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3 Answers

Best avenue for single engine add, to an (exAF guy/current airline) comm/m-e/instr ATP

Asked by: 1392 views General Aviation, Student Pilot

Interested in GA flying (LSA- Highlander/Superstol), but don't have the S/E rating.

I'll need S/E rating & T/W sign off.

I'll need training, as my 30-40 hours S/E was a long, long time (35 years) ago.

I understand the CFI manuals have some charts for specific adds, when holding other tickets....showing requirements and deleted (not required) items too.   Are there links to those?   Thanks.....

I don't have any need for commercial or ATP privileges in S/E a/c....but I understand that might be a better route?

Anyway, looking for recommendations and thoughts...

thanks in advance.

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3 Answers



  1. MikeSTL on Apr 15, 2019

    anyway….train in a t/w? citabria? or get the t/w after the rating?

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  2. KDS on Apr 15, 2019

    Assuming you haven’t lost the logbook that contained your ASEL time, you probably already have all of the requirements met for adding an ASEL rating to your certificate. The tailwheel endorsement can be done at any time either before or after you take the practical test (check ride) for the added rating. In short, you really just need an instructor’s endorsement to take the test and an instructor’s endorsement for tailwheel competence.

    I’ll add once piece of unsolicited advice. Have your instructor ensure that you’re ready for oral portion of the test. I won’t go into the war stories of how I know this to be true, but believe me it is true. Folks who have been exclusively military (particularly heavy military) and airline pilots can say some of the most off the wall things during GA check rides.

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  3. LTCTerry on Apr 16, 2019

    Mike – you mentioned USAF and Light Sport Aircraft. Did you start in a T-37? No SE piston time?

    As you probably know, your ATP includes the privileges of lower certificates, all the way down to Light Sport. In Light Sport you can add on new categories by training with one instructor and then being evaluated by a second instructor. There is no solo time required. Assuming all went well, you send a form off to the FAA and you’re now rated for something new at the Light Sport level.

    You still need credit for a Flight Review.

    An actual FR takes place in something you are ready rated in. The FAA’s Wings program allows training in something new to count as the FR. You need three flight “credits” and three online training “credits.” If you coordinate with the two required Light Sport Instructors you can complete the FR during your training. If not, once you are “rated” Light Sport single engine airplane you can do a Flight Review.

    This will get you legal to fly SE Light Sport aircraft – so under a minimum weight.

    If you want to flying common singles such as a Cessna 172/etc. you will need an Airplane Single Engine Land rating at least at the Private level on your ticket. You could take a checkride with a Designated Pilot Examiner in the LSA – since it is an ASEL – and gain SE “legality” at the Private Pilot level. Flying with the DPE is probably not much more expensive than flying with the second instructor at the Light Sport level. And it counts as a flight review.

    As a private pilot flying a LSA you have none of the limits of a light sport pilot, though you do need at least Basic Med.

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