Certificates & Ratings

Sport Pilot Certificate

  • At least 17 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • 3rd Class Medical Certificate OR U.S. Driver's License
  • 20 hours of flight time:
    • 15 of these hours from an authorized instructor
    • 5 of these hours of solo flight training
    • 2 of these hours of cross-country flight training
    • 10 takeoffs and landings
  • One solo cross-country flight
    • Exams Required for Certification
  • Knowledge Test
    • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
  • FAA Checkride
    • Oral Exam
    • Flight/Practical Exam

Private Pilot Certificate

  • At least 17 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • 3rd Class Medical Certificate
  • 40 hours of flight time:
    • 3 of these hours of cross-country flight training
    • 3 hours night flight training, which includes:
      • One night cross-country flight
      • 10 full stop takeoffs and landings
  • 3 hours of simulated "instrument training"
  • 20 of these hours from an authorized instructor
  • 10 of these hours of solo flight training, which includes:
    • 5 hours of those hours cross-country time
      • One solo cross-country flight greater than 150 nautical miles
      • 3 solo takeoffs and 3 solo landings
  • Exams Required for Certification
  • Knowledge Test
    • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
  • FAA Checkride
    • Oral Exam
    • Flight/Practical Exam

Instrument Rating

  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • Hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate
  • 50 hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot in Command:
    • 10 hours of which were in an airplane
    • 40 hours of which were actual or simulated "instrument time"
      • 15 hours of which were flown with an authorized instructor (CFII)
      • 1 cross-country flight:
        • Filed with an IFR flight plan
        • 250 nautical miles
        • 3 different airport instrument approaches
  • Exams Required for Certification
    • Knowledge Test
      • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
    • FAA Checkride
      • Oral Exam
      • Flight/Practical Exam

Commercial Pilot Certificate

  • At least 18 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • Hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate
  • Must have logged at least 250 hours total flight time as a pilot, consisting of at least:
    • 100 hours in a powered aircraft, 50 of which were in an airplane
    • 100 hours as "Pilot in Command", which includes at least:
      • 50 hours in airplanes
      • 50 hours in cross-country flight (10 in airplanes)
    • 20 hours of training, which includes, at least:
      • 10 hours "instrument training"
      • 10 hours training in a "complex airplane" (retractable gear, retractable flaps & controllable pitch propeller)
      • One 2-hour cross country flight greater than 100 nautical miles
      • One 2-hour cross country night flight greater than 100 nautical miles
    • 10 hours of flight time (solo or with an instructor), which includes, at least:
      • One cross country flight of at least 300 nautical miles with landings at 3 different points, one landing at least 250 miles from departure point
      • 5 hours in night VFR conditions, with:
        • 10 takeoffs and landings, with each landing involving a flight in the "traffic pattern".
  • Exams Required for Certification
    • Knowledge Test
      • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
    • FAA Checkride
      • Oral Exam
      • Flight/Practical Exam

Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (Single Engine)

  • At least 23 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • Hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate
  • Must have logged at least 1,500 hours total flight time as a pilot, consisting of at least:
    • 500 hours of cross-country flight time
    • 100 hours of night flight time
    • 50 hours of flight time in class of airplane for rating sought
  • Exams Required for Certification
    • Knowledge Test
      • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
    • FAA Checkride
      • Oral Exam
      • Flight/Practical Exam
  • See Current FAR/AIM part 61.151 - 61.159 for further requirements details

Certificated Flight Instructor Certificate with a Sport Pilot Rating

  • At least 18 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • Hold at least a Sport Pilot Certificate
  • Must have logged at least 150 hours as a pilot, which must include:
    • 100 hours of time as Pilot in Command of a powered aircraft
    • 50 hours of time in a single-engine airplane
    • 25 hours of cross-country flight time
    • 10 hours of cross-country flight time in a single-engine airplane
    • 15 hours of flight time as Pilot in Command of a Light Sport Aircraft
  • Exams Required for Certification
    • Knowledge Test
      • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
    • FAA Checkride
      • Oral Exam
      • Flight/Practical Exam
      • CFI/A

Certificated Flight Instructor Certificate

  • At least 18 years old by the time of your "FAA Checkride"
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand english
  • Hold at least a Commercial Pilot Certificate
  • Hold an Instrument Rating
  • Must have logged at least 15 hours total flight time as a pilot in command in the aircraft to be taught in
  • Have received "Spin Awareness" training from an authorized instructor
  • Exams Required for Certification
    • 2 Knowledge Tests
      • Multiple choice exam administered by FAA authorized facility
    • FAA Checkride
      • Oral Exam
      • Flight/Practical Exam