training requirements before solo

[saviboy]

hi
a friend is a commercial pilot in a rotorcraft and has 1100 hrs in it. he also a 2nd class medical. what does he need to do to solo in a fixed wing?
thanks

 

[midlifeflyer]

a friend is a commercial pilot in a rotorcraft and has 1100 hrs in it. he also a 2nd class medical. what does he need to do to solo in a fixed wing?

Get a CFI to sign him off. Not really being facetious. In fact, there are those who suggest it's not even that much.

Start with the general proposition that your friend is not a "student pilot". He is a commercial pilot who is adding on a rating for a different category or class of aircraft, so the pre-solo requirements for "student pilots" we're familiar with don't technically apply to him. The rule that really controls this is 61.31(d). See below. If you can figure out a workable difference between (2) and (3), go for it. But the general view is that, in order to solo, your friend should

Be receiving training or have had training in fixed wing singles that satisfy the CFI to give the add-on solo endorsement that appears in AC 61-65D (Endorsement # 35), not the usual certificate and logbook endorsements that apply to student pilots.

For the CFI, I think that this means that he is comfortable that the pilot meets student pilot competence levels in the pre-solo areas of operations. It also means that whether or not anyone else thinks they can be enforced, the endorsement should have appropriate restrictions and an expiration date (note that, unlike student pilot endorsements, the add-on endorsement doesn't expire by itself)

FAR 61.65

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(d) Aircraft category, class, and type ratings: Limitations on operating an aircraft as the pilot in command. To serve as the pilot in command of an aircraft, a person must -

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(2) Be receiving training for the purpose of obtaining an additional pilot certificate and rating that are appropriate to that aircraft, and be under the supervision of an authorized instructor; or

(3) Have received training required by this part that is appropriate to the aircraft category, class, and type rating (if a class or type rating is required) for the aircraft to be flown, and have received the required endorsements from an instructor who is authorized to provide the required endorsements for solo flight in that aircraft.

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[bobbysamd]

Deleted post

Deleted post. The old board let you delete posts if you changed your mind after posting, which I did before Mark posted below.

 

[midlifeflyer]

He may be an a helo commercial pilot but he is an airplane student pilot. Pursuant to 14 CFR 61.87(l) and AC 61-65D (p 5), he also needs to obtain a student pilot certificate from the FAA or a DE and have it signed off along with the endorsements in his logbook.

Sorry, Bobby, but that is incorrect.

 

[350DRIVER]

Mark seems like he knows his regulations pretty well OR has a he!! of a lot of time on his hands with FAR/AIM. by his side.

good post

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