1

Table 1

Instrument‐Airplane Rating

141 v 61 Flight Training Requirement Comparison

14 CFR Part 141, Appendix C to Part 141 14 CFR Part 61.65 

3. Aeronautical knowledge training (b) Aeronautical knowledge.(1) 30 hours of training if the course is for an initial

instrument rating.

Part 141 requires at le

Part 61 has no specific 

training under Part 61

least 30 hours of grou

(b)(1) Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations for IFR

flight operations;

(1) Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that

apply to flight operations under IFR; 

(b)(2) Appropriate information in the “Aeronautical

Information Manual”;

(2) Appropriate information that applies to flightoperations under IFR in the “Aeronautical Information

Manual;”

(b)(3) Air traffic control system and procedures for

instrument flight operations;

(3) Air traffic control system and procedures for

instrument flight operations; 

(b)(4) IFR navigation and approaches by use ofnavigation systems;

(4) IFR navigation and approaches by use of navigation

systems;

(b)(5) Use of IFR en route and instrument approach

procedure charts;

(5) Use of IFR en route and instrument approach

procedure charts; 

(b)(6) Procurement and use of aviation weather reports

and forecasts, and the elements of forecasting weather

trends on the basis of that information and personal

observation of weather conditions;

(6) Procurement and use of aviation weather reports and

forecasts and the elements of forecasting weather trends

based on that information and personal observation of

weather conditions;

(b)(7) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft under

instrument flight rules and conditions;

(7) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft under

instrument flight rules and conditions; 

(b)(8) Recognition of critical weather situations and

windshear avoidance;

(8) Recognition of critical weather situations and

windshear avoidance; 

(b)(9) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; and (9) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; and (b)(10) Crew resource management, to include crew

communication and coordination.

(10) Crew resource management, including crew

communication and coordination. 

(d) Each course must include... (c) Flight proficiency(1) Preflight preparation; (1) Preflight preparation; (2) Preflight procedures; (2) Preflight procedures; 

(3) Air traffic control clearances and procedures; (3) Air traffic control clearances and procedures; 

(4) Flight by reference to instruments; (4) Flight by reference to instruments; 
2

(5) Navigation systems; (5) Navigation systems; (6) Instrument approach procedures; (6) Instrument approach procedures; (7) Emergency operations; and (7) Emergency operations; and (8) Postflight procedures. (8) Postflight procedures. 4. Flight Training (d) Aeronautical experience

(1) ....50 hours of cross‐country flight time as pilot in

command, of which 10 hours must have been in an

airplane; and

Part 141 has no requir

requirement. All AU s

requirement.

4. (a)(1) 35 hours of instrument training if the course is

for an initial instrument rating.

(c)(1) For an instrument airplane course: Instrument

training time from a certificated flight instructor with

an instrument rating on the approved areas of

operation in paragraph (d) of this section including at

least one cross‐country flight that—

(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in

the areas of operation listed in paragraph (c) of this

section, of which 15 hours must have been received from

an authorized instructor who holds an instrument‐

airplane rating, and the instrument time includes:

Part 141 requires 5 fe

training hours must be 

hold and instrument a

logged at least 40 hou

instrument time with airplane rating on his/

(i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an

authorized instructor in an airplane that is appropriate to

the instrument‐airplane rating within 2 calendar months

before the date of the practical test; and

All AU students logged 

with Part 61.

(c)(1) For an instrument airplane course: Instrument

training time from a certificated flight instructor with

an instrument rating on the approved areas of

operation in paragraph (d) of this section including at

least one cross‐country flight that—

(i) Is in the category and class of airplane that the

course is approved for, and is performed under IFR;

(ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight

procedures, including one cross country flight in an

airplane with an authorized instructor, that is performed

under instrument flight rules, when a flight plan has been

filed with an air traffic control facility, and that involves—

(ii) Is a distance of at least 250 nautical miles along

airways or ATC‐directed routing with one segment of

the flight consisting of at least a straight‐line distance

of 100 nautical miles between airports;

(A) A flight of 250 nautical miles along airways or by

directed routing from an air traffic control facility;

Part 61 does not requ

have a straight line dis

between airports. All 

county flight requirem

(iii) Involves an instrument approach at each airport;

and

(B) An instrument approach at each airport; and 

(iv) Involves three different kinds of approaches with

the use of navigation systems.

(C) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of

navigation systems. 
3

Table 2

Commercial Pilot Certification (ASEL)

141 v 61 Flight Training Requirement Comparison

14 CFR Part 141, Appendix C to Part 141 14 CFR Part 61.121 14

3. Aeronautical knowledge training 61.125 (b) Aeronautical knowledge.(1) 35 hours of training if the course is for an airplane

category rating...

Part 141 requires 

training; Part 61 h

While training und

completed at leas

(b(1) Federal Aviation Regulations that apply to

commercial pilot privileges, limitations, and flight

operations;

(1) Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter

that relate to commercial pilot privileges, limitations, and

flight operations;

(b)(2) Accident reporting requirements of the National

Transportation Safety Board;

(2) Accident reporting requirements of the National

Transportation Safety Board; 

(b)(3) Basic aerodynamics and the principles of flight; (3) Basic aerodynamics and the principles of flight; (b)(4) Meteorology, to include recognition of critical

weather situations, windshear recognition and avoidance,

and the use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts;

(4) Meteorology to include recognition of critical weather

situations, windshear recognition and avoidance, and the

use of aeronautical weather reports and forecasts;

(b)(5) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft; (5) Safe and efficient operation of aircraft; (b)(6) Weight and balance computations; (6) Weight and balance computations; (b)(7) Use of performance charts; (7) Use of performance charts; (b)(8) Significance and effects of exceeding aircraft

performance limitations;

(8) Significance and effects of exceeding aircraft

performance limitations; 

(b)(9) Use of aeronautical charts and a magnetic compass

for pilotage and dead reckoning;

(9) Use of aeronautical charts and a magnetic compass for

pilotage and dead reckoning; 

(b)(10) Use of air navigation facilities; (10) Use of air navigation facilities; (b) (11) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; (11) Aeronautical decision making and judgment; (b) (12) Principles and functions of aircraft systems; (12) Principles and functions of aircraft systems; (b) (13) Maneuvers, procedures, and emergency

operations appropriate to the aircraft;

(13) Maneuvers, procedures, and emergency operations

appropriate to the aircraft; 

(b) (14) Night and high‐altitude operations; (14) Night and high‐altitude operations; (b)(15) Descriptions of and procedures for operating within

the National Airspace System;

(15) Procedures for operating within the National

Airspace System; 

(d) Each approved course must include... 61.127 Flight proficiency(i) Preflight preparation; (b)(i) Preflight preparation; (ii) Preflight procedures; (b)(ii) Preflight procedures; 
4

(iii) Airport and seaplane base operations; (b)(iii) Airport and seaplane base operations; 

(iv) Takeoffs, landings, and go‐arounds; (b)(iv) Takeoffs, landings, and go‐arounds; (v) Performance maneuvers; (b)(v) Performance maneuvers; 

(b)(vi) Ground reference maneuvers; While Part 141 do

reference maneuv

reference maneuv

under Part 61 or P

(vi) Navigation; (b)(vii) Navigation; (vii) Slow flight and stalls; (b)(viii) Slow flight and stalls; (viii) Emergency operations; (b)(ix) Emergency operations; (ix) High‐altitude operations; and (b)(x) High‐altitude operations; and (x) Postflight procedures. (b)(xi) Postflight procedures. 4. Flight Training 61.129 Aeronautical experience(1) 120 hours of training if the course is for an airplane... (a)...A person who applies for a commercial pilot

certificate with an airplane category and single‐engine

class rating must log at least 250 hours of flight time as a

pilot that consists of at least:

Assuming private 

commercial pilot cPart 141 and at th

each course, AU Pmore hours of flig

(b)(1) 55 hours of flight training from a certificated flight

instructor on the approved areas of operation listed in

paragraph (d)(1) of this section that includes at least—

(1) 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must

be in airplanes. (2) 100 hours of pilot‐in‐command flight

time, which includes at least— (i) 50 hours in airplanes;

and (ii) 50 hours in cross‐country flight of which at least

10 hours must be in airplanes. (3) 20 hours of training on

the areas of operation listed in §61.127(b)(1) of this part

that includes at least—

All AU students w

certification met a

requirements in a

requires fewer fligconducted at leas

certificated flight 

(i) Ten hours of instrument training using a view‐limiting

device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel

skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and

intercepting and tracking navigational systems. Five hours

of the 10 hours required on instrument training must be in

a single engine airplane;

(i) Ten hours of instrument training using a view‐limiting

device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel

skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and

intercepting and tracking navigational systems. Five hours

of the 10 hours required on instrument training must be

in a single engine airplane;

(ii) Ten hours of training in an airplane that has a

retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch

propeller...

(ii) 10 hours of training in an airplane that has a

retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch

propeller.....;

(iii) One 2‐hour cross country flight in daytime conditions

in a single engine airplane that consists of a total straight‐

line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the

original point of departure;

(iii) One 2‐hour cross country flight in a single engine

airplane in daytime conditions that consists of a total

straight‐line distance of more than 100 nautical miles

from the original point of departure;
5

(iv) One 2‐hour cross country flight in nighttime conditions

in a single engine airplane that consists of a total straight‐

line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the

original point of departure; and

(iv) One 2‐hour cross country flight in a single engine

airplane in nighttime conditions that consists of a total

straight‐line distance of more than 100 nautical miles

from the original point of departure; and

(v) 3 hours in a single‐engine airplane in preparation for

the practical test within 60 days preceding the date of the

test.

(v) Three hours in a single‐engine airplane with an

authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test

within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month

of the test.

All AU students lo

accordance with P

5.(a) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine

airplane, or 10 hours of flight time while performing the

duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with

an authorized instructor on board. The training must

consist of the approved areas of operation under

paragraph (d)(1) of section 4 of this appendix, and

include—

(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane

or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in

command in a single engine airplane with an authorizedinstructor on board (either of which may be creditedtowards the flight time requirement under paragraph

(a)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed

under §61.127(b)(1) that include—

(2) One cross‐country flight, if the training is being

performed in a State other than Hawaii, with landings at a

minimum of three points, and one segment of the flight

consisting of a straight‐line distance of at least 250 nautical

miles; and

(i) One cross‐country flight of not less than 300 nautical

miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three

points, one of which is a straight‐line distance of at least

250 nautical miles from the original departure point...;

and

All AU students co

country requirem

miles farther than 

(3) 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10

landings (with each landing involving a flight with a traffic

pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower.

(ii) 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and

10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the

traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating controltower.

FAA certification may occur with an FAA Inspector or

designated pilot examiner with a recommending

instructor, or upon completion of the FAA‐approved

course at a pilot school with the recommendation of the

Chief Flight Instructor for a course with examining

authority.

FAA certification may only occur with an FAA Inspector or

designated pilot examiner.

By AU policy, AU s

training including 

Chief Flight Instru

practical test with 

pilot examiner.