Commercial rating.

[MikeELP]

... It certainly does nothing to prove a pilot can safely transport passengers..

On its own, no.

Neither does being able to do a nice chandelle, or perform a smooth lazy-8, or a nail a steep spiral. Or effortlessly doing 8's on pylons.

As I said before...the long "solo" cross-country is ONE PART of demonstrating an advanced skill set for the commercial certificate.

In addition to flight maneuvers, your flight planning must be more precise. Your knowledge of aircraft operation and systems must be more thorough. You must have a solid understanding of commercial rules and regulations.

Taken individually, each really means nothing. Put together as they are in the commercial PTS they combine to show that you are qualified in the FAA's eyes to be a pilot for compensation or hire.

Simple as that.

 

[Witmo]

On its own, no.

Neither does being able to do a nice chandelle, or perform a smooth lazy-8, or a nail a steep spiral. Or effortlessly doing 8's on pylons.

As I said before...the long "solo" cross-country is ONE PART of demonstrating an advanced skill set for the commercial certificate.

In addition to flight maneuvers, your flight planning must be more precise. Your knowledge of aircraft operation and systems must be more thorough. You must have a solid understanding of commercial rules and regulations.

Taken individually, each really means nothing. Put together as they are in the commercial PTS they combine to show that you are qualified in the FAA's eyes to be a pilot for compensation or hire.

Simple as that.

I contend that solo or accompanied makes no difference by the time someone is preparing for the commercial checkride. As for flightplanning, there's no requirement to spin a flight plan manually for the commercial--Foreflight doesn't care whether you have pax or not. Everything to be demonstrated, experience-wise, is accomplished at least as well with pax as without. I enjoy flying with pax and it enhances safety if they are actively scanning for traffic. Any assistance they might provide is marginal. It even enhances commercial training because now you have to ensure they get a safety briefing, that you account for their weight and balance, that you deal with unplanned stops for p-breaks if necessary, ETC. Solo x-country only checks the box that you got from or pt a to or b without another person aboard. There's no requirement to have a CFI check the wt and balance or flight planning like there is for private students doing solo x-countries. All that's required is a log entry by the pilot himself.

 

[MikeELP]

... I enjoy flying with pax and it enhances safety if they are actively scanning for traffic. Any assistance they might provide is marginal..

Marginal or not, the FAA wants you to demonstrate that you can do it ALONE. Why is that so difficult for you to grasp?

 

[Witmo]

Marginal or not, the FAA wants you to demonstrate that you can do it ALONE. Why is that so difficult for you to grasp?

I can have an opinion, can't I? I happen to disagree with you, deal with it. It's obvious that you agree with the FAA, I get that. Just how much assistance do passengers provide you when you fly? My experience has been I spend more time telling them to sit back and relax and don't touch anything. I happen to think that using a passenger for anything other than looking out the window is more effort than its worth and having them aboard presents more challenges to flying cross country than whatever minor assistance they might provide.

Oh, and one more thing. Your demonstrating nothing by logging a solo cross country other than an entry in a log book. To demonstrate something you have to have an observer. A solo cross-country demonstrates something to the solo pilot alone, no one else. He might run out of fuel or get lost a hundred times before or after one successful cross country and no one would be the wiser.

 

[MikeELP]

I can have an opinion, can't I? I happen to disagree with you, deal with it. It's obvious that you agree with the FAA, I get that..

OK, Tim...I'll deal with it. Yes, you have your opinion, and yes I agree with the FAA. Goody for you.

As a CFI, I'll continue to teach and require from my students what the FAA wants. I think if you ever (God help us) decide to go for a commercial certificate, your CFI will have you do the same...whether you like the 61.129 requirements and PTS standards or not.

It is impossible to teach those whom do not wish to be educated.

Good luck and clear skies! Carry on.

 

[Witmo]

OK, Tim...I'll deal with it. Yes, you have your opinion, and yes I agree with the FAA. Goody for you.

As a CFI, I'll continue to teach and require from my students what the FAA wants. I think if you ever (God help us) decide to go for a commercial certificate, your CFI will have you do the same...whether you like the 61.129 requirements and PTS standards or not.

It is impossible to teach those whom do not wish to be educated.

Good luck and clear skies! Carry on.

You don't know me or my flying skills and yet you feel the need to disparage them because I have a different opinion than you. You have no Idea how educated I am and yet you claim I cannot be educated because I am not convinced by your weak arguments defending a FAA policy which I believe is flawed. Good luck to your students; I suspect they might need it if they have any examiner besides Lou. I've been flying for over thirty years and continue to learn and question. You seem to have stopped doing both preferring to accept whatever the FAA says is best without a thought to improve the process. As soon as my schedule and a DPE's coincides I'll be getting that commercial ticket not because I intend to use it, but for my own gratification. And yes my logbook has the required solo cross country time which I assure you was flown solo.

 

[MikeELP]

You don't know me or my flying skills and yet you feel the need to disparage them because I have a different opinion than you. You have no Idea how educated I am and yet you claim I cannot be educated because I am not convinced by your weak arguments defending a FAA policy which I believe is flawed. Good luck to your students; I suspect they might need it if they have any examiner besides Lou. I've been flying for over thirty years and continue to learn and question. You seem to have stopped doing both preferring to accept whatever the FAA says is best without a thought to improve the process. As soon as my schedule and a DPE's coincides I'll be getting that commercial ticket not because I intend to use it, but for my own gratification. And yes my logbook has the required solo cross country time which I assure you was flown solo.