Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 61, is the regulatory foundation for pilot certification in the United States. It defines who can act as pilot in command, what aeronautical experience is required for each certificate and rating, and what a pilot must do to remain current. Whether you are a student pilot preparing for your first solo or an ATP adding a new rating, Part 61 governs your path.
Part 61 is organized into subparts, each governing a specific certificate level or topic area:
Student pilots must be at least 16 years old (14 for gliders and balloons), hold a valid medical certificate (or BasicMed for some operations), and obtain a student pilot certificate. Before solo, they must receive a pre-solo aeronautical knowledge test and a pre-solo flight training endorsement from a CFI.
Private pilot applicants must be at least 17 years old, pass the FAA Private Pilot Knowledge Test (PAR), and accumulate a minimum of 40 hours of flight time, including 20 hours of flight training and 10 hours of solo flight. Solo flight requirements include 5 hours of solo cross-country time and a solo cross-country flight of at least 150 nautical miles with full-stop landings at a minimum of 3 points.
Instrument rating applicants must hold at least a private pilot certificate, log at least 50 hours of cross-country PIC time, and accumulate 40 hours of actual or simulated instrument time. The instrument rating authorizes flight in IMC conditions and IFR flight plans in controlled airspace.
Commercial pilot applicants must be at least 18 years old and log 250 hours of flight time, including 100 hours in powered aircraft, 100 hours as PIC, 50 hours of cross-country PIC, and 10 hours of instrument training. A commercial certificate authorizes compensation for certain flight operations.
ATP applicants must be at least 23 years old (21 for restricted ATP) and accumulate 1,500 hours total flight time, including 500 hours of cross-country time, 100 hours of night flight, and 75 hours of actual or simulated instrument time. The ATP certificate is required to act as PIC under Part 121 (airline operations).
No person may act as PIC of an aircraft unless they have completed a flight review within the preceding 24 calendar months. A flight review consists of at least 1 hour of flight training and 1 hour of ground training that includes a review of the current general operating and flight rules of Part 91. A flight review endorsement is recorded in the pilot's logbook by the reviewing CFI.
The flight review requirement is satisfied by completing a practical test for a new certificate or rating, completing a proficiency check under Part 61 or Part 121, or completing certain military flight checks. There is no specific maneuver requirement — the CFI determines the content based on the pilot's experience and the aircraft to be flown.
Currency is separate from the flight review requirement and applies to specific types of operations:
Pilot training in the United States can be conducted under either Part 61 or Part 141. The key differences:
Section 61.51 defines the logging requirements for aeronautical experience. Pilots must log flight time in a manner acceptable to the Administrator and must be able to document the time when applying for a certificate or rating. Key logging rules include: PIC time may be logged only when acting as PIC; a student pilot may log PIC time during solo flight; instrument time must be noted as actual or simulated; and night time must be logged as flight time from the end of evening civil twilight to the beginning of morning civil twilight.
14 CFR Part 61 governs the certification of pilots, flight instructors, and ground instructors. It specifies aeronautical knowledge, experience, and skill requirements for each certificate and rating, as well as currency requirements for recent flight experience.
Under §61.56, a flight review is required every 24 calendar months. It must include at least 1 hour of flight training and 1 hour of ground training. Passing a practical test for a certificate or rating also satisfies the requirement.
Under §61.57, you must have made at least 3 takeoffs and 3 full-stop landings in the same category and class within the preceding 90 days. For night passenger operations, those 3 takeoffs and landings must occur at night (1 hour after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise).
Part 61 training requires no formal curriculum — the CFI tailors training to the student. The minimum hours for a private certificate is 40. Part 141 requires an FAA-approved curriculum at a certificated school, but the minimum hours are reduced to 35 for a private certificate.
Under §61.51, pilots must maintain a logbook recording the date, total flight time, airports, aircraft make/model/registration, and the conditions under which flight time was logged (day, night, actual IMC, simulated IMC, PIC, SIC, solo, flight training, etc.).