Canada CPL — aeroplane: the hours, and when you'll have them
200 hours of flight time in aeroplanes, including 100 pic, 20 cross-country as pic, 20 instrument (dual instruction) and 10 night. From CARs Standard 421.30(4), read from the rule text on 19 September 2026.
The minimums
| Requirement | Hours |
|---|---|
| Flight time in aeroplanes | 200 |
| PIC | 100 |
| Cross-country as PIC | 20 |
| Instrument (dual instruction)Up to 10 of it in an approved simulator. | 20 |
| Night5 dual and 5 solo — without it the licence is day-only. | 10 |
Also required: The 65 hours of commercial training after your PPL (35 dual, 30 solo) must also be complete. Integrated-course graduates follow 426.75.
Plan it
Your totals and your monthly rate for each. Nothing leaves this page.
| Requirement | Need | You have | A month | When |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight time in aeroplanes | 200 | — | ||
| PIC | 100 | — | ||
| Cross-country as PIC | 20 | — | ||
| Instrument (dual instruction) | 20 | — | ||
| Night | 10 | — |
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.
Common questions
How many hours do you need for the Canada CPL — aeroplane?+
200 hours of flight time in aeroplanes, including 100 pic, 20 cross-country as pic, 20 instrument (dual instruction) and 10 night. That is the headline from CARs Standard 421.30(4); the rule adds conditions — instrument (dual instruction): Up to 10 of it in an approved simulator. night: 5 dual and 5 solo — without it the licence is day-only.
What else does the Canada CPL — aeroplane need besides hours?+
The 65 hours of commercial training after your PPL (35 dual, 30 solo) must also be complete. Integrated-course graduates follow 426.75.
Where do these numbers come from?+
They were read from CARs Standard 421.30(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.
Other licences
- Canada ATPL — aeroplane1,500 hours · CARs Standard 421.34(4)
- FAA Commercial — airplane single-engine250 hours · 14 CFR 61.129(a)
- EASA CPL(A) — modular200 hours · Part-FCL, Appendix 3 E, para 12
- UK CPL(A) — modular200 hours · UK Part-FCL, Appendix 3 E, para 12
- CASA CPL — aeroplane (non-integrated)200 hours · CASR 61.610
- NZ CPL — aeroplane200 hours · Rule 61.203 and AC61-5 Appendix I