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Commercial Rating
Our team is excited to help you become a truly professional pilot.
Make Money Doing What You Love
Earning money while flying is one of the greatest feelings in the world. A Commercial Pilot Rating allows you to do just that.
As you progress through the Commercial Pilot Rating, Ridgeline Aviation will help you become a truly professional pilot with full awareness of the responsibilities commercial jobs require from their pilots.
Commercial Pilot Rating Requirements
What You Need for Your FAR Part 61 Commercial
To earn your commercial rating, you must have 250 hours of training at a minimum. Those hours must consist of at least:
- 100 hours of pilot-in-command flight time, which includes at least
- 50 hours in cross-country flight
Dual: 20 hours minimum of flight training with an instructor on the Private Pilot areas of operation including:
- 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane (TAA)
- One 2-hour cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure
- One 2-hour cross-country flight in a single-engine airplane in nighttime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure
- Three hours in a single-engine airplane with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test
Solo: 10 hours minimum of solo or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board on the Private Pilot areas of operation including:
- One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point.
- Hawaiian Pilots need only have a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles
- 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower
What You Need for Your FAR Part 141 Commercial
To earn your commercial rating, you must have 35 hours of ground training and 120 total hours at a minimum. Those hours must consist of at least:
Dual: 55 hours minimum of flight training with an instructor on the Commercial Pilot areas of operation including:
- Ten hours of instrument training using a view-limiting device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and intercepting and tracking navigational systems. Five hours of the 10 hours required on instrument training must be in a single engine airplane.
- Ten hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane
- One 2-hour cross country flight in daytime conditions in a single engine airplane that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure;
- One 2-hour cross country flight in nighttime conditions in a single engine airplane that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
- 3 hours of flight training in a single engine airplane within the 60 days prior to the practical test.
Solo: 10 hours minimum of solo flying or while acting as PIC with an authorized instructor onboard in a single engine airplane on the Commercial Pilot areas of operation including:
- One cross-country flight, if the training is being performed in the State of Hawaii, with landings at a minimum of three points, and one of the segments consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles
- One cross-country flight, if the training is being performed in a State other than Hawaii, with landings at a minimum of three points, and one segment of the flight consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles
- 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight with a traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower
This 141 course is approved for use of GI Bill® education benefits if the student is eligible. Learn more about eligibility by reaching out to our instruction team.