FAA Expands Exemptions from Flight Reviews
 

so is this retroactive to people who have already taken the Fi practical?

and now I can do my flight review by doing a FIRC online? interesting

1. It would appear so as the change states if you have completed the checkride in the previous 24 months.

2. No, a FIRC is not a checkride. But the FIRC does count for the one hour of ground school for a FR.

That's good news, it was a stupid ruling to begin with. For practical purposes, it only meant that you had to remember to get the examiner to put a FR in your logbook after you passed a CFI ride.

Not a flame. Just a question because I've seen your question elsewhere:

assuming you read the link Aerophile posted, exactly what in it made you think a ground course would be sufficient for a full-fledged flight review?

I agree. The Flight Review is a 24-month lookback. If it's November 15 or after, if you look back 24 monthis and there's a CFI Practical Test, you have met the requirements.