FAR 61.129 Commercial Total time

[SierraPilot123]

FAR 61.129 says that you need 250 hours of total time, 100 hours in a powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in an airplane.

Does this mean that the student can use up to 50 hours of FTD time towards the 100 hours in powered aircraft?

I have a very low time instruement pilot and I am trying to find out home much time building he needs to do before he is finished with his commercial multi license that we are about to start.

Thanks

[moxiepilot]

FAA approved ATDs you can log:

2.5 for PRIVATE
20 INSTRUMENT
25 ATP
50 COMMERCIAL

as per:

logged flight experience - 61.51(b)(3)
instrument experience - 61.57(c)(1)
Instrument proficiency check - 61.57(d)(1)(ii)
instrument rating practical test 61.65(a)(8)
instrument rating max 20 hrs 61.65(e)(2)
pvt pilot max 2.5 hrs 61.109(i)(1)
commercial max 50 hours 61.129(i)(1)
ATP max 25 hrs 61.159(a)(3)(i)
141 as limited by appendices 141.41(b) (c)

[MidlifeFlyer]

" must log at least 250 hours of flight time ... 100 hours in powered aircraft... 50 hours must be in airplanes"

When you look at the basic time requirements, forget the FTD initially. Nothing in an FTD is "flight time" and an FTD is not a "powered aircraft" or indeed =any= kind of aircraft, including an "airplane".

To figure out what requirements you can use an FTD to =substitute for= you need to go to the FTD part of the reg:

Assuming you are not in a Part 142 program,

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FAR 129 (i) Permitted credit for use of a flight simulator or flight training device.
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (i)(2) of this section, an applicant who has not accomplished the training required by this section in a course conducted by a training center certificated under part 142 of this chapter may:

(i) Credit a maximum of 50 hours toward the total aeronautical experience requirements for an airplane or powered-lift rating, provided the aeronautical experience was obtained from an authorized instructor in a flight simulator or flight training device that represents that class of airplane or powered-lift category and type, if applicable, appropriate to the rating sought;
==============================

As I read it, the 50 hours applies only to the "total aeronautical experience requirements", namely, the 250 hour total, not the subgroups that require specific types of flight time (such as "PIC") or particular types of "aircraft".

[SierraPilot123]

Thanks a lot. That is just what I was looking for, I just was not sure where to find it. I will bookmark this one for future use.

Cheers