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3 Answers

Three landings as PIC

Asked by: 2209 views Private Pilot

My question is, do the landings done by a student DURING his private pilot checkride count toward his 3 t/o and landings needed to carry passengers? Or does he need to go back out after the checkride and do 3 touch & goes as PIC to carry a passenger during the day?

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3 Answers



  1. RickS on Nov 13, 2017

    I am not a CFI, but, my understanding is that during the checkride, the applicant (no longer a student I would say) is in fact the PIC. Therefore, I would think the landings during the checkride would count.

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  2. Kris Kortokrax on Nov 13, 2017

    Until the point at which the DPE gives you a certificate stating that you are a Private pilot, you are still a Student pilot. You are also PIC unless the DPE agrees to act as PIC, which he probably won’t. 61.47 exempts the applicant and DPE from the passenger carrying limitation on the Student pilot certificate.

    However, 61.57 states that you must make 3 takeoffs and landings as sole manipulator. It says nothing about the grade of certificate that must be possessed.

    As such, any takeoffs and landings you perform as sole manipulator during the practical test would count toward your currency.

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  3. Mark Kolber on Nov 15, 2017

    Technicality that seems to have been missed in the correct answers given: not only does nothing say what grade of certificat is required but there is also nothing that requires a pilot to perform the landings “as PIC” in order to count for passenger carrying currency.

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