Commercial Requirements

It’s a bummer when I have to send someone home because they are not qualified for the certificate they want. Unfortunately, I’ve had to do that for more than just one applicant recently.  Here are some of the problems I’ve found.

1. Lacking 50 hour PIC cross countries.  Note that the dual cross-country’s that where logged as a student pilot do not count towards this requirement.
   
2. Cross counties less than 50 NM do not count towards the commercial requirements.  Per part 61 all cross countries used towards a certificate or rating must be greater than 50nm and you must have a landing there.  (25nm for sport pilot or helicopter).
3. The 10 hours of Instrument time must be from a CFI-Instrument (this doesn’t apply to commercial helicopter).
4. Missing the 2 hour day and/or 2 hour night DUAL cross country.  Note you can not use a dual cross country from your student pilot days to meet this requirement.  It can not be the same cross country as your Instrument cross country (no double dipping) and you can not use these cross counties towards 61.129 (a)(4).
5. Speaking of 61.129 (a)(4)…you can only meet this requirement by flying solo or by “performing the duties as PIC with an authorized instructor on board”.  You can NOT combine the two.  For example you can not log 5 hours of solo and do 5 hours of “performing the duties as PIC with an authorized instructor on board” to satisfy the requirement.  (note this is further supported by a FAA legal interpolation)
6. If you are doing the long 300 nm cross country solo, you must be the only person in the airplane.  That means nobody else, not even your 5 year old son, in the airplane.  (as another examiner put it  “what part of solo do you not understand”)
7. The 5 hours at night solo must also be solo and must have 10 take offs and 10 landings at night at an airport with an operating control tower.  If the tower is closed the landings don’t count!  If you have your spouse with you, they don’t count.  If you have 8 of the 10 landings, well… you need 2 more.

 
The FAA will not allow a DPE to begin a test if the applicant isn’t qualified.  That means we cant even start the oral.  Basically, we're done for the day.  If you have any questions about the qualifications, call your DPE or the FSDO.  If you have a question on any of part CFR 61 you can do a legal interpretation search at www.faa.gov for a more detailed explanation.