The legal minimums are 40 hours for a private pilot certificate under 14 CFR 61.109, 250 hours for a commercial certificate under 14 CFR 61.129, and 1,500 hours for an unrestricted Airline Transport Pilot certificate under 14 CFR 61.159, reduced to 750, 1,000 or 1,250 hours for qualifying military and aviation-degree applicants under 14 CFR 61.160. The instrument rating sits between the first two and is defined by cross-country and instrument time rather than by a total: 50 hours of cross-country pilot-in-command time and 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time under 14 CFR 61.65.
Those are floors, not forecasts. The national average for a private certificate is closer to 60 to 70 hours, and the difference between the minimum and your number is decided almost entirely by how often you fly. This page lays out every hour requirement on the ladder, what each one actually contains, and what it costs at Van Nuys. If your question is about calendar time rather than logged hours, our page on how long it takes to become a pilot covers months and years; this one covers the logbook. Both sit under how to become a pilot.
The Whole Ladder In One Table
| Certificate Or Rating | Regulation | Legal Minimum | Realistic Figure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport pilot | 61.313 | 20 hours | 25 to 40 hours |
| Private pilot, single-engine land | 61.109(a) | 40 hours | 60 to 70 hours |
| Instrument rating, airplane | 61.65(d) | 50 hours cross-country PIC and 40 hours instrument time | Usually reached at 100 to 150 total hours |
| Commercial pilot, single-engine land | 61.129(a) | 250 hours | 250 to 300 hours |
| Multi-engine rating | 61.63 and 61.31 | No total-time minimum; proficiency based | 8 to 12 hours of multi-engine training |
| Flight instructor | 61.183 | No total-time minimum beyond the commercial certificate | Typically 250 to 300 hours |
| Restricted ATP, military | 61.160(a) | 750 hours | As logged in service |
| Restricted ATP, bachelor's degree with aviation major | 61.160(b) | 1,000 hours | 1,000 hours |
| Restricted ATP, associate degree or 30 to 59 credits | 61.160(c) and (d) | 1,250 hours | 1,250 hours |
| Airline Transport Pilot, unrestricted | 61.159 | 1,500 hours | 1,500 hours |
Forty Hours For A Private Pilot Certificate
14 CFR 61.109(a) requires at least 40 hours of flight time for an airplane single-engine land rating, and it is specific about what has to be inside those 40 hours:
- 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor, including at least 3 hours of cross-country flight training;
- 3 hours of night flight training, including one cross-country flight of more than 100 nautical miles total distance and 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop, each involving a flight in the traffic pattern;
- 3 hours of flight training by reference to instruments, on control and maneuvering solely by reference to instruments;
- 3 hours of flight training in preparation for the practical test within the preceding two calendar months;
- 10 hours of solo flight time, including 5 hours of solo cross-country time, one solo cross-country of at least 150 nautical miles total distance with full-stop landings at three points and one leg of at least 50 nautical miles between takeoff and landing, and three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop at an airport with an operating control tower.
Add those up and the specified items already total more than 30 hours, which leaves very little slack. That is the first reason almost nobody finishes in 40.
Why The Average Is 60 To 70
The second reason is repetition. Landings, radio work, stalls, slow flight and cross-country planning are skills that decay between lessons, and every gap costs re-learning time before any new learning happens. A student flying twice a week typically lands in the 50s. A student flying twice a month typically lands in the 70s or beyond, for exactly the same amount of ability.
The third reason is weather and availability, and in Southern California that is a much smaller factor than almost anywhere else in the country. Our flyable days at Van Nuys page covers what the local pattern actually looks like month by month.
The Instrument Rating: Cross-Country Time Is The Real Gate
14 CFR 61.65(d) requires, for an instrument-airplane rating:
- 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes;
- 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time, of which at least 15 hours must be instrument flight training from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating;
- one cross-country flight with an authorized instructor of at least 250 nautical miles along airways or ATC-directed routing, with an instrument approach at each airport and three different kinds of approaches flown.
The 50 hours of cross-country pilot-in-command time is the requirement that surprises people, because a fresh private pilot typically holds only 8 to 12. That gap is why many pilots spend the months after their private certificate flying somewhere for lunch rather than staying in the pattern.
Simulator credit is generous here. Under 61.65, a maximum of 20 hours may be credited in a flight simulator, flight training device or advanced aviation training device outside a Part 142 course. Our Redbird MCX is an FAA-approved AATD, and the Instrument course at $11,700 is built around 20 hours of aircraft time and 20 hours of simulator for that reason. Full detail sits on instrument rating requirements and simulator hours that count.
Two Hundred And Fifty Hours For A Commercial Certificate
14 CFR 61.129(a) requires 250 hours of flight time as a pilot for an airplane single-engine land rating, structured as follows:
- 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in airplanes;
- 100 hours of pilot-in-command time, including 50 hours in airplanes and 50 hours in cross-country flight;
- 20 hours of training on the commercial areas of operation, including 10 hours of instrument training and 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane or a technically advanced airplane;
- within that 20 hours, a day cross-country of more than 100 nautical miles and a night cross-country of more than 100 nautical miles, both with an instructor, plus 3 hours of practical test preparation in the preceding two calendar months;
- 10 hours of solo flight time, or flight time performing the duties of pilot in command with an instructor aboard, including a cross-country with landings at a minimum of three points and one segment of at least 250 nautical miles from the original departure point, and 5 hours of night VFR with 10 takeoffs and landings at a towered airport.
The 10 complex hours are why the Piper Arrow exists in our fleet. The gap between 250 hours as a legal minimum and 250 hours as a realistic figure is small for most people, because the constraint at this stage is accumulating time rather than learning skills. The commercial pilot license requirements page goes through each item, and commercial pilot maneuvers covers what you will actually be flying.
Fifteen Hundred Hours For An ATP, Or Fewer
An unrestricted ATP under 14 CFR 61.159 requires 1,500 hours of total time, including 500 hours of cross-country, 100 hours of night, 75 hours of instrument and 250 hours of pilot-in-command time. You must also be at least 23 under 14 CFR 61.153(a)(1).
The restricted ATP in 14 CFR 61.160 lowers the total for three groups: 750 hours for qualifying military pilots, 1,000 hours for a bachelor's degree with an aviation major and 60 aviation credit hours, and 1,250 hours for a qualifying associate degree or a bachelor's with 30 to 59 aviation credits. Applicants under those routes need 200 hours of cross-country rather than 500, and the minimum age drops to 21. Our page on the 1,500-hour rule and the R-ATP explains where the rule came from and who qualifies.
The 1,250 hours between a commercial certificate and an ATP is the longest single stretch of any pilot career, and almost everyone flies it as an instructor. A busy CFI logs somewhere in the region of 50 to 80 hours a month, which puts the gap at roughly 15 to 24 months of full-time instructing.
Hours That Count Twice
A few definitions do real work in a logbook, and understanding them shortens the road.
- Cross-country time is defined in 14 CFR 61.1, and the definition changes depending on what you are counting it toward. For a private certificate the landing must be more than 50 nautical miles from the departure point; for ATP purposes there is no distance requirement in the same terms. Log the distance so you can classify it later.
- Pilot-in-command time while instructing. A flight instructor logs PIC for time spent instructing, which is why the CFI route to 1,500 hours works at all.
- Simulator and training device time. Up to 2.5 hours toward a sport certificate, 2.5 hours toward a private, 20 hours toward an instrument rating outside Part 142, and up to 50 hours toward a commercial certificate.
- Dual received counts toward totals. Every hour of instruction is flight time; it is not separate from your total.
- A discovery flight is loggable. It is dual instruction and it counts toward the 40 hours from your very first flight.
What The Hours Cost At Van Nuys
| Item | Package Rate (Inside A Course) | Retail Rate (Pay As You Go) |
|---|---|---|
| Cessna 162 Skycatcher, per hour | $179 | $269 |
| Piper Warrior PA-28-161, per hour | $179 | $269 |
| Diamond DA20-C1, per hour | $229 | $329 |
| Piper Arrow PA-28R, per hour | $229 | $349 |
| Piper Seminole PA-44-180, per hour | $449 | $649 |
| Redbird MCX full-motion simulator, per hour | $120 | $200 |
| Flight or ground instruction, per hour | $110 | |
| Private Pilot Standard course, 38 aircraft hours | $10,400 | |
| Private Pilot Comprehensive course, 55 aircraft hours | $15,400 | |
| Instrument course, 20 aircraft and 20 simulator hours | $11,700 | |
| Commercial course, 130 program hours | $15,400 | |
| Airline Pilot Career Program, 260 logged hours | $84,000 | |
The Comprehensive package exists because 38 aircraft hours is the optimistic case and 55 is the honest one for someone who cannot fly twice a week. Choosing between them is really a question about your calendar, and the flight training cost calculator lets you model both.
Related Reading
- How long it takes to become a pilot — the calendar version of this page.
- Private pilot license requirements — every item in 14 CFR 61.109, in order.
- Instrument rating requirements — the 50 cross-country hours and the 250 nm IFR flight.
- Commercial pilot license requirements — the 250-hour breakdown in full.
- The 1,500-hour rule and the R-ATP — where the reductions come from.
- Is becoming a pilot hard — why most students log more hours than the minimum.
Flight Hours FAQ
How Many Flight Hours Do You Need To Become A Pilot?
Forty hours for a private pilot certificate under 14 CFR 61.109, 250 hours for a commercial certificate under 61.129, and 1,500 hours for an unrestricted ATP under 61.159. A sport pilot certificate requires 20 hours under 61.313.
How Many Hours For A PPL In Reality?
Most students finish a private pilot certificate somewhere between 60 and 70 hours. The 40-hour minimum assumes no repetition at all, and the specified items in 61.109 already account for more than 30 of those 40 hours.
How Many Years Does It Take To Become A Pilot?
A private certificate takes three to twelve months depending on how often you fly. A full career route from zero hours to an airline typically takes two and a half to four years, of which the largest single block is building time from 250 to 1,500 hours.
How Many Hours Do You Need For An Instrument Rating?
There is no total-time minimum. 14 CFR 61.65(d) requires 50 hours of cross-country pilot-in-command time, of which 10 must be in airplanes, and 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time, of which 15 must be with an instructor.
How Many Hours Do You Need To Be An Airline Pilot?
1,500 hours for an unrestricted ATP, or 750, 1,000 or 1,250 hours under the restricted ATP rules in 14 CFR 61.160 for qualifying military pilots and aviation degree holders. The restricted route also lowers the minimum age from 23 to 21.
Do Simulator Hours Count Toward A Pilot License?
Some do. Up to 2.5 hours count toward a private certificate, up to 20 hours toward an instrument rating outside a Part 142 course, and up to 50 hours toward a commercial certificate, when the device is approved and the training is given by an authorized instructor.
Does A Discovery Flight Count Toward Flight Hours?
Yes. A discovery flight is dual instruction with a certificated flight instructor and is logged toward your total time and toward the 40-hour private pilot requirement from the first flight.
How Many Hours Does A Flight Instructor Log In A Year?
A full-time instructor commonly logs in the region of 50 to 80 hours a month depending on the season and the school, which is why the stretch from 250 to 1,500 hours usually takes between 15 and 24 months.
Start Logging Hours This Week
Your first logged hour can be a discovery flight: $229 for 60 minutes over Los Angeles, flown from the left seat, logged as dual instruction, and credited in full toward your training if you enroll within 24 hours. If you want to map the whole ladder against your own budget and calendar, book a free consultation or call (818) 330-1318. We are at 7900 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91406, open every day from 9 AM to 9 PM.