Private VS Commercial: which one is easier

I wanna to get a commercial license, when comparing with getting private
pilot license, is commercial license just required instrument,
multiengine...rating? Is there any real hard exam to pass? any more
advanced aviation knowledge required?

Louis Tse

I assume that you are asking about getting your training in the United
States. If that is the case, the private certificate is a prerequisite for
the commercial certificate....you can't go directly to commercial. A pilot
with a commercial certificate but without an instrument rating is severely
limited in what he can do for money. The multiengine rating is wholly
separate and can be earned by pilots with either certificate.

The private and commercial certificates and the instrument rating require a
passing grade on a knowledge test. There is no written exam for the
multiengine rating.

There are a ton of books available to help with your training. Mine are THE
COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT and THE COMPLETE ADVANCED PILOT.

Bob Gardner

"Louis Tse" <louistse@graduate.hku.hk> wrote in message
news:3F2E9B08.9050806@graduate.hku.hk...
> I wanna to get a commercial license, when comparing with getting private
> pilot license, is commercial license just required instrument,
> multiengine...rating? Is there any real hard exam to pass? any more
> advanced aviation knowledge required?
>
> Louis Tse
>

Thanks Bob for ur advise, when we compare the knowledge test between
private, commercial, intrument rating, are the tests of commercial and
intrument rating harder than that of private, which means they require
people more time to prepare for the exam.
Also, is there any practical exam for commercial lisence and hard to pass?
One more thing, are the instrument rating , simulator, multiengine
rating counted for the 200 hrs(?) requirement to get the commercial lisence?

Louis Tse

Bob Gardner wrote:
> I assume that you are asking about getting your training in the United
> States. If that is the case, the private certificate is a prerequisite for
> the commercial certificate....you can't go directly to commercial. A pilot
> with a commercial certificate but without an instrument rating is severely
> limited in what he can do for money. The multiengine rating is wholly
> separate and can be earned by pilots with either certificate.
>
> The private and commercial certificates and the instrument rating require a
> passing grade on a knowledge test. There is no written exam for the
> multiengine rating.
>
> There are a ton of books available to help with your training. Mine are THE
> COMPLETE PRIVATE PILOT and THE COMPLETE ADVANCED PILOT.
>
> Bob Gardner
>
> "Louis Tse" <louistse@graduate.hku.hk> wrote in message
> news:3F2E9B08.9050806@graduate.hku.hk...
>
>>I wanna to get a commercial license, when comparing with getting private
>> pilot license, is commercial license just required instrument,
>>multiengine...rating? Is there any real hard exam to pass? any more
>>advanced aviation knowledge required?
>>
>>Louis Tse
>>
>
>
>

Louis Tse <louistse@graduate.hku.hk> wrote in message news:<3F2EA9BC.70901@graduate.hku.hk>...
> Thanks Bob for ur advise, when we compare the knowledge test between
> private, commercial, intrument rating, are the tests of commercial and
> intrument rating harder than that of private, which means they require
> people more time to prepare for the exam.
> Also, is there any practical exam for commercial lisence and hard to pass?
> One more thing, are the instrument rating , simulator, multiengine
> rating counted for the 200 hrs(?) requirement to get the commercial lisence?

Yes, as you go "up" (private, instrument, commercial, etc) the tests
get "harder". However, every rating other then the private starts out
with a very large knowledge base already under your belt. So, although
the commercial checkride is harder harder than the private (the
requirements are more strict, the turns are steeper, the manuervers
are harder) the commercial takes about 1/2 to 1/4 the time the private
does to get ready for the checkride. The instrument is a bit different
in that, if the CFII is actually competant (pretty rare) you are
working hard and sweating for 40 hours of intense dual. However, the
average CFII doesn't even have 40 hours of actual himself and doesn't
know much more about IFR flying than the student. I've actually heard
of CFII applicants not having ever had any actual time!

Of course, the CFI rating is another story. There is a lot, of
studying for that. The written tests are harder and the oral is very
extensive, mostly covering adult learning theory (FOI).

If you work under part 141 the following times apply...
Private = 35 hours total time
Commercial = 200 hours total time

If you work under part 61 the following times apply...
Private = 40 hours total time
Commercial = 250 hours total time

The commercial time requirements are pretty reasonable and you should
be able to do them. The private is very unlikely. Most private
applicants have around 60 hours in their log books when they take
their checkride and that assumes they have not taken any breaks in
training. There are some part 141 schools out there (or at least used
to be) that really did get students done in 35 hours total time. The
trick is to fly 5 hours a day.



Louis Tse <louistse@graduate.hku.hk> wrote in message news:<3F2F68F6.1000602@graduate.hku.hk>...
> Yes, i have the FAR Part 141, and it states the training time:
>
> Determine the flight training time ratio of
> Appendix D to FAR Part 61 flight experience time
> requirements, e.g., using Appendix D:
> Total Flight Training Time (Appendix D)
> Total Flight Experience Time (Part 61) = Percentage
> 190 hours + 250 hours = 76%
>
> So, what is the training time? 190 hrs or 250 hrs? The Private Pilot
> Mannual of Jeppesen says the training between 190 and 250 hrs, does the
> commercial require exactly 250 hrs? Thanks a lot!