Ratings Offered

Private Pilot | Instrument Pilot | Commercial Pilot | CFI | CFII

Private Pilot

Typical Training Aircraft: Cessna 152s or Cessna 172s

FAR 61.103 Eligibility Requirements Excerpt

To be eligible for a private pilot certificate, you must:

  1. Be at least 17 years of age for a rating in other than a glider or balloon.
  2. Be able to read, speak, write and understand the English language.
  3. Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this section that apply to the aircraft rating sought.
  4. Pass the knowledge test.
  5. Pass the practical test.

To exercise the privileges of a private pilot certificate, you must hold at least a current third-class medical certificate.

FAR 61.105 Aeronautical Knowledge


If you are applying for a private pilot certificate you must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course on the aeronautical knowledge areas of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.

FAR 61.109 Aeronautical Experience


If you are applying for a private pilot certificate with an airplane, rotorcraft, or powered-lift category rating, you must receive and log at least a total of 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training, and the training must include at least:

For an airplane single engine land rating:

  1. 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a single engine airplane, 3 hours of night flight training in a single engine airplane and 3 hours of instrument flight training in a single engine airplane.
  2. 10 hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane, consisting of at least 5 hours of solo cross-country flight time.

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Instrument Pilot

Typical Training Aircraft: Cessna 172s or Cessna 172RG

FAR 61.65 Instrument Rating Requirements


To be eligible for an instrument rating, you must:

  1. Hold at least a current private pilot certificate with an aircraft category and class rating that applies to the instrument rating sought.
  2. Be able to read, speak, write and understand the English language.
  3. Have received and logged ground training on the aeronautical knowledge areas of this section that apply to the instrument rating sought.
  4. Have logged at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes for an instrument-airplane rating.
  5. Have a total of 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time on the areas of operation of this section including at least 15 hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in the aircraft category for which the instrument rating is sought, and instrument training on cross-country flight procedures specific to airplanes, or helicopters or a powered-lift.
  6. One cross-country of at least 250 nautical miles along airways or ATC-directed routing with three different approaches.
  7. Pass the knowledge test.
  8. Pass the practical test.

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Commercial Pilot

Typical Training Aircraft: Cessna 172RG and Cessna 172s

FAR 61.123 Eligibility Requirements


To be eligible for a commercial pilot certificate, you must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age.
  2. Be able to read, speak, write and understand the English language.
  3. Hold at least a private pilot certificate.
  4. Meet the aeronautical experience requirements of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.
  5. Pass the knowledge test.
  6. Pass the practical test.


To exercise the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate, you must hold at least a current second-class medical certificate.

FAR 61.125 Aeronautical Knowledge


If you are applying for a commercial pilot certificate you must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor or complete a home-study course on the aeronautical knowledge areas of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.

FAR 61.129 Aeronautical Experience


For an airplane single engine rating:

If you are applying for a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and single engine class rating, you must log at least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:

  1. 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in airplanes.
  2. 100 hours of pilot in command flight time, which includes at least 50 hours in airplanes and 50 hours in cross-country flight in airplanes.
  3. 20 hours of training on the areas of operation as listed for this rating, that includes at least 10 hours of instrument training, of which at least 5 hours must be in a single engine airplane, 10 hours of training in an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, or is turbine-powered, one cross- country flight of at least 2 hours in a single engine airplane in day VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure, one cross-country flight of at least 2 hours in a single engine airplane in night VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure.
  4. 10 hours of solo flight in a single engine airplane, including one cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance and as specified, and 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.

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CFI

Typical Training Aircraft: Cessna 172RG and Cessna 172s

FAR 61.183 Eligibility Requirements


To be eligible for a flight instructor certificate or rating, you must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age.
  2. Be able to read, speak, write and understand the English language.
  3. Hold either a commercial or airline transport pilot certificate with an aircraft category and class rating appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.
  4. Hold an instrument rating, if you hold a commercial pilot certificate and are applying for a instructor certificate with an airplane rating, or a powered-lift rating, or an instrument rating.
  5. Log at least 15 hours as pilot in command in the category and class of aircraft that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.
  6. Pass the knowledge tests.
  7. Pass the practical test.


FAR 61.185 Aeronautical Knowledge


If you are applying for a flight instructor certificate, you must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on:

  1. The fundamentals of instructing, including the learning process, elements of effective teaching, student evaluation and testing, course development, lesson planning and classroom training techniques.
  2. The aeronautical knowledge areas for a recreational, private, and commercial pilot certificate applicable to the aircraft category for which flight instructor privileges are sought.
  3. The aeronautical knowledge areas for the instrument rating applicable to the category for which instrument flight instructor privileges are sought.

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CFII

Typical Training Aircraft: Cessna 172s and/or Cessna 172RG

Eligibility Requirements (Same as CFI)


To be eligible for a flight instructor certificate or rating, you must:

  1. Be at least 18 years of age.
  2. Be able to read, speak, write and understand the English language.
  3. Hold either a commercial or airline transport pilot certificate with an aircraft category and class rating appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.
  4. Hold an instrument rating, if you hold a commercial pilot certificate and are applying for a instructor certificate with an airplane rating, or a powered-lift rating, or an instrument rating.
  5. Log at least 15 hours as pilot in command in the category and class of aircraft that is appropriate to the flight instructor rating sought.
  6. Pass the knowledge tests.
  7. Pass the practical test.

Aeronautical Knowledge


If you are applying for a flight instructor certificate, you must receive and log ground training from an authorized instructor on:

  1. The fundamentals of instructing, including the learning process, elements of effective teaching, student evaluation and testing, course development, lesson planning and classroom training techniques (only for initial instructor rating).
  2. The aeronautical knowledge areas for a instrument pilot certificate applicable to the aircraft category for which flight instructor privileges are sought.
  3. The aeronautical knowledge areas for the instrument rating applicable to the category for which instrument flight instructor privileges are sought.

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