Rotary-wing Commercial pursuing fixed-wing add-on

RyansPlace

RyansPlace

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Ryan
Hello,

This is my first time posting in these forums. Happy to join the community.


BLUF: Can you abreviate the requirements for a fixed-wing commercial add-on if you already posses a rotary-wing commercial?

Background: I'm an Army aviator with a commercial rotary-wing certificate currently pursuing a fixed wing rating. I have 1,100 hours in Kiowa Warriors and about 90 hours in Cessnas and Cherokees (the war in injuries caused a few interuptions in training). I've fulfill the requirements for a private pilot certificate. Since this is a type rating transition, is it possible to go straight for the Commericial certificate or must I have the 100 hours of PIC time in an airplane to do it? I've seen similar questions in other threads that seem to indicate yes, but not seeing a clear answer. Thoughts?

-Ry
 
You should be able to go straight to a commercial fixed wing certificate. I do not know the requirements however, because I am not a CFI. I do know however, that if you come up to San Marcos we can fly out to Fredericksburg and I'll buy you a burger.

Welcome to PoA, and thank you for your service.
 
Hopefully a CFI in the know will chime in here. When I retired it was the simple swap since I had both fixed and rotor experience in the military. At the very least I would expect you will be required to get some complex time logged and maybe a IPC for fixed wing. :dunno: Good Luck and welcome aboard PoA!!!
 
This is an additional category rating, so 61.63(b) applies:
(b) Additional aircraft category rating. A person who applies to add a category rating to a pilot certificate:
(1) Must complete the training and have the applicable aeronautical experience.
(2) Must have a logbook or training record endorsement from an authorized instructor attesting that the person was found competent in the appropriate aeronautical knowledge areas and proficient in the appropriate areas of operation.
(3) Must pass the practical test.
(4) Need not take an additional knowledge test, provided the applicant holds an airplane, rotorcraft, powered-lift, weight-shift-control aircraft, powered parachute, or airship rating at that pilot certificate level.
Click to expand...
Since you hold a CP-RH already, there's no knowledge test, but you must meet all the experience requirements in 61.129(a):
(a) For an airplane single-engine rating. Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine class rating must log at least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:

(1) 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in airplanes.
(2) 100 hours of pilot-in-command flight time, which includes at least--
(i) 50 hours in airplanes; and
(ii) 50 hours in cross-country flight of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes.
(3) 20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in Sec. 61.127(b)(1) of this part that includes at least--
(i) Ten hours of instrument training using a view-limiting device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and intercepting and tracking navigational systems. Five hours of the 10 hours required on instrument training must be in a single engine airplane;
(ii) 10 hours of training in an airplane that has a retractable landing gear, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller, or is turbine-powered, or for an applicant seeking a single-engine seaplane rating, 10 hours of training in a seaplane that has flaps and a controllable pitch propeller;
(iii) 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;
(iv) One 2-hour cross country flight in a single engine airplane in nighttime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 100 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and
(v) Three hours in a single-engine airplane with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test.
(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a single engine airplane or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a single engine airplane with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph (a)(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under Sec. 61.127(b)(1) that include--
(i) 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. However, if this requirement is being met in Hawaii, the longest segment need only have a straight-line distance of at least 150 nautical miles; and (ii) 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.
Click to expand...
The 100 hours of PIC time you mentioned need not all be in airplanes -- you need only 50 hours of PIC time in category since you have over 100 hours PIC time in powered aircraft. And you already have over 250 hours total time. I imagine you have more than 50 hours XC PIC time, so you'd need only 10 hours XC PIC in airplanes beyond what you have in helos.

Beyond that, it's not clear how that 90 hours of airplane time in Cherokees and Cessnas breaks down, so it's hard to say what you actually need at this point. Is any of that solo (which counts for the PIC requirement), or is that all dual? I'd really need a look at your logbook to give you any better answer, but you can run through that list above and see what you do and do not have. My guess is that you'd be looking at around 25 hours of dual training plus enough solo time above whatever solo airplane time you have now to fill out that 50 hours of airplane PIC time.
 
This was the exact "get this right you pass the oral" question on my CFI ride. And Ron has answered it.
 
Reading that exerpt makes the answer pretty obvious. I lack FW hours (only 20 PIC to date). Thanks for the quick answer.

Dave- thanks for the offer. San Marcos is a great airfield. I helped a friend recover his plane there a couple months ago. Do you ever fly to New Braunfels Saturday morninig buffets at the Texico restaurant? I make it there on occasion.

Cheers,
-Ry
 
Good luck. I did that many moons ago, partially on the G.I. bill. I don't think it took a lot longer to prepare for the commercial ride that I would have been comfortable with anyway. I busted my first instrument check by making an approach to military minimums using DOD plates (g). Had to go back and do one approach to civil minimums.

Best,

Dave
 
RyanShort1 said:
I've got a student just about to do exactly this right now...

Ryan
Click to expand...

Really? I might know him. My deployment to Afghanistan is postponed while the Army figures out how to pay for it (sequester biz). I'd like to get a gage on my preparedness. Would you be interested in giving me a practice eval?

-Ry
 
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