Pilot Qualifications

Question 1

What are the requirements for obtaining a commercial pilot certificate?

Answer 1

• 18 yrs
• Read/write/speak English
• 2nd class medical
• Pass FAA written. and have required endorsements
• Under Part 141, the required flight time is 190 hours, as the training curriculum is more structured and FAA-approved.

Question 2

How do you maintain your currency?

Answer 2

Preceding 90 days:
3 Takeoffs/landings as the sole manipulator of controls in an aircraft of the
same category of class

Every 24 calendar months you need a flight review acting as PIC
1 flight review every 24 calendar months

Question 3

What happens if you go past 90 days?

Answer 3

You can’t carry passengers

Question 4

What do you need to do if you lose currency?

Answer 4

3 Takeoffs/Landings

Question 5

Explain the difference between day and night currency.

Answer 5

The same, except at night landings must be to a full stop

Question 6

What are the different kinds of nights?

Answer 6

Sunset to Sunrise: Aircraft are required to display position (navigation) lights

End of Evening Civil Twilight to Beginning of Morning Civil Twilight : Pilots may log flight time during this period as “night” flight time.

One Hour After Sunset to One Hour Before Sunrise: Night Landings for Currency

Question 7

What are the privileges & Limitations of a commercial pilot? What are some limitations as a CPL without an instrument rating?

Answer 7

Privileges:
- Operate for hire
- Specific commercial operations: Banner towing, crop dusting, aerial photos, pipeline, corporate
- Ferry/test flights

Limits:
- NO IR: VFR only, XC limits of 50NM from point of departure, no night operations
- Common carriage

Question 8

Can you operate for hire? Give me some examples:

Answer 8

• CFI if you have the rating
• Banner towing, crop dusting, aerial photos, pipelines, corporate
• Demonstration flights

Question 9

What is common carriage?

Answer 9

• Can’t do it with CPL. Key word is “Holding out” aspect
• Operator holds themselves out to the public as willing to transport passengers or cargo for compensation. Offers to general public and advertises example: P121 or P135

Question 10

What is Private Carriage?

Answer 10

Private: limited number of clients under contractual, doesn’t offer to general public. Still requires compliance from FAA

Question 11

What is holding out mean?

Answer 11

• The act of advertising or presenting yourself or your company as willing to provide air transportation services to the public for hire
• This is what qualifies you as common carriage
  EX: advertising, word of mouth, accepting compensation from the general
  public for transport

Question 12

What are some endorsements that affect a commercial pilot?

Answer 12

• Complex: retractable landing gear, flaps, controllable-pitch prop
• High-performance: Engine 200HP+
• High-Altitude: Required for pressurized plane with service ceiling 25k+

Question 13

What is a wet lease vs dry lease? How does it affect you getting hired?

Answer 13

DRY:
- As long as you’re careful with the stipulations, you can be hired under p91 if you have a dry lease the individual leases the aircraft and separately hires you as the pilot.
- The aircraft operator (lessee) is responsible for the operation, and you are
simply providing piloting services.

Wet:
- Provides plane and the pilot