If a flight crewmember completed an annual flight check in December 2010 and a required recurrent check in January 2012, when is the last check considered to have been taken?

The last check is considered to have been taken in January 2012 because that is when the required recurrent check was completed. This recurrent check is critical as it ensures that the flight crew member's competencies and knowledge are maintained in accordance with regulatory requirements. Annual and recurrent checks serve different purposes; the annual check assesses the overall proficiency, while the recurrent check ensures that the crewmember remains current and up-to-date with skills and regulations.

The date of the recurrent check is significant because it resets the cycle for subsequent checks. Since the recurrent check was performed in January 2012, it marks the latest evaluation of the crew member's abilities, thus making January 2012 the correct reference point for when the last check was taken.