Pilot Certificate Types and Privileges
High-Performance, Complex, and Tailwheel Airplanes
Recent Flight Experience: Pilot-In-Command
Responsibility and Authority of the Pilot-In-Command
Transponder and ADS-B Requirements
Instrument and Equipment Requirements
Restricted, Limited, and Experimental Aircraft: Operating Limitations
Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT)
Operating Near Other Aircraft and Right-of-Way Rules
Maintenance, Preventative Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration
Although FAR is used as the acronym for Federal Aviation Regulations, and can be seen used throughout the regulations themselves and hundreds of other publications, the FAA is now actively discouraging its use. FAR also stands for Federal Acquisition Regulations. To eliminate any possible confusion, the FAA cites the Federal Aviation Regulations with reference to Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations. For example, “FAR Part 91.3” is referred to as “14 CFR Part 91 Section 3” or “14 CFR §91.3.”
The holder of a Student Pilot Certificate is limited to flight with an instructor until certain requirements are met, after which solo flight may be authorized. A student pilot may neither carry passengers nor fly for compensation or hire.
A Private Pilot Certificate grants almost unlimited solo, passenger carrying, and cargo transport privileges, as long as the flying is not done for compensation or hire. A private pilot may share the operating expenses of a flight with their passengers. A private pilot may also act as pilot-in-command (PIC) in connection with business or employment if the flight is only incidental to that business.
The holder of a Commercial Pilot Certificate may act as PIC of an aircraft carrying persons or property for compensation or hire. To carry passengers for hire on cross-country flight of more than 50 NM, or at night, a commercial airplane pilot must hold an appropriate Instrument Rating.
An airline transport pilot (ATP) has the privileges of a commercial pilot with an Instrument Rating. They may also instruct other pilots in air transportation service in aircraft of the category, class, and type for which the ATP is rated. Part 121 and Part 135 regulations address the situations in which an ATP Rating is required, such as when acting as PIC of a multi-engine commuter flight.
Aircraft category and class ratings in which a pilot is qualified are placed on the pilot’s certificate. A type rating is also required to act as PIC of a large aircraft (in excess of 12,500 pounds maximum gross takeoff weight) or of a turbojet-powered aircraft of any weight. Private or commercial pilots wishing to fly under instrument flight rules must also have an Instrument Rating placed on their certificates.
Additional ratings may be granted when a pilot has achieved the required level of skill and knowledge and has successfully completed an inflight test. In the case of an Instrument Rating, the pilot must also pass an FAA Knowledge Exam.
All pilot certificates (except student) are valid indefinitely unless surrendered, suspended, or revoked. There are no expiration dates.
A pilot must have in their possession, or readily accessible in the aircraft, the following documents when operating an aircraft:
Student pilot, recreational pilot, and private pilot operations in aircraft other than glider or balloon require a Third Class Medical Certificate, or if operating without a medical certificate, compliance with 14 CFR Part 68—referred to as BasicMed. A Third Class Medical Certificate or compliance with BasicMed does not authorize the PIC to exercise commercial pilot privileges. To operate as a commercial pilot you are required to hold either a first or Second Class Medical Certificate. A Third Class Medical Certificate expires at the end of:
The holder of a Second Class Medical Certificate may exercise commercial privileges during the first 12 calendar months, but the certificate is valid only for private pilot privileges during the following (12 or 48) calendar months, depending on the applicant’s age.
The holder of a First Class Medical Certificate may exercise airline transport pilot privileges during the first (6 or 12) calendar months, commercial privileges during the following (6 or 0) calendar months, and private pilot privileges during the following (12 or 48) calendar months, depending on the applicant’s age. To state another way, a medical certificate may last 6 months to a year with first-class privileges, 12 months (from the date of the examination) with second-class privileges, and 2 or 5 years with third-class privileges—depending on whether the applicant is above or below 40 years of age.
Each type of medical certificate is valid through the last day of the month (of the month it expires), regardless of the day the physical examination was given.
A pilot must log:
The logging of other flight time is not required.
A pilot may log flight time as PIC only that flight time during which they act as the sole manipulator of the controls, or during the time they are acting as PIC on an aircraft which requires more than one pilot due to the aircraft’s certification or the regulations under which the flight is conducted.
A pilot may log as second-in-command (SIC) time all flight time during which they act as SIC of an aircraft in which more than one pilot is required due to the aircraft’s certification or the regulations under which the flight is conducted.
An airline transport pilot may log as PIC time all the flight time during which they act as PIC.
To act as PIC of an airplane that has more than 200 horsepower, or is equipped with retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable propeller, a person must receive flight instruction and obtain a logbook endorsement of competency from a certified flight instructor. This endorsement is required only one time.
No person may serve as SIC of a large airplane, or a turbojet-powered airplane type certificated for more than one required flight crew member unless the person holds:
No person may act as PIC of an aircraft unless, within the preceding 24 calendar months, they have accomplished a flight review. This review is given in an aircraft for which the person is rated by an appropriately certificated instructor or other person designated by the FAA. Satisfactory accomplishment of this flight review will be endorsed in the pilot’s logbook. If the pilot takes a proficiency check (for a certificate or a new rating), it counts for the flight review. A biennial flight review would then be required at the end of the 24th calendar month following that proficiency check. The review must include a minimum of 1 hour flight instruction and 1 hour ground instruction.
No person may act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers unless, within the preceding 90 days, they have made three takeoffs and landings (touch-and-go landings are allowed if the aircraft is not a tailwheel airplane) as the sole manipulator of the controls in an aircraft of the same category, class, and type (if required). In order to carry passengers in a tailwheel (conventional gear) airplane, the takeoffs and landings must be made to a full stop, and they must be in a tailwheel airplane.
No person may act as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers during the period from 1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise unless, within the preceding 90 days, they have made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during that period in the same category and class of aircraft to be used.
If a pilot changes their permanent address without notifying the FAA Airman Certification Branch within 30 days, they may not exercise the privileges of their certificate. For notification of address change, a pilot may do so online at faa.gov/licenses_certificates/airmen_certification/airmen_services or by mail to:
Federal Aviation Administration
Airman Certification Branch, AFS-760
PO Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0082
A certificated pilot may not act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft towing a glider unless there is a minimum of 100 hours of pilot flight time in powered aircraft entered in the pilot’s logbook, and within the preceding 24 months, that pilot has made at least three actual or simulated glider tows while accompanied by a qualified pilot.
No pilot may tow anything other than a glider with an aircraft, except in accordance with the terms of a certificate of waiver issued by the Administrator.
The pilot-in-command is directly responsible for the safety of his/her aircraft. The PIC is the final authority as to the operation of the aircraft. In the interest of safety, the PIC can deviate from any of these regulations to the extent necessary to meet an emergency. Each pilot-in-command who deviates from a regulation must, if requested, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.
No pilot-in-command may allow any object to be dropped from an aircraft in flight that creates a hazard to persons or property. However, this does not prohibit the dropping of objects if reasonable precautions are taken to avoid injury or damage to persons or property.
Operate, with respect to aircraft, means use, cause to use, or authorize to use aircraft, for the purpose of air navigation including the piloting of aircraft, with or without the right of legal control (as owner, lessee, or otherwise).
Operational control, with respect to a flight, means the exercise of authority over initiating, conducting or terminating a flight.
Commercial operator means a person who, for compensation or hire, engages in the carriage by aircraft in air commerce of persons or property, other than as an air carrier or foreign air carrier. Where it is doubtful that an operation is for compensation or hire, the test applied is whether the carriage by air is merely incidental to the person’s other business or is, in itself, a major enterprise for profit.
Each pilot-in-command, before starting a flight, shall familiarize him/herself with all available information concerning that flight. This information must include runway lengths and takeoff and landing distance information for airports of intended use. If the flight will not be in the vicinity of an airport or will be under IFR, the PIC must also check:
No person may operate an aircraft unless it has within it:
A mnemonic aid to remembering the documentation required on board an aircraft prior to flight is:
During takeoff and landing and while en route, each required flight crewmember shall be at their station with seatbelt fastened, unless the crewmember has to leave in connection with the operation of the aircraft or physiological needs. Also, each required flight crewmember must keep the shoulder harness fastened during takeoff and landing, unless the crewmember would be unable to perform their duties with the shoulder harness fastened.
No pilot may takeoff or land a civil aircraft unless the PIC ensures that each person on board has been notified to fasten their safety belt and ensures that each person on board knows how to operate the safely belt. Each person on board must occupy a seat with a seatbelt properly secured during takeoffs and landings. (A person who has not reached their second birthday may be held by an adult.)
Free balloons and some airships are exempted from these requirements.
No person may operate or allow the operation of any portable electronic device on board an aircraft:
Exceptions to this regulation are:
No person may begin a flight in an airplane under VFR unless there is enough fuel to get to the first point of intended landing and, assuming normal cruise speed:
No person may operate an airplane in IFR conditions unless it carries enough fuel (considering available weather reports and forecasts) to:
A coded transponder with altitude reporting capability is required for flight in all airspace over the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia; at and above 10,000 feet MSL; and below the floor of a Class A airspace, excluding the airspace at and below 2,500 feet AGL.
ATC may authorize deviations on a continuing basis or for individual flights. To operate an aircraft without a transponder, a request must be submitted at least 1 hour before the proposed operation to the ATC facility that has jurisdiction over the airspace.
Aircraft operating in airspace previously requiring the use of a transponder are required to have an Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system that includes a certified position source capable of meeting requirements defined in 14 CFR §91.227. For altitudes below FL180, this system can be either a 1090-ES or Universal Access Transceiver (UAT). Operations in Class A airspace require the use of extended squitter ADS-B and Traffic Information Services–Broadcast (TIS-B) equipment operating on the radio frequency of 1090 MHz. This combination of equipment is simply referred to as 1090-ES.
All aircraft equipped with functioning ADS-B Out must operate in transmit mode at all times, unless otherwise authorized by the FAA. Authorization may be approved when the aircraft is performing a sensitive government mission for national defense, homeland security, intelligence, or law enforcement purposes when transmitting would compromise the operations security and safety of the mission.
No person may operate a civil aircraft:
If a flight is being conducted for hire over water and beyond power-off gliding distance from shore, approved flotation gear readily available to each occupant and at least one pyrotechnic signaling device are required. Also, if the flight is conducted for hire at night, one electric landing light is needed. An operating anti-collision system is required for all night flights. This equipment is in addition to that required for noncommercial operations.
No person may operate a restricted, limited, or experimentally certificated civil aircraft carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire. In addition, no person may operate a restricted category aircraft:
Except as listed below, all airplanes must have on board an ELT that:
Aircraft and operations that do not need ELTs are:
Testing of ELTs should be carried out only during the first 5 minutes of any hour for no more than three sweeps, unless coordinated with ATC.
To operate a large civil U.S. aircraft that is leased, the lessee must mail a copy of the lease to the Aircraft Registry Technical Section, Box 25724, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73125, within 24 hours of its execution.
No person may operate an aircraft so close to another aircraft as to create a collision hazard. Aircraft carrying passengers for hire may not be flown in formation. Formation flying on flights not carrying passengers for hire is allowed, if the pilots of all the aircraft involved are in agreement.
When weather conditions permit, it is each pilot’s responsibility to see and avoid other traffic, regardless of whether the flight is being conducted under VFR or IFR. An aircraft in distress has the right-of-way over all others.
Aircraft on final approach to land, or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or on the surface. If two aircraft are approaching the airport for the purpose of landing, the lower aircraft has the right-of-way, but the pilot shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of or to overtake the other aircraft.
When aircraft of the same category are converging, the aircraft to the other’s right has the right-of-way. If the aircraft are of different categories, the order of right-of-way is:
If two aircraft are approaching head-on, each pilot shall alter course to the right. See Figure 4-1. If two aircraft of the same category are converging because one is overtaking the other, the one being overtaken has the right-of-way and the overtaking aircraft must pass well clear to the right. See Figure 4-2.
Any aircraft towing another aircraft or refueling in flight has the right-of-way over all other engine-driven aircraft.

Figure 4-1. Aircraft approaching head-on

Figure 4-2. One aircraft overtaking another
If ATC assigned an airspeed, it must be maintained within plus or minus 10 knots. All aircraft must observe the speed limits (all speeds are shown in knots and are indicated airspeed) as illustrated in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3. Maximum speed limits
No person may, during the period from sunset to sunrise, operate an aircraft unless it has lighted position lights. The right wing-tip position light is green, the left is red and the tail white. Each aircraft must also have an approved anti-collision light system.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft below an altitude allowing, if a power unit fails, an emergency landing without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface. Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft over any congested area of a city, town, or settlement, or over any open air assembly of persons, below an altitude of 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal radius of 2,000 feet of the aircraft. Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, no person may operate an aircraft over other than congested areas below an altitude of 500 feet above the surface except over open water or sparsely populated areas. In that case, the aircraft may not be operated closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure.
Except when necessary for takeoff or landing, or unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, the minimum altitude for IFR flight is:
The owner or operator of an aircraft holds primary responsibility for:
Operation of an aircraft after maintenance, rebuilding or alteration is prohibited unless:
In addition, after any major alteration or repair that may have substantially affected an aircraft’s flight characteristics or flight operation, it must be test flown before passengers may be carried. The test pilot must be appropriately rated and must hold at least a Private Pilot Certificate. The aircraft’s documents must indicate that it was test flown and approved for return to service by an appropriately rated pilot.
Each aircraft must have had an annual inspection performed within the preceding 12 calendar months. That inspection must be recorded in the aircraft and engine logbooks, and is valid through the last day of the month, regardless of the issuance date.
In addition to an annual inspection, if an aircraft is used to carry passengers for hire or is used for flight instruction, it must have an inspection every 100 hours. The 100-hour limitation may be exceeded by not more than 10 hours, if necessary, to reach a location where the inspection can be done. The excess time, however, must be included in calculating the following 100 hours of time in service. An annual inspection may be substituted for 100-hour inspection.
A progressive maintenance program requires that an aircraft be maintained and inspected at specified intervals (for example, every 50 hours) and according to a specific sequence (for example, four operations per cycle). A typically approved progressive maintenance program meets the requirements of both annual and 100-hour inspections when the scheduled operations are completed within 12 months.
In order to be approved for operation at all, each transponder must be inspected and tested within 24 calendar months. This inspection must be noted in the appropriate logbooks.
The validity of an airworthiness certificate is maintained by an appropriate return-to-service notation in the aircraft maintenance records at the completion of any required inspections and maintenance.
With the exception of work performed under 14 CFR §91.171, records of the following work must be kept until the work is repeated or superseded by other work or for one year after the work is performed:
The records of the following must be retained and transferred with the aircraft at the time the aircraft is sold:
A recording tachometer cannot be substituted for required aircraft maintenance records.
Each manufacturer or agency that grants zero time to a rebuilt engine shall enter, in a new record:
Old maintenance records may be discarded when an engine is rebuilt.
The holder of a pilot certificate issued under Part 61 may perform preventative maintenance (in accordance with Part 43, Appendix A) on any aircraft owned or operated by that certificate holder that is not in air carrier service. Two of the conditions that apply are as follows:
Part 39 prescribes Airworthiness Directives that apply to an aircraft and its parts. When aircraft operational or mechanical problems are discovered, manufacturers may issue service bulletins recommending corrective measures. However, when an unsafe condition exists and that condition is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same or similar type or design, the FAA will issue an Airworthiness Directive. ADs are considered to be amendments to regulations. Compliance is mandatory and is the responsibility of the owner or operator of that aircraft. Noncompliance with ADs renders an aircraft unairworthy. No person may operate an aircraft to which an AD applies, except in accordance with the requirements of that AD. Compliance with the provisions of each AD must be recorded in the aircraft maintenance records.
49 CFR Part 830 deals with the reporting of aircraft accidents and incidents. An operator is responsible to the NTSB, not the FAA, for all rules pertaining to this part. Part 830 also deals with the preservation of aircraft wreckage, mail, cargo, and records. An operator will notify the nearest NTSB office immediately if any of the following occur:
In addition to the immediate notification, the pilot or operator will file a written report:
The pilot-in-command of each aircraft operated in controlled airspace under IFR shall report as soon as practical to ATC any malfunctions of navigational approach, or communication equipment occurring in flight.
No pilot operating an aircraft, except a United States military aircraft, may land that aircraft when the flight visibility is less than the visibility prescribed in the standard instrument approach procedure being used.
The limitation on procedure turns states that in the case of a radar vector to a final approach course or fix, a timed approach from a holding fix, or an approach for which the procedure specifies “No PT,” no pilot may make a procedure turn unless cleared to do so by ATC.
[10-2024]