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Do I Qualify for the Commercial Check Ride?

Understanding how time logged meets requirements.

For the commercial certificate the emphasis is on mastery of the aircraft. [Courtesy: Garmin]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The 10 hours of training required for the commercial certificate (FAR 61.129(a)(3)(ii)) can be a combination of time in complex, turbine, or technically advanced aircraft (TAA), meaning prior complex aircraft experience counts towards this requirement.
  • Pilots must carefully verify their Pilot-in-Command (PIC) time, ensuring that dual instruction logged before receiving a complex endorsement is not counted as PIC.
  • If instrument flight time is used to meet commercial certificate requirements, it must fulfill specific training areas (FAR 61.127(b)(1)) and be appropriately logged for both the commercial and instrument ratings.
  • The commercial pilot check ride emphasizes mastery of aircraft systems and the ability to fly to significantly tighter tolerances compared to the private pilot certification.
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Question: I am preparing for my commercial pilot check ride. I’m training under Part 61 and just reached the 250 total time requirement, of which seven hours was dual instruction in the steam-gauge Cessna 172RG for the required complex endorsement. Then I had to move into a G1000-equipped Cessna 172, a technically advanced aircraft (TAA) but not complex with retractable gear, because the RG went in for maintenance.

My CFI says I will need to log 10 hours of instrument time in the TAA C172 before they will sign me off for the check ride because I won’t meet the experience requirements if I don’t.

Doesn’t the experience in the Cessna 172RG meet the experience requirements for the commercial certificate?

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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Answer: This is a complicated question with a complicated answer. I recommend you pull out FAR 61.129, which is the experience requirements for the commercial certificate and cross-reference it to what is in your logbook.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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