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FAA Commercial — airplane single-engine: the hours, and when you'll have them

250 hours of total time as a pilot, including 100 pic and 50 cross-country as pic. From 14 CFR 61.129(a), read from the rule text on 19 September 2026.

The minimums

RequirementHours
Total time as a pilot250
PICAt least 50 of it in airplanes.100
Cross-country as PICOnly cross-country flown as PIC counts, 10 of it in airplanes — this reads all your cross-country time, so it can read high.50

Also required: Also 100 hours in powered aircraft, 20 hours of training (including 10 instrument and 10 in a complex, turbine or TAA airplane), 10 hours solo, and the specified day, night and long cross-country flights.

Plan it

Your totals and your monthly rate for each. Nothing leaves this page.

RequirementNeedYou haveA monthWhen
Total time as a pilot250—
PIC100—
Cross-country as PIC50—

Fill in what you have to see what's left.

Let your logbook fill this in

AvLog Plus has this goal built in, and twelve more across six authorities. Its Goals tab reads every flight you log, works out your pace from your last twelve months, and moves the date as you fly — with the pace a target date needs and the requirement holding you back. A$29 once, every edition.

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Common questions

How many hours do you need for the FAA Commercial — airplane single-engine?+

250 hours of total time as a pilot, including 100 pic and 50 cross-country as pic. That is the headline from 14 CFR 61.129(a); the rule adds conditions — pic: At least 50 of it in airplanes. cross-country as pic: Only cross-country flown as PIC counts, 10 of it in airplanes — this reads all your cross-country time, so it can read high.

What else does the FAA Commercial — airplane single-engine need besides hours?+

Also 100 hours in powered aircraft, 20 hours of training (including 10 instrument and 10 in a complex, turbine or TAA airplane), 10 hours solo, and the specified day, night and long cross-country flights.

Where do these numbers come from?+

They were read from 14 CFR 61.129(a) itself on 19 September 2026. Rules change, and your authority decides what it accepts — check the rule before you rely on a number here.

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