Flight hours

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Flight hours is an aviation term referring to the total amount of time spent piloting aircraft, and serves as the primary measure of a pilot's experience. Flight hours (or flight time) is defined as "when an aircraft moves under its own power for the purpose of flight and ends when the aircraft comes to rest after landing." [1] Time spent taxiing and performing pre-flight checks on the ground is included in flight hours, provided the engine is running.

Contents

Recording flight time

Most government licensing regulations have specific flight hour requirements, as do virtually all airline job listings. [2] Consequently, all pilots maintain a logbook (at least while pursuing a license or to record proof of recurrent training). [3] A pilot's logbook is considered a legal document. Most pilots maintain a traditional hard copy, but electronic versions [4] such as the one included with the popular app ForeFlight [5] are allowed. Flight hours are recorded in 0.1 hour increments, which correspond to the resolution of a typical Hobbs meter, an odometer-like instrument installed in most cockpits. Pilots record many details about their flight time, such as whether a flight occurred during the day or at night, in a single- or multi-engine aircraft, in visual or instrument conditions, and the pilot's role during the flight. [3]

Required hours by certificate/rating

Pilots are required to accumulate a certain number and type of flight hours for each certificate or rating. [2] [6] [7] [8] The requirements become more numerous with each successive rating, but most requirements can be "stacked" (i.e. flying cross-country in instrument conditions fulfills both cross-country and instrument hour requirements). Detailed requirements for each rating can be found in 14 CFR Part 61 [9] and in the sections to follow.

Overview

Certificate or RatingTotal Hour Req.Add'l RequirementAdd'l RequirementAdd'l Requirement
Private Pilot Certificate [2] 40 hours5 PIC cross-country hours10 hours solo
Instrument Rating [6] N/A50 PIC cross-country hours40 instrument hours
Commercial Pilot Certificate [7] 250 hours50 PIC cross-country hours100 PIC hours
Private Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Rating [2] 40 hours5 PIC cross-country hours10 hours solo8 multi-engine hours
Commercial Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Rating [7] 250 hours50 PIC cross-country hours100 PIC hours20 multi-engine hours
Air Transport Pilot Certificate [8] 1,500 hours100 PIC cross-country hours250 PIC hours500 cross-country hours

While it is theoretically possible to achieve a certificate/rating at the minimum hour requirements, pilots are required to demonstrate proficiency before they can take the written, oral, and practical tests for each. The Private Pilot Certificate in particular is known to take students more than the legal minimum hours to complete. These minimums were set decades ago, before the era of complex GPS units and an increasingly regulated National Airspace System. The national average for the Private Pilot Certificate is currently estimated at 60-75 hours. [10] [11]

Private Pilot Certificate

According to FAR Part 61.109(a), [2] to be eligible for a Private Pilot Certificate the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Instrument Rating

According to FAR Part 61.65(d), [6] to be eligible for an Instrument Rating the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Commercial Pilot Certificate

According to FAR Part 61.129(a), [7] to be eligible for a Commercial Pilot Certificate the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Private Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Rating

According to FAR Part 61.109(a), [2] to be eligible for a Multi-Engine Rating the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Commercial Pilot Certificate, Multi-engine Rating

According to FAR Part 61.129(a), [7] to be eligible for a Commercial Pilot Certificate, Multi-Engine Rating the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Air Transport Pilot Certificate

According to FAR Part 61.159(a), [8] to be eligible for an Air Transport Pilot Certificate the following aeronautical experience requirements must be met:

Related Research Articles

The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). A wide variety of activities are regulated, such as aircraft design and maintenance, typical airline flights, pilot training activities, hot-air ballooning, lighter-than-air aircraft, man-made structure heights, obstruction lighting and marking, model rocket launches, commercial space operations, model aircraft operations, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and kite flying. The rules are designed to promote safe aviation, protecting pilots, flight attendants, passengers and the general public from unnecessary risk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight simulator</span> Technology used for training aircrew

A flight simulator is a device that artificially re-creates aircraft flight and the environment in which it flies, for pilot training, design, or other purposes. It includes replicating the equations that govern how aircraft fly, how they react to applications of flight controls, the effects of other aircraft systems, and how the aircraft reacts to external factors such as air density, turbulence, wind shear, cloud, precipitation, etc. Flight simulation is used for a variety of reasons, including flight training, the design and development of the aircraft itself, and research into aircraft characteristics and control handling qualities.

Instrument rating refers to the qualifications that a pilot must have in order to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR). It requires specific training and instruction beyond what is required for a private pilot certificate or commercial pilot certificate, including rules and procedures specific to instrument flying, additional instruction in meteorology, and more intensive training in flight solely by reference to instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private pilot licence</span> Type of pilot license

A private pilot licence (PPL) or, in the United States, a private pilot certificate, is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately. The licence requirements are determined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), but implementation varies widely from country to country. According to the ICAO, it is obtained by successfully completing a course with at least 40 hours of flight time, passing seven written exams, completing a solo cross-country flight, and successfully demonstrating flying skills to an examiner during a flight test. In the United States, pilots can be trained under Part 141 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, which allows them to apply for their certificate after as few as 35 hours. However, most pilots require 60–70 hours of flight time to complete their training. The minimum age for a student pilot certificate is 14 for balloons and gliders and 16 for powered flight. The minimum age for a private pilot certificate is 16 for balloons and gliders, and 17 for powered flight. Pilots can begin training at any age and can solo balloons and gliders from age 14 and powered aircraft from age 16.

The airline transport pilot licence (ATPL), or in the United States of America, an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate is the highest level of aircraft pilot certificate. In the United States, those certified as airline transport pilots (unconditional) are authorized to act as pilot in command on scheduled air carriers' aircraft under CFR 14 Part 121. In the UK, pilots must hold an ATPL before they can be pilot in command on an aircraft with nine or more passenger seats.

A commercial pilot licence (CPL) is a type of pilot licence that permits the holder to act as a pilot of an aircraft and be paid for their work.

Pilot licensing or certification refers to permits for operating aircraft. Flight crew licences are regulated by ICAO Annex 1 and issued by the civil aviation authority of each country. CAA’s have to establish that the holder has met a specific set of knowledge and experience before issuing the licence. The licence, with added ratings, allows a pilot to fly aircraft registered in the licence issuing state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot certification in the United States</span> Pilot certification

Pilot certification in the United States is typically required for an individual to act as a pilot-in-command of an aircraft. It is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). A pilot may be certified under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 61 or 14 CFR Part 141. Pilots may also be certified under 14 CFR Part 107 for commercial drone operations.

Pilot licensing in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

An instrument rating is an authorization required for a pilot to fly under instrument flight rules (IFR). In the United States, the rating is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Complex airplane</span> Aircraft term

A complex airplane is defined by the United States Federal Aviation Administration as an aircraft that has all of the following:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flight instructor</span> Person who teaches others to operate aircraft

A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate the knowledge and skill level of an aviator in pursuit of a higher pilot's license, certificate or rating.

A safety pilot is a rated pilot who helps maintain visual separation from other aircraft, clouds, and terrain while another pilot is wearing view limiting devices for the purposes of simulating instrument conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot in command</span> Flight crew role

The pilot in command (PIC) of an aircraft is the person aboard the aircraft who is ultimately responsible for its operation and safety during flight. This would be the captain in a typical two- or three-pilot aircrew, or "pilot" if there is only one certificated and qualified pilot at the controls of an aircraft. The PIC must be legally certificated to operate the aircraft for the specific flight and flight conditions, but need not be actually manipulating the controls at any given moment. The PIC is the person legally in charge of the aircraft and its flight safety and operation, and would normally be the primary person liable for an infraction of any flight rule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Air Force aeronautical rating</span> Military aviation skill standards

U.S. Air Force aeronautical ratings are military aviation skill standards established and awarded by the United States Air Force for commissioned officers participating in "regular and frequent flight", either aerially or in space, in performance of their duties. USAF aeronautical badges, commonly referred to as "wings" from their shape and their historical legacy, are awarded by the Air Force in recognition of degrees of achievement and experience. Officers earning these badges and maintaining their requirements are classified as rated officers and receive additional pay and allowances.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cross-country flying</span>

Cross-country flying is a type of distance flying which is performed in a powered aircraft on legs over a given distance and in operations between two points using navigational techniques; and an unpowered aircraft by using upcurrents to gain altitude for extended flying time. Cross country is distinct from purely aerial work in a small defined area requiring little navigation.

In the United States, there are three classes of medical certifications for pilots; such certificates are required to legally exercise the privileges of a Pilot exercising the privileges of either a Private, Commercial, or Airline Transport Pilot license. Medical Certificates are not needed for Glider, Balloon, Recreational, or Sport Pilot certifications. Each certificate must be issued by a doctor approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to a person of stable physical and mental health.

Ground Instructor is a certificate issued in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration. There are three classes of holder, licensed to provide the ground instruction element in the training of three groups:

Night aviation regulations in the United States are administered and enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Unlike many countries, the United States places no special restrictions on VFR flying at night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilot logbook</span>

A pilot logbook is a record of a pilot's flying hours. It contains every flight a pilot has flown, including flight time, number of landings, and types of instrument approaches made. Pilots also log simulator time, as it counts towards training.

References

  1. ↑ "14 CFR § 1.1 - General definitions". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "14 CFR § 61.109 - Aeronautical experience". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 "14 CFR § 61.51 - Pilot logbooks". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. ↑ "ForeFlight - Digital Pilot Logbook for iPad and iPhone". foreflight.com.
  5. ↑ "ForeFlight - Integrated Flight App for Pilots". foreflight.com.
  6. 1 2 3 "14 CFR § 61.65 - Instrument rating requirements". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "14 CFR § 61.129 - Aeronautical experience". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 "14 CFR § 61.159 - Aeronautical experience: Airplane category rating". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  9. ↑ "14 CFR Part 61 - CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS". LII / Legal Information Institute.
  10. ↑ "FAQs". www.aopa.org. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  11. ↑ "License to Learn". www.aopa.org. 4 May 2011. Retrieved 19 February 2021.


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