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Private airplane license to commercial helicopter rating

Asked by: 3507 views Commercial Pilot, Helicopter, Student Pilot

I am working on getting my private fixed wing license so that then I can go on to get my commercial helicopter rating. I have read that once I have my private airplane license I can go straight and get my commercial helicopter rating as an add on without getting my private helicopter rating first. So, what I am wondering is can I add the commercial helicopter rating to my private fixed wing license without going through the private helicopter training first? Thanks.

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2 Answers



  1. CFI Academy on Jun 28, 2013

    Yes you can. Read the requirements of 61.129(c). You will need minimum of 50 hours in a helicopter as a pilot, 35 hours as a PIC of a helicopter ….. (and so on and so forth)..
    The question is – are you planning on getting your 35 hours PIC in a helicopter with an instructor endorsement (like student pilot solo endorsement)? Or would it be better to just get a helicopter private add on when you can fly one, and then continue building the 35 hours PIC required for your commercial.

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  2. Sam Curnutt on Jun 30, 2013

    I am just wanting to go and get my commercial without having to go through the process of getting my private helicopter first. I think that that would be the quickest and easiest thing for me to do. I appreciate your response.

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