A holder of the Commercial Pilot Licence is allowed to act as the pilot in-command of an aircraft for valuable consideration in single pilot operations.
Applicants for a Commercial Pilot Licence must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid JAR-FCL Class 1 Medical Certificate. They must have met the specified theoretical & practical training requirements as laid down in JAR-FCL.
These include the following:
- Minimum of 200 hours’ flying time (150 hours for applicants who have completed an approved course of aeroplanes) including 100 hours’ flying experience acting as the pilot in command (abbreviated to 70 hours for applicants who have completed an approved course of aeroplanes)
- 20 hours of cross-country flying experience with at least one solo flight of not fewer than 300 nautical miles with full-stop landings at two or more different aerodromes
- 10 hours’ instrument instruction of which no more than 5 may be instrument ground time
- 5 hours of night instruction including 5 take-offs and landings if the privileges are to be exercised at night.
The Commercial Pilot Licence also permits the holder to act as a co-pilot of a multi-crew aircraft for which they are qualified, subject to the following:
- holding a valid certificate of Multi-Crew Cooperation
- having successfully completed an approved ATPL Theoretical Knowledge Course together with 14 ATPL theoretical examinations
- having a valid Instrument Rating and Multi-Engine Class Rating