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When does “rated in the aircraft” occur? (Military Competency vs FAA rating, 61.73)

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FAA Regulations

I obtained an FAA SEL and MEL by using 61.73, since I qualified by attending the Army's FWMEQC. On what date was I rated in category and class? The date I was eligible by virtue of "logging 10 hours... category, class, and type" (1996), OR by virtu of the date in which the FAA issued the SEL and MEL add on (2022)?

This is important for the purposes of logging PIC time in an airplane.

Per 61.73:

(3) Presents official U.S. military records that show compliance with one of the following requirements -

(i) Before the date of the application, passing an official U.S. military pilot and instrument proficiency check in a military aircraft of the kind of aircraft category, class, and type, if class or type of aircraft is applicable, for the ratings sought; or

(ii) Before the date of application, logging 10 hours of pilot time as a military pilot in a U.S. military aircraft in the kind of aircraft category, class, and type, if a class rating or type rating is applicable, for the aircraft rating sought.

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2 Answers



  1. Bryan on Nov 15, 2022

    I presume you are looking at 61.51(e) regarding the logging of PIC time and its three mentions of “for which the pilot is rated” in (1)(i), (2), and (3). But you read too far in the regulation already. The timing of the rating doesn’t matter if you don’t meet the criteria above that.

    The very first line of 61.51(e) says, “A sport, recreational, private, commercial, or airline transport pilot may log…” You were none of those under the FAA’s authority until the FAA issued you a certificate. Thus, before you received an FAA certificate, you could not log PIC time at all under the authority of 61.51(e).

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  2. mjc123 on Dec 18, 2022

    Under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, you would be considered rated in category and class on the date that you passed the official U.S. military pilot and instrument proficiency check or logged the required 10 hours of pilot time as a military pilot, as specified in paragraph (3)(i) or (3)(ii) of 61.73. This is the date that you became eligible for the ratings, and it would be used for the purposes of logging PIC time in an airplane. The date on which the FAA actually issued the SEL and MEL add-on ratings to you would not be relevant in this case.

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