What to do to get back into a single engine?
 

I haven't flown a single engine 172 in YEARS... I just got my sic type ratings in the king air 350 and lear 35 and am current multi. If I wanted to take some people up in a cessna 172. The way I'm understanding it is all I need to do is complete the 90 day landing requirement tonight so that I can take people and day and night. Any other requirments I'm missing here? Do I need a biannual review for this category of aircraft? Basically do I need to drag a CFI with me so that I can make this legal...

If you are renting the aircraft most likely they will require you to take a CFI to perform a checkout for insurance purposes. At that point in time you should be able to knock out the three landings that you need to be current. Don't forget it may not be a bad idea to have the CFI there anyways for a little refresher since you haven't flown one in years to help bring everything back quicker rather than searching the back of your skull for the info on your own.

Your BFR covers all ratings and privileges.

The issue here is not the rules so much as your skill in this airplane. Get the checkout or hire a CFI to do pattern work with you for an hour plus maybe another on systems and so on.

In your case, you do NOT technically have to bring a CFI along. You are perfectly legal to go rent a 172 and go get current yourself (this is probably not the smartest decision, although it is legal). Most FBOs will require that a CFI accompany you, however, on your checkout flight(s).
To carry passengers, you need to perform 3 takeoffs and landings within the previous 90 days in ASEL (make and model does not matter; you could do them in a warrior and it would count for a 172). The landings have to be full stop only if you wish to carry passengers at night, and then they must be made from within 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise. Have fun!

BZZZZT The landings must be made one hour after sunset and completed one hour before sunrise. The begining and end of civil twilight are when you can log night time. Nothing happens from one hour after the begining of civil twilight till one hour before the ended of civil twilight.

I was wondering how many invalid currency landings I had done over the years. ;) The sunset and twilight data each day for a location are shown on various websites like AirNav and Runwayfinder. By the way, Runwayfinder is back after that ridiculous lawsuit against them by ASA was finally dropped.

Haha yeah good call, serves me right for posting all groggy after taking a nap :o

Just remember, there's a difference between currency (FAA) and proficiency (your personal minimums). Spending .7 buzzing around the pattern with a CFI, while not technically require, still might be a good idea given the length of time its been since you flew a good ol' 172.

In addition to doing a few laps on the pattern and getting a thorough systems check out, I would also recommend doing a couple of approaches. It is during my instrument training that I really got in the habit of using certain power settings and let the airplane do the flying. Therefore, now when I do a regular cross country flight, I feel very efficient. It is a very nice aircraft and flies quite remarkably. Have fun and good luck.

thanks guys for all the wisdom. The 172 I would be "renting" is from the company I work for, so I'm assuming they would be fine with me borrowing the 172 for the weekend without a check out. I was hoping to get the takeoff and landings tonight so that my girlfriend and I can go to lake cumberland this weekend and not have to drive it...

I have a few guys that I know would probably go up with me just to go up that are currently working on their cfi, so I'll try to take one with for some touchys and goes :)

I just wanted to make sure I was 100% on the regs, and to make sure that I didn't need a biannually type of check out in a single engine plane.

thanks again!