FAA commercial pilot hours: the 250 hours of 14 CFR 61.129
Checked against the sources below on 29 October 2026. How these guides are written
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An FAA commercial certificate with an airplane single-engine rating needs 250 hours as a pilot (14 CFR 61.129(a)): 100 in powered aircraft (50 in airplanes), 100 as PIC (50 in airplanes, 50 cross-country), 20 of training (10 instrument, 10 in a complex, turbine or TAA airplane, day and night 2-hour cross-countries over 100 nm, 3 hours of test preparation), and 10 solo or PIC with an instructor, including a 300 nm cross-country and 5 hours night with 10 towered landings. Multiengine (61.129(b)) mirrors it.
- Total
- 250 h as a pilot; up to 50 h in a FFS or FTD with an instructor (100 h in a Part 142 course)
- Before the practical test
- 61.129(a), (i)
- Powered aircraft
- 100 h, of which 50 h in airplanes
- Before the practical test
- 61.129(a)(1)
- PIC
- 100 h, including 50 h in airplanes and 50 h cross-country (10 h in airplanes)
- Before the practical test
- 61.129(a)(2)
- Training
- 20 h: 10 h instrument (5 in a single-engine airplane), 10 h complex, turbine or TAA, 2 h day and 2 h night cross-country over 100 nm
- Before the practical test
- 61.129(a)(3)(i)-(iv)
- Test preparation
- 3 h with an instructor in a single-engine airplane
- Preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test
- 61.129(a)(3)(v)
- Solo or PIC with instructor
- 10 h, including a 300 nm cross-country (3 landings, one point 250 nm straight-line) and 5 h night VFR with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings at a towered airport
- Before the practical test
- 61.129(a)(4)
- Part 141
- 35 h ground and 120 h flight training; private certificate and an instrument rating (or concurrent course) first
- Approved course
- Part 141 Appendix D
The 250 hours line by line
61.129(a) asks for "at least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot" made up of four blocks: 100 hours in powered aircraft, 50 of them in airplanes; 100 hours of pilot-in-command time, including 50 in airplanes and 50 hours of cross-country, at least 10 of them in airplanes; 20 hours of training on the 61.127(b)(1) areas of operation; and 10 hours of solo flight or of "flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board". The solo or PIC-duties hours also count toward the 100 PIC hours.
Cross-country here uses 14 CFR 61.1 paragraph (ii): a flight "that includes a point of landing that was at least a straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure". A flight that goes 60 nm out and returns without landing does not count toward the 50 PIC cross-country hours. You must also be 18 (61.123(a)).
The 20 training hours include 10 of instrument training with a view-limiting device (5 in a single-engine airplane) and 10 in "a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane, or a technically advanced airplane (TAA)". 61.129(j) defines a TAA as having an electronic PFD, an MFD with a GPS moving map, and a two-axis autopilot integrated with the navigation and heading guidance.
The cross-country and night requirements
Three flights cause most of the questions. With an instructor, you fly "One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure", and the same at night (61.129(a)(3)(iii)-(iv)). Solo or as PIC with an instructor, you fly "One cross-country flight of not less than 300 nautical miles total distance, with landings at a minimum of three points, one of which is a straight-line distance of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point" (150 nm in Hawaii).
The night block is "5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern) at an airport with an operating control tower" (61.129(a)(4)(ii)). The 3 hours of test preparation must fall "within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test".
Single-engine and multiengine differences
61.129(b) has the same 250-hour structure for a multiengine class rating, with the instrument hours, the two 100 nm cross-countries, the test preparation and the 10 hours solo or PIC duties flown in a multiengine airplane. The rule allows those 10 hours as PIC duties with an authorized instructor on board in place of solo.
The 10 hours of advanced training differ: for multiengine the rule says "10 hours of training in a multiengine complex or turbine-powered airplane", with a seaplane variant. A technically advanced airplane does not qualify for the multiengine rating, while it does for single-engine.
Simulator credit and Part 141
Outside a Part 142 course you may credit up to 50 hours in a full flight simulator or flight training device toward the 250, given by an authorized instructor and representing the class of airplane (61.129(i)(1)). Inside a Part 142 course the cap is 100 hours, and an approved Part 142 commercial course can bring the total down to 190 hours (61.129(i)(2)-(3)).
Part 141 Appendix D sets no 250-hour total. A school's approved course needs at least 35 hours of ground training and 120 hours of flight training for an airplane rating. Within it, at least 55 hours come from a certificated flight instructor with the same instrument, advanced-airplane and 2-hour cross-country content, and 10 hours are solo or PIC with an instructor, including a cross-country with landings at three points and one segment of at least 250 nm straight-line, and the same 5 hours of night with 10 towered landings. You must hold a private certificate, and an instrument rating or be enrolled in an instrument course at the same time. The test preparation window is "within 60 days preceding the date of the test", and simulator credit is capped at 30 percent of the course hours (20 percent for an FTD).
Without an instrument rating, the commercial certificate carries "The carriage of passengers for hire in (airplanes) (powered-lifts) on cross-country flights in excess of 50 nautical miles or at night is prohibited" until you earn one (61.133(b)(1)).
Mistakes pilots make
- Counting out-and-back flights with no landing beyond 50 nm as cross-country for the commercial. The commercial definition needs a landing more than 50 nm straight-line from the departure point.
- Flying the 300 nm trip with the far point at 240 nm. One landing point must be at least 250 nm straight-line from the original departure point.
- Logging the 10 night landings at a non-towered field. 61.129(a)(4)(ii) needs an airport with an operating control tower, each landing with a flight in the pattern.
- Doing the 3 hours of test preparation too early. Under Part 61 it must fall in the 2 calendar months before the month of the test; under Part 141 within 60 days.
- Using a TAA for the 10 hours of advanced training toward a multiengine commercial. 61.129(b)(3)(ii) asks for a multiengine complex or turbine-powered airplane.
What Off Chocks tracks
- The Licence progression card and Goals track the 61.129 hour lines: 250 total with the 50-hour device cap, 100 powered, 100 PIC, 50 cross-country PIC, instrument and night time, against your logbook.
- Cross-country uses the figure you log; where it is blank, Off Chocks estimates it from airports more than 50 nm apart and flags flights within 0.3 nm of the line. You confirm the landing.
- Off Chocks does not check the specific flights: the 10 night takeoffs and landings sit in the commercial goal's checklist in Goals for you to tick, and the 2-hour 100 nm cross-countries and the 300 nm trip you confirm with your instructor.
- The FAA 8710-1 and IACRA summary exports give the totals for the application.
Common questions
- Do I need 250 hours for a commercial pilot certificate?
- Under Part 61, yes (61.129(a)), or 190 hours in an approved Part 142 course (61.129(i)(3)). Part 141 Appendix D sets course hours (120 hours of flight training for an airplane) in place of a total.
- Can the 100 PIC hours include time with an instructor?
- The 10 hours of "flight time performing the duties of pilot in command" with an instructor on board count toward the 100 PIC hours (61.129(a)(4)). Other dual time counts as PIC when 61.51(e) lets you log it, for example as "sole manipulator of the controls of an aircraft for which the pilot is rated" (61.51(e)(1)(i)).
- Does the long cross-country have to be solo?
- No. It can be flown solo or performing the duties of PIC with an authorized instructor on board, as part of the 10 hours in 61.129(a)(4).
- What counts as a TAA for the commercial?
- An airplane with an electronic primary flight display, a multifunction display with a GPS moving map, and a two-axis autopilot integrated with navigation and heading guidance, with both displays continuously visible (61.129(j)).
- Do I need an instrument rating for a commercial certificate?
- Not to get it, but without one the certificate bans carrying passengers for hire on cross-countries over 50 nm or at night (61.133(b)(1)).
Sources
- 14 CFR 61.129 Aeronautical experience, commercial pilot (eCFR, up to date as of 27 Oct 2026)
- 14 CFR 61.1 Applicability and definitions: cross-country time (eCFR)
- 14 CFR Part 141 Appendix D Commercial Pilot Certification Course (eCFR)
- 14 CFR 61.133 Commercial pilot privileges and limitations (eCFR)
- 14 CFR 61.51 Pilot logbooks, logging PIC time (eCFR)
This is a plain-words summary to help you keep your own records, not legal advice. The regulation and your operator's procedures always take precedence.