Why Get Your Commercial Pilot Certificate?
The commercial pilot certificate is required for any type of flying where the pilot is being compensated.
- Allows flight as a corporate, agricultural, banner-towing, pipeline patrol, or traffic reporting pilot
- Is a prerequisite to be a Certified Flight Instructor
- Is required for further certification as an airline transport pilot
My Goals in Training Commercial Pilots
My goal during commercial pilot preparation is for you to gain mastery of stick and rudder skills, demonstrate precision flying and a professional demeanor.
- Master stick-and-rudder skills
- Confident operating at the edges of aircraft's performance envelope
- Fly with tight tolerances and minimal control input
- High comfort in all aspects of the National Airspace System
My goal during training is to show you the maneuvers and allow you to build proficiency (mostly) on your own.
Minimum Requirements
Here’s what the FAA requires to become a Commercial Pilot:
- Meet the age, English-language proficiency and general administrative requirements of FAR (61.123)
- Hold a valid Private Pilot certificate (61.123(h))
- Log a minimum of 250 flight hours (that meets all experience required by FAR 61.129), including:
- 10 hours with a CFII for instrument training (FAR 61.129(3)(i))
- An instrument rating meets this as long as your logbook demonstrates the reqts of 61.129(3)(i)
- 10 hours with a CFI in a complex or technically advanced aircaft (FAR 61.129(3)(ii))
- Pass the FAA Commercial Pilot Knowledge Test (written) (FAR 61.125 (aeronautical knowledge requirements))
- Pass the FAA Practical Test (checkride). (FAA Airman Certification Standards (everything that can be on the checkride and the associated standards)).
You don't need a CFI for most of the preparation for a commercial pilot certificate!
Commercial Syllabus
Most commercial syllabi are written for "Part 141" schools with many hours of flight & ground instruction on repeat material
For "Part 61" certification, I like this basic syllabus.
- It is written for no unnecessary instruction time (only a few hours of "dual" instruction)
- It assumes you have built most of the prerequisites for the license on your own.
There are also other viable commercial syllabi with great info, but they build up the required experience with an instructor and repeat many lessons and topics from your private and instrument: