Helicopter Instrument Rating

[nicoleev32]

Greetings.

 

A question regarding the helicopter instrument rating:

 

In the FAR's, it states:

 

(1) At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes for an instrument -- airplane rating

 

Now, is there a requirement for the number of hours of cross-country that must be in helicopters for a helicopter instrument rating?

 

Thank you,

Nicole

[HeliUtah]

The FAR update in October added a number of changes involving instrument training for the Commercial as well as the Instrument rating for Helicopters. To answer the question below, 10 hours in helicopters is now required for an instrument-helicopters rating. These changes of course did not make the printing, but are on the FAA website.

 

Greetings.

 

A question regarding the helicopter instrument rating:

 

In the FAR's, it states:

 

(1) At least 50 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command, of which at least 10 hours must be in airplanes for an instrument -- airplane rating

 

Now, is there a requirement for the number of hours of cross-country that must be in helicopters for a helicopter instrument rating?

 

Thank you,

Nicole

[heligirl03]

From the eFARs

 

14CFR61.65...

 

(e) Aeronautical experience for the instrument-helicopter rating. A person who applies for an instrument-helicopter rating must have logged:

 

(1) Fifty hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in a helicopter; and

 

(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed under paragraph © of this section, of which 15 hours must have been with an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-helicopter rating, and the instrument time includes:

 

(i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in a helicopter that is appropriate to the instrument-helicopter rating within 2 calendar months before the date of the practical test; and

 

(ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight procedures, including one cross country flight in a helicopter with an authorized instructor that is performed under instrument flight rules and a flight plan has been filed with an air traffic control facility, and involves—

 

(A) A flight of 100 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;

 

(B ) An instrument approach at each airport; and

 

(c ) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems.

[PlatoNC]

From the eFARs

 

14CFR61.65...

 

(e) Aeronautical experience for the instrument-helicopter rating. A person who applies for an instrument-helicopter rating must have logged:

 

(1) Fifty hours of cross country flight time as pilot in command, of which 10 hours must have been in a helicopter; and

 

(2) Forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time in the areas of operation listed under paragraph © of this section, of which 15 hours must have been with an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-helicopter rating, and the instrument time includes:

 

(i) Three hours of instrument flight training from an authorized instructor in a helicopter that is appropriate to the instrument-helicopter rating within 2 calendar months before the date of the practical test; and

 

(ii) Instrument flight training on cross country flight procedures, including one cross country flight in a helicopter with an authorized instructor that is performed under instrument flight rules and a flight plan has been filed with an air traffic control facility, and involves—

 

(A) A flight of 100 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;

 

(B ) An instrument approach at each airport; and

 

(c ) Three different kinds of approaches with the use of navigation systems.

 

This.

[Gomer Pylot]

And those are the bare minimums. If you can pass an instrument checkride with that experience level, you're either very lucky or very good. Plan on more than that.

[12-7]

Couple of clarifying questions:

 

1) Are DPEs looking for the:

"(A) A flight of 100 nautical miles along airways or by directed routing from an air traffic control facility;"

to be a straight line distance of 100nm? or could a 51nm round trip flight with 3 different approaches be used?

 

2) Is there any reason this flight cound not also satisfy the 61.129 Commercial requirement:

"(ii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a helicopter in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure;"?

[heligirl03]

Round trip 100nm has been satisfactory to the DPEs I've worked with. But no, it can not also count toward commercial requirements for x-c. When you look at 61.129 you'll see that the x-c aeronautical experience requirements are listed under this heading:

 

"(3) 20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in § 61.127( b )(3) of this part that includes at least—"

 

The reference to AOOs § 61.127 indicates that this flight must be conducted specifically while training for commercial requirements and not general requirements (which are listed at the very top of the helicopter section as seen below). Incidentally, this is the same reason why you can not piggyback solo, IFR, or night hours requirements from PPL or IFR training into CPL requirements.

 

Here is the entire helicopter section for easy reference.

 

(c )For a helicopter rating.Except as provided in paragraph (i) of this section, a person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating must log at least 150 hours of flight time as a pilot that consists of at least:

 

(1) 100 hours in powered aircraft, of which 50 hours must be in helicopters.

 

(2) 100 hours of pilot-in-command flight time, which includes at least—

 

(i) 35 hours in helicopters; and

 

(ii) 10 hours in cross-country flight in helicopters.

 

(3) 20 hours of training on the areas of operation listed in § 61.127(b )(3) of this part that includes at least—

 

(i) Five hours on the control and maneuvering of a helicopter solely by reference to instruments using a view-limiting device including attitude instrument flying, partial panel skills, recovery from unusual flight attitudes, and intercepting and tracking navigational systems. This aeronautical experience may be performed in an aircraft, flight simulator, flight training device, or an aviation training device;

 

(ii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a helicopter in daytime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure;

 

(iii) One 2-hour cross country flight in a helicopter in nighttime conditions that consists of a total straight-line distance of more than 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and

 

(iv) Three hours in a helicopter with an authorized instructor in preparation for the practical test within the preceding 2 calendar months from the month of the test.

 

(4) Ten hours of solo flight time in a helicopter or 10 hours of flight time performing the duties of pilot in command in a helicopter with an authorized instructor on board (either of which may be credited towards the flight time requirement under paragraph ©(2) of this section), on the areas of operation listed under § 61.127(b )(3) that includes—

 

(i) One cross-country flight with landings at a minimum of three points, with one segment consisting of a straight-line distance of at least 50 nautical miles from the original point of departure; and

 

(ii) 5 hours in night VFR conditions with 10 takeoffs and 10 landings (with each landing involving a flight in the traffic pattern).