose is to ensure that a flight may safely continue should the pilot inadvertently encounter bad weather conditions en-route.
Applicants for the IMC rating must have flown a minimum of 25 hours after obtaining their PPL, of which 10 hours must be PIC.
The course requires a minimum of 15 hours and Brian may conduct both the training and the flight test which lasts approximately an hour and a quarter. The course commences with training in general handling of the aircraft with sole reference to the instruments by use of screens covering the windows or special goggles. The student will be taught to recover from unusual attitudes, to straight and level flight using the full panel of instruments, before progressing to recovery with limited panel. Tracking to and from VOR and NDB facilities, develops the skills needed to carry out procedural approaches, which will include holding, together with NDB and ILS (Instrument Landing System) approaches allowing you to fly down to 500 feet above the airfield to clear cloud, with a minimum of 1800 meters in-flight visibility.
There is one ground exam which Brian can set. This multiple choice exam tests knowledge about the theory of radio aids and the ability to apply them practically. It also includes flight planning for IFR.

Night Rating

The night qualification requires 5 hours of training. This includes 3 hours dual and 2 hours solo which must include 5 full stop landings. This is an essential qualification for the aspiring pilot and is a real safety enhancement, particularly if flying at the end of the day in the winter months.

FAA

The Biennial Flight Review (BFR)

The BFR requirement is set out in FAR 61.56, and it states that:
No person may act as pilot in command of an aircraft unless, since the beginning of the twenty-fourth calendar month before the month in which that pilot acts as pilot in command, that person has:
a. Accomplished a flight review given in an aircraft for which that pilot is rated by an authorized instructor; and
b. A logbook endorsed from an authorized instructor who gave the review certifying that the person has satisfactorily completed the review.

The flight review usually takes place with an FAA-certified flight instructor in a session that must consist of a minimum of one hour of flight training and one hour of ground training. The training must include a review of the general operating and flight rules of FAR Part 91 and a review of maneuvres and procedures necessary to show that the pilot may safely exercise the privileges of the airman certificate held.
There are a couple of exceptions to the need for a standard flight review. The flight review requirement can be met by passing and logging a checkride.

Also, you can meet the flight review requirement by satisfactorily accomplishing one or more phases of an FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency award program, better known as the Wings program. Flight instructors can forego the one hour of ground training if they have satisfactorily completed a renewal of their flight instructor certificate. And glider pilots can substitute a minimum of three qualifying instructional flights in a glider for the one hour of flight training.

A flight simulator or flight training device may be used to meet the flight review requirements under certain conditions. The simulator or training device must be used in accordance with an approved course conducted by a Part 142 training center. Unless the simulator is approved for landings, the pilot must find another way to meet the three takeoffs and landings requirements within the preceding 90 days for carrying passengers.
Logging your flight review and all recent experience is important to meet the regulatory requirements for acting as pilot in command. Remember, the regulations require that the recent experience be logged prior to your acting as pilot in command.

Instrument Proficiency Check (IPC)

Currency Requirements - In order to act as PIC under IFR (whether in instrument meteorological conditions or not), the FAA requires six
instrument approaches, intercepting/tracking courses, and holding within the previous six months. An instrument proficiency check within the previous six months will also suffice. For specifics, see FAR 61.57(c).

I need what? - Pilots are sometimes confused about when they're required to have an instrument proficiency check (IPC). In essence, if it's been more than six calendar months since you were last instrument current, you have to complete an IPC to become current.

IPC requirements - The FAA requires that pilots demonstrate specific tasks from the instrument rating Practical Test Standards (PTS)
during an IPC. In the Instrument Rating PTS, find the "Rating Task Table" and read down the column labeled "IPC."

In summary:

Flight by reference to instrunments:
Basic instrument manoeuvres
Recovery from unusual attitudes
Instrument approach procedures
Non precision approach
Precision approach (PA)

Missed approach

Circling approach
Landing from a straight in or circling approach
Emergency operations
Loss of communications
One engine inoperative during straight and level and turns
One engine insoperative instrument approach
Approach with loss of primary flight instrument indicator
Stay proficient - Instrument flying is a "use it or lose it" skill. Individual needs vary, but it is recommended that in addition to FAA currency
requirements, you have:

a. At least one hour of simulated or actual instrument time in the previous month.
b. At least one instrument approach in the same period.
c. An IPC in the previous six months.
One frequently asked question is whether an IPC qualifies as an alternative method of compliance for the flight review. The technical answer is no, however, an IPC may be completed in combination with a flight review. That's specifically allowed in the regulations but it is not automatic. It is up to the flight instructor doing the check. Brian is qualified to do both - the most practical and ecomical way. Many of the manoeuvres and procedures in the IPC are sufficient to demonstrate most aspects of the BFR.