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3 Answers

Validating military flight time

Asked by: 3445 views Commercial Pilot

I have accrued flight time (with official records) from Air Force pilot training (DA20, T-6)... first, can I simply "validate" these hours (total time, not PIC) by including in my next IACRA application for commercial? Also, can the T-6 time satisfy the 10hr complex requirement? 

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3 Answers



  1. KDS on Jan 31, 2018

    The short answer is yes for the first question and maybe, I think, on the second one.

    The way you worded your question, I assume you currently hold a US private pilot certificate. However, what isn’t clear is whether you would be applying for the commercial certificate by taking a practical test or by military equivalence.

    If you are going to do it by practical test, you will need to show the examiner your logbook and military records to validate the time. I cannot remember the number off the top of my head, but there is a computer printed form in the USAF that is specified by the FAA as the required document. It’s basically a summary sheet of your flight time. My recommendation if you are going that route is to talk with the examiner about it in advance. He or she may not understand the rules and need to ask the POI or tell you exactly what to bring.

    If you are going the military equivalence route, then you will need to present yourself and your records to the FAA.

    The T-6 meets the requirement to be classified as “complex”. The part I’m not 100% sure of is what constitutes a complex endorsement for someone in your situation. I “think” that if you had PIC time in the T-6, that satisfies the complex endorsement requirement. However, if you were a military student pilot during all of that time, then I don’t believe it does, even if you were flying solo. Of course, if along the way, your military IP held an FAA CFI and made the endorsement, then it would count.

    But, I think you’re asking the complex question not with the idea of it satisfying or not satisfying the complex endorsement requirement, but rather to determine what you would enter on you IACRA FAA Form 8710-1. In that case, yes, it is complex for the sake of entering it on the form.

    Let me know if that didn’t fully answer your question and I’ll make sure to get a more complete answer for you.

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  2. dudebro311 on Jan 31, 2018

    Thanks KDS for the response- intentions are to apply for commercial by practical, makes sense to discuss with DPE beforehand. Re: the T-6, not looking for an endorsement per se, but to simply meet the “10 hours of training” in a complex aircraft per 61.129. I have no PIC time in the T-6, just primary as a student. Cheers.

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  3. KDS on Feb 01, 2018

    Sounds like you’re on track.

    It’s always a good idea to coordinate with the examiner ahead of time no matter what the test is.

    One unrelated point I’d like to mention to you is the logging of military time versus civilian time. It’s two different sets of complicated rules. They “almost” align, but there is just enough difference to cause a problem. So, if you get a good handle on the rules before you do a lot of military flying, that’s good.

    My memory of the details is somewhat faded from a lot of years since I’ve used them, but as I recall, military flight time started from the time you started your takeoff roll and ended when you entered the blocks at the destination. Civilian flight time goes from when the aircraft first moves under its own power until it comes to rest after a landing. As you can see, there could be a substantial difference between military and civilian flight time. It’s not at all uncommon to taxi out and sit and wait for IFR clearance or be involved in a long runup. Civilians count that as flight time and military (as I remember it) don’t.

    I didn’t know any of that stuff back when I was going through flight school and neither did most of my peers. But, a few fellows who did would keep their own logbook and record their time. They would have the instructors sign the entry too.

    What happens commonly is that someone has 1,380 hours and wants to apply for an ATP. Their military buddy will tell them something like “the standard multiplier is 1.1, just take your military records and multiply by 1.1 and put that on the FAA’s 8710-1”. Not so. People get away with it, but the reason isn’t because they are doing it right. It’s the same reason why people who falsify their logbooks usually get away with that too. The checking mechanism isn’t that tight.

    If you keep your own logbooks, you’ll be ahead of the game.

    One last item. Thanks for your service.

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