Commercial Rating - Commercial Pilot Certificate

The Commercial Pilot Certificate is intended for those persons who want to pursue a career as a professional helicopter pilot. As a commercial pilot you may be compensated for helicopter services. The most common way to obtain the Commercial Rating Certification is to obtain your Private Rating Certification first.  Keep this in mind when budgeting your helicopter flight training.

Requirements established by the Federal Aviation Administration, Part 61.103:

The applicant must -

• Be at least 18 years of age and be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language
• Pass the FAA written test for Commercial Pilot
• Hold at least a Private Pilot certificate
• Log 150 hours of flight time as a pilot consisting of at least -

1. 100 hours in a powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in a helicopter
   
   
2. 100 hours of Pilot in Command flight time, which includes at least -
   
   
   • 35 hours in helicopters
   • 10 hours cross-country flight in helicopters
     
     
3. 20 hours of training from an authorized instructor with at least
   
   
   • 5 hours of instrument training in a helicopter
   • One cross-country of at least 2 hours in a helicopter in day VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the point of departure
   • One cross-country of at least 2 hours in a helicopter in night VFR conditions, consisting of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the point of departure
   • 3 hours in a helicopter within the preceding 60 day period in preparation for the practical test
     
     
4. 10 hours of cross country flight time in a helicopter which includes at least -
   
   
   • One cross-country flight with landings at a minimum of three points, with one segment consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure
   • 5 hours of night VFR with 10 takeoffs and landings