Commercial pilot 250 hours, what the 250 contains.

The headline number

14 CFR 61.129(a) and (b): an applicant for a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and single-engine or multiengine class rating "must log at least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot." The 250 consists of at least:

• 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in airplanes;
• 100 hours of pilot-in-command flight time, including at least 50 hours in airplanes and 50 hours of cross-country flight, of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes;
• 20 hours of training on the areas of operation, including 10 hours of instrument training using a view-limiting device (5 of them in a single-engine airplane for the single-engine rating, or in a multiengine airplane for the multiengine rating);
• 10 hours of training in a complex airplane, a turbine-powered airplane or a technically advanced airplane (single-engine), or in a multiengine complex or turbine-powered airplane (multiengine);
• one 2-hour day cross-country flight and one 2-hour night cross-country flight of more than 100 nautical miles from the departure point;
• 3 hours with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months;
• 10 hours solo or as pilot in command with an instructor on board, including a cross-country of at least 300 nautical miles with landings at three points, one at least 250 nautical miles from departure, and 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings at a towered airport.

Simulator credit and the 190-hour route

Under 61.129(i), an applicant who has not trained in a part 142 course may credit at most 50 hours of full flight simulator or training device time toward the total for an airplane rating (100 hours if trained in a part 142 course). Under 61.129(i)(3), "Except when fewer hours are approved by the FAA," an airplane or powered-lift applicant who completed 190 hours of aeronautical experience is considered to have met the total requirement if they completed an approved commercial pilot course at a part 142 training center.

Limits

This page covers the airplane single-engine and multiengine paragraphs only. Helicopter, gyroplane, powered-lift, glider, airship and balloon paragraphs have different numbers. The checker covers hour totals, not the specific cross-country and night flights.

Worked example

A pilot with 210 total hours, 120 PIC, 55 cross-country PIC and 6 hours of complex training has met PIC and cross-country, but is 40 hours short on the 250 total and 4 hours short on complex training.

FAQ

How many hours do I need for a commercial pilot certificate?

At least 250 hours of flight time as a pilot under 61.129 for airplane ratings, with several separate minimums inside it.

How much pilot-in-command time is required?

100 hours, including at least 50 hours in airplanes and 50 hours of cross-country, 10 of those in airplanes.

How much instrument training is required?

10 hours with a view-limiting device, with 5 hours in the aircraft class being sought.

Is there a 190-hour option?

Yes, through an approved part 142 commercial pilot course for airplane or powered-lift, unless fewer hours are approved.

How much simulator time can count?

Up to 50 hours for airplane ratings, or up to 100 hours if trained in a part 142 course.

Sources

Retrieved 2026-11-02. Regulation text read through the eCFR API (current as of 2026-10-29); AIM text read from the FAA publication URL below. Rules change; check the current text.

• 14 CFR 61.129, Aeronautical experience: the airplane totals, individual minimums, simulator credit and 190-hour part 142 provision.