What You Need for Your FAR Part 61

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To earn your Private pilot rating, you must;

 

complete 40 hours of flight time at a minimum. Those hours must consist of at least:

 

Dual: 20 hours minimum of flight training with an instructor on the Private Pilot areas of operation, including:

• 3 hours of cross-country flight training in a single-engine airplane;

• 3 hours of night flight training in a single-engine airplane that includes at least:

• 1 cross country flight of over 100 nm total distance

• 10 T/O's and 10 landings to a full stop, with each involving a flight in the traffic pattern at an airport.

• 3 hours of flight training by reference to instruments in a single-engine airplane; and

• 3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane within the 60 days prior to the practical test.

 

Solo: 10 hours minimum of solo flying in a single engine airplane on the Private Pilot areas of operation, including:

• 5 hours of solo cross-country flying;

• 1 solo cross-country flight of at least 150nm total distance with full stop landings at 3 points and one segment of at least 50nm between T/O and landings; and

• 3 T/O's and landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.