This week’s installment of Understanding Airplane Ratings focuses on the rating you probably hear the most about and that people are most familiar with, the Commercial Pilot Certificate. This is the rating that allows you to be paid for work as a pilot.
The Commercial Pilot Certificate builds on the skills you learned in previous training so that you will be prepared to carry passengers and get a job flying as a professional pilot. Whether your goal is to fly a Boeing 747, a Cessna Citation, or a cargo plane, you need a Commercial Pilot Certificate to fly for hire.
During the commercial pilot license training, you gain experience as you build your flight hours in the aircraft. One of the important training milestones in this course is the student’s solo cross-country flight. There are numerous airports in the Pacific Northwest that would be ideal locations for students as they plan and execute their own flight plans during this phase of the training. As we talked about in the instrument training post, the varied and diverse weather of the Pacific Northwest is an excellent challenge for pilots looking to hone their skills and ensure they have well-rounded experience in all types of weather and terrain. As a commercial pilot, this skill will be essential as you will encounter numerous weather conditions and still need to deliver your passengers safely to their destinations.
Your flight instructor will go over commercial rules and regulations with you and also work with you on passenger considerations so that you are well prepared for your first commercial job and your career in the aviation industry.
During the second phase of the commercial course, you will begin practicing advanced single-engine airplane maneuvers and also start flying our multi-engine aircraft which at HAA is the Piper Seminole. You will work on building your skills in both single-engine and multi-engine aircraft in preparation for the check ride and your commercial pilot certification.
We have also just announced a new accelerated pacing for our training program that allows for reduced minimum hours in the commercial course for those who are committed to full-time training. Contact our admissions team for more information about this training track.
Commercial pilot license training teaches you to fly higher and with more precise standards than required during the private pilot training. The FAA minimum hour requirement for a Part 141 Commercial Pilot Certificate is 35 hours of ground training and 120 hours of flight training. Once you have met these standards and the HAA course requirements, your instructor will submit you for the check ride with an FAA designated pilot examiner. After successful completion of your check ride, you will be a commercial pilot.
As we have now highlighted 3 of the 4 major ratings of our Professional Pilot Program, we would invite you to join one of our informational flight training webinars to learn more about how our program can get you started toward your dream career as a pilot. Our admissions team is also available to answer your questions and help put together a customized plan for you based on your aviation goals. You can reach them at 1.503.726.3000 or info@flyhaa.com.