Commercial License - How Hard?

[Trogdor]

How many hours till check ready typically?

 

[WDD]

FWIW - I'm taking a different approach (no pun intended) with the commercial vs instrument. I ordered the Gleim training book, and I'm going to just enjoy reading through it sitting on the couch vs hammering away with the on line Kings and GoldSeal. Not sure when I'll take the written. Will see how this / if this approach works. But I'm in no hurry, as my bi annual is now 2 years away as I just got my IR.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

How many hours till check ready typically?

My go-to CFI says once you have your prerequisite hours for the certificate, 20 hours or less for the maneuvers. I have not started yet.

The flight school here has both retract and TAA, so I’m going to endure more torture and get both under my belt.

Bought the King ground school in early January and got thru the videos already, doing practice tests now. First one without study was 93. I thought I barely passed, but it’s crazy what your brain absorbs when your not totally conscious of it. 2 more to go, then the final for the ground/test endorsement.

 

[Trogdor]

Mine said the same. He said on average probably around 10-15 hours before sign off.

 

[iamtheari]

My logbook shows 15.1 hours of dual received over the course of 11 flights and 17 months from when I started working on the commercial until I was endorsed for the check ride. That doesn't include the RV-14 transition training I got in the middle of that process. It does include 2 false starts, one with an instructor whose work schedule didn't give us enough time to get it done and one at a flight school with the intention being an accelerated finish before my written test results expired and the reality being a week of reading books under winter LIFR followed by their written test machine melting down. If you leave out the false starts, it was 8.9 hours, 7 flights, and 10 weeks.

So 10-15 hours sounds completely reasonable for a pilot who is current and comfortable in the plane.

 

[Trogdor]

Written is done. All my day stuff is done. My issue is access to a TAA and getting night current. Then I can concentrate on the maneuvers.

 

[Deelee]

Just scored a 99 on the comm written an hour ago.

Now the fun begins....

 

[WDD]

Congrats! Missed only one? That will make for a short CFI oral prep!

 

[Deelee]

Congrats! Missed only one? That will make for a short CFI oral prep!

Thanks! I studied my butte off for it.... with the hope of not getting extra grilling by a DPE during the practical. I don't know how true that is or not, but I didn't want to take the chance since my private and IR rides went smoothly with brief oral portions...

 

[midwestpa24]

Congrats! Missed only one? That will make for a short CFI oral prep!

Might make the oral a little more interesting. Depending on the DPE, I've heard some really like to make those high scorers sweat a little bit.

 

[Deelee]

I've heard some really like to make those high scorers sweat a little bit

I have heard that, too. I'm not sure if I ever had one of those DPEs because I am always so prepared for the practical... it never feels sweaty

 

[WDD]

Might make the oral a little more interesting. Depending on the DPE, I've heard some really like to make those high scorers sweat a little bit.

Because…….. they’re evil?

 

[DesertNomad]

My favorite thing the DPE said once I nailed the last landing (power off 180), "If you don't hit anything on the way back to the ramp, I'll make you a commercial pilot." Good sense of humor.

The power off 180 was the first landing I had to do so no chance to figure out the wind with some other landing first.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Might make the oral a little more interesting. Depending on the DPE, I've heard some really like to make those high scorers sweat a little bit.

Better retake it to get a more modest score.

 

[jsstevens]

I’m scheduled to go to CRAFT in Charleston SC in mid April to knock out SE commercial and then after a short break multi commercial with instrument. I’ve got a couple of cross countries to knock out first but I’ve got TAA time and all the other stuff done. I used CRAFT for my IR last spring and they are very squared away.

 

[IK04]

The Commercial Helicopter Flight Test is pretty much the same as the Private Pilot, but with tightened standards for maintaining airspeed and hover position.

Most of the important stuff is covered in the oral. You could take the Commercial ride a day after the Private ride and not see much difference in the flight test portion.

None of those fun, swoopy Chandelles and Lazy Eights and no instrument tasks. Even the power off approaches get to bring the power back on and terminate at a hover.

Now that's easier than the airplane test, if you asked me...

 

[RussR]

The Commercial Helicopter Flight Test is pretty much the same as the Private Pilot,

Similarly, the Private and Commercial Multiengine Airplane checkrides are pretty much identical as well. A few tighter standards, but the same maneuvers.

 

[Bean Outdoors]

i would say commercial is easier than the commercial

 

[RussR]

i would say commercial is easier than the commercial

Well put. I agree.

 

[kaiser]

The instrument was super easy for me… so for me, I think the CSEL is a touch harder. The toughest part of commercial? The absolute mastery of the maneuvers/landings.

That being said, I’m basing this off of feedback from my CFI (who is probably trying to push me to tighter specs than what will be required for my checkride). I can report back after my checkride in a week and a half.

 

[Doug States]

Side question.... If I have more than 10 hours in a TAA or in a complex aircraft, can I take the checkride in a non-TAA or non-complex airplane (my Cessna 170 for example)?

 

[Deelee]

can I take the checkride in a non-TAA or non-complex airplane (my Cessna 170 for example)

Yep.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

So to be a student pilot and solo, you need a 3rd class medical. Then when you pass your tests you get issued the private pilot certificate.

But for the commercial certificate, do you need to have the 2nd class in-hand to get the check-ride and certificate, or can you get the medical after you get your certificate (if and when you end up actually needing to exercise your comm privileges)?

 

[RussR]

So to be a student pilot and solo, you need a 3rd class medical. Then when you pass your tests you get issued the private pilot certificate.

But for the commercial certificate, do you need to have the 2nd class in-hand to get the check-ride and certificate, or can you get the medical after you get your certificate (if and when you end up actually needing to exercise your comm privileges)?

61.39a4 will (mostly) answer your question.

 

[eman1200]

……But for the commercial certificate, do you need to have the 2nd class in-hand to get the check-ride and certificate,…?

nope

 

[MikeNY]

If I have more than 10 hours in a TAA or in a complex aircraft

Were the 10 or more hours in complex aircraft (a) with an instructor and (b) logged as flight training (for a commercial cert)?

61.129
20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in § 61.127(b)(1) of this part that includes at least -
…
(ii) 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane (TAA) that meets the requirements of paragraph (j) of this section, or any combination thereof.

61.127
General. A person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor on the areas of operation of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.

 

[Doug States]

​

Were the 10 or more hours in complex aircraft (a) with an instructor and (b) logged as flight training (for a commercial cert)?

Well, I did my instrument training in a TAA so I have probably 20-30 hrs with an instructor and then I have 9 hrs with an instructor in a complex aircraft. The 9 hours in complex were specifically towards a commercial rating but I ended up moving and had to stop (10 years ago). I could easily go get another hour in a complex aircraft to get 10 with an instructor specific to commercial rating if needed. Or do you think I need to start over a full 10 hours in complex or TAA?

 

[MikeNY]

I have the same questions Doug, not sure.

Does training in a complex or TAA, with a flight instructor, need to be logged specifically as training towards a commercial?
Per 61.127: "flight training ... on the areas of operation of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought."

As for timing of the training, wouldn't your 9 hours ten years ago still count?
Perhaps your only additional training hour(s) needed is for endorsement to take the Comm practical exam, which is time limited - FAR 61.39 (a)(6)(i)
"received and logged training time within 2 calendar months preceding the month of application in preparation for the practical test."

Might consider:
-one hour of training in complex (or TAA), logged specifically in area of operation for rating sought. That gives ten hours logged training for commercial, in a TAA or complex aircraft.
Then, since a TAA or complex aircraft is NOT required for the practical exam, take training in the aircraft you'll use for the practical test, get endorsement, and take practical test within two months.

Wouldn't that work, thoughts?

 

[kaiser]

So to be a student pilot and solo, you need a 3rd class medical. Then when you pass your tests you get issued the private pilot certificate.

But for the commercial certificate, do you need to have the 2nd class in-hand to get the check-ride and certificate, or can you get the medical after you get your certificate (if and when you end up actually needing to exercise your comm privileges)?

61.39a4 will (mostly) answer your question.

I’d also say 61.23(a)(3)(iii)

I have a 3rd class and get this question a lot (from CFIs too) - good to have these rugs in your pocket.