Commercial Pilot Training Pathway in the USA (for Indian Students)

• Issued after FAA medical + TSA approval (for foreign students).
• No flying hours yet, but this certificate allows you to start actual flight training.

• Foundation of flight training – learning to fly small single-engine aircraft.
• Minimum 40 hours required by FAA (realistically 55–60 hrs for most students):
o 20 hours Dual Instruction (with instructor)
o 10 hours Solo Flight (independent flying)
o 5 hours Cross-Country Solo (navigating between airports >50 NM)
o 3 hours Night Flying (including 10 take-offs & landings)
o 3 hours Instrument Training (introduction to flying by reference to instruments)

By end of PPL: You can fly as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) of small aircraft, but not for commercial purposes.

• Allows flying in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC), i.e., when visibility is poor and flying is based only on instruments.
• 40 hours of Instrument Time (on simulator + aircraft)
o At least 15 hours with instructor
o The rest can be a mix of simulator and actual aircraft flying
o Training includes approaches, holding patterns, and IFR cross-country flights
✅ Crucial for airline-level flying and international standards.