U.S. Code of Federal Regulations
Regulations most recently checked for updates: Aug 27, 2025
Use the following table to determine the experience you must have for each aircraft category and class:
| If you are applying for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating
for . . . | Then you must log at least . . . | Which must include at least . . . |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Airplane category and single-engine class privileges, | (1) 150 hours of flight time as a pilot, | (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft,
(ii) 50 hours of flight time in a single-engine airplane, (iii) 25 hours of cross-country time, (iv) 10 hours of cross-country time in a single-engine airplane, and |
| (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a single-engine airplane that is a light-sport aircraft. | ||
| (b) Glider category privileges, | (1) 25 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a glider, 100 flights in a glider, and 15 flights as pilot in command in a glider that is a light-sport aircraft, or
(2) 100 hours in heavier-than-air aircraft, 20 flights in a glider, and 15 flights as pilot in command in a glider that is a light-sport aircraft | |
| (c) Rotorcraft category and gyroplane class privileges, | (1) 125 hours of flight time as a pilot, | (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft,
(ii) 50 hours of flight time in a gyroplane, |
| (iii) 10 hours of cross-country time, | ||
| (iv) 3 hours of cross-country time in a gyroplane, and | ||
| (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a gyroplane that is a light-sport aircraft. | ||
| (d) Lighter-than-air category and airship class privileges, | (1) 100 hours of flight time as a pilot, | (i) 40 hours of flight time in an airship,
(ii) 20 hours of pilot in command time in an airship, |
| (iii) 10 hours of cross-country time, | ||
| (iv) 5 hours of cross-country time in an airship, and | ||
| (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in an airship that is a light-sport aircraft. | ||
| (e) Lighter-than-air category and balloon class privileges, | (1) 35 hours of flight time as pilot-in-command, | (i) 20 hours of flight time in a balloon,
(ii) 10 flights in a balloon, and |
| (iii) 5 flights as pilot in command in a balloon that is a light-sport aircraft. | ||
| (f) Weight-shift-control aircraft category privileges, | (1) 150 hours of flight time as a pilot, | (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft,
(ii) 50 hours of flight time in a weight-shift-control aircraft, |
| (iii) 25 hours of cross-country time, | ||
| (iv) 10 hours of cross-country time in a weight-shift-control aircraft, and | ||
| (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a weight-shift-control aircraft that is a light-sport aircraft. | ||
| (g) Powered-parachute category privileges, | (1) 100 hours of flight time as a pilot, | (i) 75 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft,
(ii) 50 hours of flight time in a powered parachute, |
| (iii) 15 hours of cross-country time, | ||
| (iv) 5 hours of cross-country time in a powered parachute, and | ||
| (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a powered parachute that is a light-sport aircraft. |
