Pilot Licensing and Certification - General Structure of Certification

General Structure of Certification

Pilots are certificated to fly aircraft at one or more named privilege levels and at each privilege level, rated to fly aircraft of specific categories. In the US, privilege levels of pilot certificates are (in order of increasing privilege):

• Student: Cannot fly solo without proper endorsement from a Certified Flight Instructor. Passenger Carrying is Prohibited.
• Sport: Cannot carry more than one passenger, authorized to fly only Light-sport Aircraft and are limited to daytime flight only. If an individual elects to receive additional instruction, some of the limitations may be removed.
• Recreational: May fly aircraft of up to 180 horsepower (130 kW) and 4 seats in the daytime for pleasure only.
• Private: May fly for pleasure or personal business. Private pilots cannot be paid, compensated to fly, or hired by any operator.
• Commercial: Can be paid, compensated to fly, or hired by operators and are required to have higher training standards than private or sport pilots.
• Flight Instructors: Flight instructors are commercial pilots who have been trained and can demonstrate various teaching techniques, skills and knowledge related to safely teaching people to fly.
• Airline Transport Pilot: ATP's as they are called, typically qualify to fly the major airliners of the US transit system. ATP's must qualify with a range of experience and training to be considered for this certificate.

Pilot privileges are further broken down into category, class, and type ratings.

A category is defined as "a broad classification of aircraft," which a pilot may be rated for:

• Airplane
• Rotorcraft
• Glider
• Lighter than air
• Powered lift
• Powered parachute
• Weight-shift-control

A class is defined as "a classification of aircraft within a category having similar operating characteristics":

• Single engine
• Multi-engine
• Land
• Water
• Gyroplane
• Helicopter
• Airship
• Free balloon

In addition, a type rating is required for particular aircraft over 12,500 pounds, or aircraft that are turbojet powered. Further endorsements are required for high performance (more than 200 horsepower), complex (retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller), or tailwheel equipped aircraft, as well as high altitude operations.

Most Private Pilot certificates are issued as "Private Pilot: Airplane Single Engine Land," which means the pilot may fly any single engine, land based airplane they are qualified in. A pilot is only qualified in the category and class of aircraft in which they successfully complete their checkride. A checkride consists of a 2 part process, an oral test and a flight test. During the oral portion, the examiner quizzes the applicant on what they learned in ground school, and asks practical questions. The flight test ensures the applicant is a safe and competent pilot. The checkride examiner's job is to see that only safe applicants become pilots. Therefore, a pilot who takes a Commercial Pilot checkride in a multi-engine, land-based aircraft and passes may only exercise the privileges of a Commercial Pilot in multi-engine, land-based aircraft. That pilot may not exercise the privileges of a Commercial Pilot in single engine or sea-based aircraft without passing the appropriate parts of a checkride in those particular categories of aircraft.

Pilots typically attain ratings in this order:

• Private Pilot (35–45 hours minimum required, 40 in the U.S.)
• Instrument Rating (40–50 hours minimum required, 40 in the U.S.)
• Commercial Pilot (200–250 hours minimum required, 250 in the U.S.)
• Commercial Pilot who is a Co-Pilot in an airliner (250 hours minimum + multicrew rating, 800 hours minimum in the U.S.)
• Airline Transport Pilot or ATP (1500 hours total time required)

Note: Hours can often be earned concurrently and are cumulative. For example, after acquiring a private certificate, a pilot can get an instrument rating with an additional 20–30 hours hours of training. In the course of the Commercial Pilot training, most pilots also receive their high performance and complex endorsements, as well as get a multi-engine rating before applying for the Airline Transport Pilot license.

Further information: Class rating and Type rating

Private Pilot

The majority of pilots hold a Private Pilot Licence. To obtain a private pilot license, one must be at least 17 years old and have a minimum of 35–45 hours of flight time (60–80 hours is average), including at least 20 hours of instruction and 10 hours of solo flight. Pilots trained according to accelerated curricula outlined in Part 141 of the Federal Aviation Regulations may be certified with a minimum of 35 hours of flight time. Private pilots may not fly for compensation or hire. However, they may carry passengers as long as they have the appropriate training, ratings, and endorsements. Private pilots must have a current Class III medical exam, which must be renewed every 24 or 60 months (depending on age). In addition private pilots must revalidate their pilot certificates every 24 months by undertaking a flight review with a certificated flight instructor (CFI).

Instrument Rating

An Instrument rating is technically not a pilot certificate, but an add-on that allows a pilot to fly in weather with reduced visibilities such as rain, low clouds, or heavy haze. When flying in these conditions, pilots follow instrument flight rules (IFR). The training provides the skills needed to complete flights without visual reference to the ground, except for the takeoff and landing phases. In the U.S. all pilots who fly above 18,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) (a lower limit of Class A airspace) must have an instrument rating.

This rating requires highly specialized training by a certificated flight instructor (CFI) with a special instrument instruction rating (CFII), and completion of an additional written exam, oral exam, and flight test. Pilots applying for an instrument rating must hold a current private pilot certificate and medical, have logged at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, and have at least 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time including at least 15 hours of instrument flight training and instrument training on cross-country flight procedures.

Commercial Pilot

Commercial pilots can be paid to fly an aircraft. To obtain a Commercial Pilot License, one must be at least 18 years old and have a minimum of 250 hours of flight time (190 hours under the accelerated curriculum defined in Part 141 of the Federal Aviation Regulations). This includes 100 hours in powered aircraft, 50 hours in airplanes, and 100 hours as pilot in command (of which 50 hours must be cross-country flight time). In addition, commercial pilots must hold an instrument rating, or be restricted to flying for hire only in daylight, under visual flight rules (VFR), within 50 miles of the originating airport.

Airline Transport Pilot

Airline transport pilots (ATPs) must be at least 23 years old and have a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time, including 500 hours of cross-country flight time, 100 hours of night flying, and 75 hours in actual or simulated instrument flight conditions. Most ATPs have many thousands of hours of flight time. ATPs also must have a commercial certificate and an instrument rating. ATPs may instruct other pilots in air transportation service in aircraft in which the ATP is rated. ATPs must have a current and much more stringent Class I medical exam, which renew every six months or one year (depending on age). Like all pilots, they must revalidate their certificates every 24 months with a flight review.