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Canada ATPL — aeroplane: the hours, and when you'll have them

1,500 hours of total flight time, including 250 pic in aeroplanes, 200 cross-country as pic, 100 night, as pic or co-pilot and 75 instrument flight time. From CARs Standard 421.34(4), read from the rule text on 19 September 2026.

The minimums

RequirementHours
Total flight time900 of it in aeroplanes. Instrument ground time doesn't count toward it.1,500
PIC in aeroplanesUp to 100 of it PIC under supervision. Including 100 cross-country, 25 of it at night.250
Cross-country as PICThe 100 inside your PIC time plus 100 more — or 200 more as co-pilot.200
Night, as PIC or co-pilot30 of it in aeroplanes.100
Instrument flight timeNo more than 25 in approved ground trainers.75

Also required: You also need a CPL — aeroplane without a day-only restriction, the ATPL exams, and the flight test in a multi-engine aeroplane.

Plan it

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

RequirementNeedYou haveA monthWhen
Total flight time1,500—
PIC in aeroplanes250—
Cross-country as PIC200—
Night, as PIC or co-pilot100—
Instrument flight time75—

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.

See AvLog PlusStart with AvLog Lite — free, Transport Canada layout

Common questions

How many hours do you need for the Canada ATPL — aeroplane?+

1,500 hours of total flight time, including 250 pic in aeroplanes, 200 cross-country as pic, 100 night, as pic or co-pilot and 75 instrument flight time. That is the headline from CARs Standard 421.34(4); the rule adds conditions — total flight time: 900 of it in aeroplanes. Instrument ground time doesn't count toward it. pic in aeroplanes: Up to 100 of it PIC under supervision. Including 100 cross-country, 25 of it at night. cross-country as pic: The 100 inside your PIC time plus 100 more — or 200 more as co-pilot. night, as pic or co-pilot: 30 of it in aeroplanes. instrument flight time: No more than 25 in approved ground trainers.

What else does the Canada ATPL — aeroplane need besides hours?+

You also need a CPL — aeroplane without a day-only restriction, the ATPL exams, and the flight test in a multi-engine aeroplane.

Where do these numbers come from?+

They were read from CARs Standard 421.34(4) 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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