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Do I need to fly a Complex Airplane for the Commercial Checkride, If I already hold a complex endorsement?

Asked by: 3920 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, Student Pilot

Hello everyone... I'm aiming for my commercial certificate, I currently hold my PPL, Instrument Rating and  MEL, I understand that for my commercial checkride I will need to fly a portion in a complex airplane, since I already have a complex endorsement, should I need to comply with that requirement to?

Tanks... :)

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2 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Nov 20, 2014

    Can’t imagine anyone showing up for a Commercial test without having a complex endorsement. You need 10 hours of instruction to be eligible for the Commercial.

    Yes, you need to bring a complex airplane to the Commercial practical test. The requirements are spelled out in the PTS. You only need to demonstrate takeoffs, landings and emergency procedures in the complex airplane, so you could bring another airplane to do the rest of the maneuvers.

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  2. Brent on Nov 20, 2014

    Plus one on Kris’s comment about voicing your thoughts. If you notice you’re losing altitude during a steep turn, for example, then say that you’ve noticed it and what you’re going to do to correct it. This can feel pretty awkward, if your examiner is like mine because he or she won’t respond to all of your chatter. I’m pretty sure all that talking saved my private pilot check ride though, because during debrief the examiner told me he didn’t like my choice of landing site for the emergency procedures. But since I had kept talking about it all the way down, including pointing out alternatives I could use if conditions changed, he was satisfied with my performance.

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