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4 Answers

Can i start accumulating instrument time before i have my PPL?

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Flight Instructor, Helicopter, Instrument Rating, Student Pilot

I am currently in flight school, part 61 with a focus on rotor wing. I am very close to getting my PPL, i just need to do my 10 hours of solo time and then I'll be ready for my check ride. For the past month or so both of my instructors were out of town due to their national guard duties and during that time i spent a few weeks flying up in Oregon in an R44. The focus while i was there was to get the 25 hours of R44 time ill need in order to instruct in the 44 later in my career, i also started getting some IFR time. So as of right now, other than my R22 time, i have 26 hours in the 44 and 28 hours of simulated instrument time. Will the instrument time that i already have carry over to my instrument rating once i get my private pilots license? Or did i do all that instrument time for nothing? 

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4 Answers



  1. Ron Klutts on Jun 29, 2017

    You don’t specify but I gather you did it with a CFI? However if it’s not a CFII than you can’t log it as Instrument Dual, just simulated time. The CFI can only do Instrument training for the 3 hour requirement under a PPL. Instrument instruction is required for the IFR and provided by a CFII.

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  2. Kris Kortokrax on Jun 29, 2017

    Ron,

    There is no 3 hour requirement for instruction on maneuvering a helicopter by reference to the instruments for a Private helicopter rating, like there is for airplanes.

    There is a 5 hour requirement for the Commercial helicopter and those can be taught by a CFI.

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  3. Bill Zaleski on Jun 29, 2017

    CFII required:

    14 CFR 61.195 – Flight instructor limitations and qualifications.

    (c)Instrument Rating. A flight instructor who provides instrument training for the issuance of an instrument rating, a type rating not limited to VFR, or the instrument training required for commercial pilot and airline transport pilot certificates must hold an instrumentrating on his or her pilot certificate and flight instructor certificate that is appropriate to the category and class of aircraft used for the training provided.

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  4. Kris Kortokrax on Jun 30, 2017

    You need to read 61.129(c)(3)(i).

    There is no instrument training required for a Commercial Helicopter rating. It is worded exactly the same as the language for Private Airplane. “control and maneuvering of a helicopter solely by reference to instruments…..”

    A CFII is not required to give this training.

    There used to be a requirement for 10 hours of instrument training for a Commercial Helicopter. I think it was in the 2009 rewrite that it changed.

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