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2 Answers

Hours needed?

Asked by: 2747 views Commercial Pilot, Flight Instructor, Helicopter

 I am a military helicopter pilot and went to a school that has a military conversion where you attain your ME Commercial Instrument rating. That said I now hold a ME Commercial Instrument rating and a RH Commercial Instrument rating. I am overseas and it is extremely hard to find ME airplanes and if you do really expensive. I am looking at going ahead and getting my SE commercial at a place nearby. I know most typically get a SE first then the ME but it just worked out differently for me.  I understand the hours in Part 61 but I don't see anything covering my situation. My question is with my ratings held do I still need the 40 hours and 10 hours solo and the other hours listed for SE? 

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2 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Apr 05, 2016

    You said you are overseas but didn’t specify if you’d be training in a U.S.-registered aircraft or not, or if the SE add-on would be to your U.S. pilot certificate or to a foreign one, so I’m going to answer as if this is all happening in the U.S. If not, then different rules apply.

    The reference you are looking for is 61.63, specifically paragraph (c).

    Since you’re adding on an aircraft class, you don’t have to take a knowledge test, you don’t have any minimum number of hours, you just need to train to proficiency, get endorsed by a CFI for the checkride, and go take it!

    It’s the exact situation that happens daily for folks adding on a Commercial ME to the Comm SE certificate. Many people start training for a ME add-on, say Friday afternoon and have the checkride Sunday afternoon.

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  2. kcasper72 on Apr 05, 2016

    Thank you for the reply. I am stationed overseas but will be flying N registered so your reply helps and I will read 61.63. Knowing that I wont have to pay for all those hours is really nice especially after spending all that money for the ME commercial course.
    Thanks again!

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