Introduction
Any student who is going abroad for flying training, knows that he or she needs 200 hours of flying training to get a Commercial pilot license. But where they get stuck is when they don’t have an idea of how to fly these 200 hours and make the most out of it. How many PIC, Dual, Cross country hours is needed is always a doubt. The diagram below taken from the dgca website gives a good idea about the documents and the hours needed while doing your CPL but I still think there’s a need to elaborate further.Let’s have a look after you glance through the diagram below.
The hour breakup
The following has been taken from Aircraft rules 1937 from the dgca website. He shall produce evidence of having satisfactorily completed as a pilot of an aeroplane on the date of application for licence not less than two hundred hours of flight time, which shall include:
- not less than one hundred hours of flight time as Pilot-in-Command of which not less than fifteen hours shall have been completed within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application for licence.
- not less than twenty hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot-in-Command including a cross-country flight of not less than three hundred nautical miles in the course of which full stop landings at two different aerodromes shall be made.
- not less than ten hours of instrument time of which not more than five hours may be on an approved simulator. (50 Hrs If IR Is Also Requested, out of which not more than twenty hours may be on an approved simulator, out of which minimum of five hours of instrument time shall have been completed within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application for the Instrument Rating).
- not less than five hours of flight time by night including a minimum of ten take-offs and ten landings as Pilot-in-Command (as sole manipulator of controls) carried out within six months immediately preceding the date of application for licence.
Syllabus for flying training
I would also like to attach the in detail syllabus of flying training as per civil aviation requirements so that you have a better idea on exercises you need to do in the above hours:
A pilot trainee shall have received dual instructions in aeroplanes from an authorised Flight Instructor who shall ensure that the pilot trainee has operational experience in at least the following areas to the level of performance required from a Commercial Pilot.
1. pre-flight operations, including mass and balance determination, aeroplane inspection and servicing.
2. aerodrome and traffic pattern operations, collision avoidance precautions and procedures.
3. control of the aeroplane by external visual reference.
4. flight at critically slow airspeeds; spin avoidance; recognition of, and recovery from, incipient and full stalls.
5. flight at critically high airspeeds; recognition of, and recovery from, spiral dives;
normal and cross-wind take-offs and landings.
6. maximum performance (short field and obstacle clearance) take-offs; short-field landings.
7. basic flight manoeuvres and recovery from unusual attitudes by reference solely to basic flight instruments.
8. cross-country flying using visual reference, dead- reckoning and radio navigation aids; diversion procedures.
9. abnormal and emergency procedures and manoeuvres.
10. operations to, from and transitting controlled aerodromes, compliance with air traffic services procedures, radio- telephony procedures and phraseology; and
dual instructions in aeroplane in night flying, including take- offs, landings and navigation.
11. Threat and Error management.
If instrument rating is also requested: All the above exercises need to be carried out and in addition the below points.
The instructor shall ensure that the applicant has operational experience in at least the following areas to the level of performance required for the holder of an instrument rating:
- pre-flight procedures for IFR flights, including the use of the flight manual or equivalent document, and appropriate air traffic services documents in the preparation of an IFR flight plan;
- pre-flight inspection, use of checklists, taxiing and pre- take-off checks;
- procedures and manoeuvres for IFR operation under normal, abnormal and emergency conditions covering at least:
1. transition from visual to instrument flight on take off.
2. standard instrument departures and arrivals.
3. enroute IFR procedures.
4. proper understanding and use of Instrument Approach Charts.
5. holding procedures.
6. instrument approaches to specified minima; missed approach procedures.
7. landings from instrument approaches, including circling. - in-flight manoeuvres and particular flight characteristics.
- If the privileges of the instrument rating are to be exercised on multi-engined aeroplanes, the applicant shall have received dual instrument flight instruction in such an aeroplane from an authorised flight instructor. The instructor shall ensure that applicant has operational experience in the operation of the aeroplane solely by reference to instruments with simulated one engine inoperative. The exercises of simulated one engine inoperative shall be carried out at safe altitude, unless carried out in a flight simulator.
Skill test for cpl with ir
He shall have demonstrated his competency to perform the procedures and manoeuvres prescribed in the syllabus to the satisfaction of an examiner, on the type of aeroplane to which the application for licence relates, within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application. The competency shall be demonstrated in:
- general flying test by day;
- general flying test by night;
- a cross-country flight test by day consisting of a flight of not less than two hundred fifty nautical miles in the course of which at least one full stop landing at an aerodrome other than the aerodrome of departure shall be made;
- a cross-country flying test by night consisting of a flight of not less than one hundred twenty nautical miles returning to the place of departure without landing elsewhere; and
- ability to fly an aeroplane is respect of which Instrument Rating is desired, solely with the aid of instruments by undergoing an instrument flying test within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application for the rating. The flying test shall be carried out in accordance with the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General. The Director-General may, however, allow such tests or part thereof to be carried out on an approved simulator for the type of aircraft.
Conclusion
Even though I have tried to simplify and collaborate the Aircraft rules 1937 and Civil Aviation requirements, I know doubts may still arise in your mind. Feel free to contact me on @pilotsierra on Instagram if you have doubts. Happy landings, cheers.