CPL Flight Hours
Everything the FAA requires for a Commercial Pilot certificate, and the most efficient way to log each category at KFXE.
The FAA CPL Hour Requirements
Under 14 CFR 61.129 for a single-engine Commercial certificate you need 250 total hours of flight time, including 100 hours in powered aircraft, 100 hours of pilot-in-command time, and 50 hours of cross-country pilot-in-command time.
Within that you need 20 hours of training on the Commercial areas of operation, including 10 hours of instrument training, 10 hours in a complex or technically advanced aircraft, one 2-hour day cross-country over 100 nm, one 2-hour night cross-country over 100 nm, and 3 hours of test preparation within two calendar months of the checkride.
You also need 10 hours of solo flight, or flight performing the duties of pilot in command with an instructor on board, including a long cross-country and 5 hours of night VFR with 10 takeoffs and landings at a towered airport.
Where Most Pilots Fall Short
The category pilots most often come up short in is cross-country pilot-in-command. Pattern work is inexpensive per hour but contributes nothing to the 50-hour cross-country PIC requirement.
The second common gap is night time. Building night hours is easy in Florida in winter and harder in summer, so we schedule night cross-countries deliberately rather than leaving them to the end.
How We Get You to 250
We audit your logbook against 61.129 line by line and produce a flight plan that closes each gap in the fewest possible hours. Every route is chosen to satisfy multiple requirements at once where the regulations allow.
Aircraft available include Cessna 172s with G1000 panels that satisfy the technically advanced aircraft requirement, plus Piper Archers, Warriors, and multi-engine Seneca and Duchess aircraft.
CPL Hour Building Cost
Single-engine hours run $90/hr at 10 hours, $80/hr at 50 hours, $78/hr at 100 hours, $76/hr at 200 hours, and $74/hr at 300 hours, all wet.
The Commercial Single course itself is $4,050 and the Commercial Multi-Engine add-on is $11,100. Hour building and the course are priced separately so you only pay for what you actually need.
My Flight Time Aviation Academy
Frequently Asked Questions
How many flight hours do you need for a CPL?
250 total hours under Part 61, including 100 hours pilot in command and 50 hours of cross-country pilot in command. Part 141 programmes can approve the certificate at 190 hours, but the Part 61 route is far more common for hour builders.
Do simulator hours count toward CPL requirements?
A limited amount does. Up to 50 hours of the total time may come from an approved flight simulator or flight training device when the training is conducted under an approved course, but the PIC and cross-country PIC requirements must be met in an aircraft.
Can I count hours flown before my Private Pilot checkride?
Yes, all logged flight time counts toward the 250-hour total, including student pilot dual and solo hours. Only the specific PIC and cross-country PIC sub-categories have restrictions.
Does the 10-hour complex aircraft requirement still apply?
The regulation now allows 10 hours in a complex, turbine-powered, or technically advanced aircraft. Our G1000-equipped Cessna 172s satisfy the technically advanced option, which is usually the cheapest way to meet it.