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How many hours of pilot in command time must a commercial airplane applicant log?

100 hours of pilot in command time.

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  1. 50 hours
  2. 100 hours ✔
  3. 250 hours

Why: The 250 hours must include 100 hours as pilot in command. At least 50 of those hours are in airplanes, and 50 hours must be cross-country with at least 10 in airplanes.

Huh, didn't know that: Solo time counts as PIC, and so does time as sole manipulator in an aircraft you are rated for.

The dad joke
Why did the student want more PIC time? He liked being in command of his own snacks.
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References

Answer: 100 hours. The 250 hours must include 100 hours as pilot in command. At least 50 of those hours are in airplanes, and 50 hours must be cross-country with at least 10 in airplanes.

  1. 14 CFR 61.129 Aeronautical experience (Cornell LII eCFR mirror) www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/61.129
    100 hours of pilot-in-command flight time
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. 14 CFR 61.51 Pilot logbooks (Cornell LII eCFR mirror) www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/61.51
    when the pilot is the sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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FlyingUnder Part 61, how much total flight time does a commercial airplane applicant need?FlyingOf the 100 hours of PIC time, how many must be cross-country flight?FlyingFor most Part 135 VFR flights, how many total hours must a pilot in command have?

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