Flight School

 

What are the FAA requirements to get your Private Pilot Certificate CFR Part 61.103?

  • Be at least 17 years of age
  • Be able to read write, speak and understand the English language
  • Pass the FAA required written knowledge test
  • Pass the FAA practical test
  • Complete a medical exam given by a designated FAA medical examiner

Flight Requirements:

Log 40 hours of flight time that includes 20 hours of dual training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training. The training must include.

  • 3 hours of cross country flight training
  • 3 hours of night flight training that includes one cross country flight of over  100 NM total distance and 10 take offs and 10 landings to a full stop.
  • 3 hours of flight training solely by reference to instruments
  • 3 hours of flight training in preparation for practical test
  • 10 hours of solo flight time that includes:
  • 5 hours of solo cross country time, 1 solo cross country flight of at least 150 nm total distance with full stop landings at three points. One leg needs to be more than 50 nm, 3 take offs and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.

What are the FAA requirements for an Instrument rating, Single engine Land part 61.65?

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

  1. Must hold at least a current private pilot certificate.
  2. Must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.
  3.  Receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor or accomplish a home study course of training on the aeronautical knowledge section that applies to the rating sought.
  4. Pass the required knowledge test.
  5.  Pass the required practical test.
  6. Receive and log the required amount of training.
  7. Receive log book endorsements from an authorized instructor certifying the person is ready to take the require knowledge and flight tests.

AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE

  1. At least 50 hours of logged cross country time as PIC: 10 hours must be in airplanes
  2. 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the following areas of operation:
    • 15 hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in the aircraft category for which the rating is sought
    • 3 hours of instrument training from an authorized instructor 60 days prior to the applicants practical test
    • One cross country flight in an airplane performed under IFR* and consists of: A distance of at least 250 NM along airways or ATC direct routing;  An instrument approach at each airport;  Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems
    * The cross country training flight performed under IFR may be flown in actual or simulated instrument conditions. The applicant must be on an IFR flight plan.

Use of flight simulators or flight training devices

A maximum of 20 hours may be performed in an authorized flight simulator or flight training device.

(See FAR 61.65(e)(2).

What are the FAA requirements for a commercial certificate?

According to Part 61.123 to be eligible for a Commercial pilot certificate you must:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language
  • Receive a log book endorsement from an instructor who conducted the required ground and flight training
  • Pass the FAA written knowledge test
  • Pass the FAA practical test
  • Meet the aeronautical experience requirements
  • Hold at least a private pilot certificate.

You do not need your instrument rating to get your commercial certificate, however some limitations apply.


What are the aeronautical experience requirements for a Commercial Certificate?

Under part 61-129 for a single engine airplane rating:

  1. 250 hours of flight time that consists of
  2. 100 hours in powered aircraft of which 50 must be in an airplane
    • 100 hours of PIC time which includes at least 50 in airplanes and 50 hours in cross country flight 10 hours in an airplane
  3. 20 hours of training in the areas of operation listed in 61.127(b)(1) that includes at least:
    • 10 hours of instrument training of which 5 hours must be in a single engine airplane
    • 10 hours of training in an airplane that has retractable landing gear, flaps and a controllable pitch propeller
    • One cross country flight of at least 2 hours duration in a single engine airplane in day VFR conditions consisting of a total straight line distance of more than 100 NM from the original point of departure
    • One cross country flight of at least 2 hours duration in a single engine airplane in night VFR conditions consisting of a straight line distance of 100 NM from the original point of departure.
    • 3 hours in a single engine airplane in preparation for the practical test within the 60 day period preceding the date of the test
  4. 10 hours of solo flight in a single engine airplane in the areas of operation listed in 61.127(b)(1) which includes at least
    • One cross country flight of not less than 300 NM total distance with landings at a minimum of three points one of which is a straight line distance of at least 250 NM from the original point of departure
    • 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 take offs and 10 landings at an airport with an operating control tower ( with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern).


What are the insurance and check out requirements for the RG?

Standard check out is required.

What are the aeronautical knowledge and flight proficiency requirements to get a Commercial certificate?

Please see FAR parts 61.125 and 61.127 for a complete listing.

 

Links

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR)

FAA Handbooks

FAA Safety Program

Colonial Air