What It Will Take To Get A Commercial Pilot's License
If you are thinking about getting your commercial pilot’s license and flying commercial airliners as your profession, you will need to get a commercial rating to get started. Federal aviation regulations require that pilots pursuing a commercial rating go through commercial ground training which covers all aspects of commercial flying including air navigation, meteorological interpretation and weather avoidance, aircraft systems and structures and the complete understanding and knowledge of FAA rules and regulations. Commercial pilot classroom training must also include instruction on air traffic control communication, advanced aircraft maneuvers such as emergency descents, aggravated stalls, spin recovery and chandelles, and Morse code.
Procedures and Flight Maneuvers
Before they can take the FAA certification tests any potential commercial pilot must take training on several advanced flight maneuvers. They must learn to to perform advanced aircraft maneuvers like eights-on-pylons and to recover aircraft from aggravated aeronautical stalls. Students must also become proficient at emergency descent procedures and also learn how to perform chandelles. They also receive training in “complex” aircraft which are configured with constant-speed propellers and flaps and which have retractable gear.
Cross Country Flights
Prospective Commercial pilots must log hours flying cross country from one airport to another which are located at least fifty nautical miles from one another. The students learn about flight planning, fuel management, air traffic control, and aerial navigation while performing these cross country flights. Prior to taking the commercial pilot flight test, the flight student must successfully complete one long cross country flight which consists of a flight to another airport at least fifty nautical miles away with a total trip distance of at least two hundred and fifty nautical miles.
Flight Time
Commercial student pilots must log a certain amount of flight time before they are eligible to take the FAA commercial pilots certification tests. A commercial pilot student training for the unstructured “Part 61” flight school must have at least 250 hours of total flying time with 100 hours of “pilot in command” time which means the student is in control of the flight operation. Additionally, the student must have at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time. Structured “Part 141” school students do not need the 50 hours of cross-country flight time required of Part 61 students and only need 190 hours of flying time before earning commercial licenses.
Flight Test
Before receiving a commercial pilot’s license the student must take a flight test or check ride. On the check ride, the student must demonstrate the correct procedures, emergency procedures, and flying skills. A check ride is a review of the student’s knowledge and flying skills. The student must pass the final check ride to be awarded a pilot’s license to fly for pay.
Medical Requirements
To fly as a commercial pilot, an individual will be required to maintain a second-class physical medical certificate. This requires that the commercial pilot pass a flight physical every twelve months.
Flying for the airlines requires much more than just commercial pilot training, although that is a good start. It will take many years of training, study and experience to get on with a major airline, but it is possible with commitment.
If you are thinking about getting your commercial pilot’s license and flying commercial airliners as your profession, you will need to get a commercial rating to get started. Federal aviation regulations require that pilots pursuing a commercial rating go through commercial ground training which covers all aspects of commercial flying including air navigation, meteorological interpretation and weather avoidance, aircraft systems and structures and the complete understanding and knowledge of FAA rules and regulations. Commercial pilot classroom training must also include instruction on air traffic control communication, advanced aircraft maneuvers such as emergency descents, aggravated stalls, spin recovery and chandelles, and Morse code.
Procedures and Flight Maneuvers
Before they can take the FAA certification tests any potential commercial pilot must take training on several advanced flight maneuvers. They must learn to to perform advanced aircraft maneuvers like eights-on-pylons and to recover aircraft from aggravated aeronautical stalls. Students must also become proficient at emergency descent procedures and also learn how to perform chandelles. They also receive training in “complex” aircraft which are configured with constant-speed propellers and flaps and which have retractable gear.
Cross Country Flights
Prospective Commercial pilots must log hours flying cross country from one airport to another which are located at least fifty nautical miles from one another. The students learn about flight planning, fuel management, air traffic control, and aerial navigation while performing these cross country flights. Prior to taking the commercial pilot flight test, the flight student must successfully complete one long cross country flight which consists of a flight to another airport at least fifty nautical miles away with a total trip distance of at least two hundred and fifty nautical miles.
Flight Time
Commercial student pilots must log a certain amount of flight time before they are eligible to take the FAA commercial pilots certification tests. A commercial pilot student training for the unstructured “Part 61” flight school must have at least 250 hours of total flying time with 100 hours of “pilot in command” time which means the student is in control of the flight operation. Additionally, the student must have at least 50 hours of cross-country flight time. Structured “Part 141” school students do not need the 50 hours of cross-country flight time required of Part 61 students and only need 190 hours of flying time before earning commercial licenses.
Flight Test
Before receiving a commercial pilot’s license the student must take a flight test or check ride. On the check ride, the student must demonstrate the correct procedures, emergency procedures, and flying skills. A check ride is a review of the student’s knowledge and flying skills. The student must pass the final check ride to be awarded a pilot’s license to fly for pay.
Medical Requirements
To fly as a commercial pilot, an individual will be required to maintain a second-class physical medical certificate. This requires that the commercial pilot pass a flight physical every twelve months.
Flying for the airlines requires much more than just commercial pilot training, although that is a good start. It will take many years of training, study and experience to get on with a major airline, but it is possible with commitment.