Helicopter Commercial Pilot "Add-On" Certificate Requirements
 The Commercial Pilot Certificate is a necessary second step (after the Private Cerfiicate) for those who aspire to become professional helicopter pilots and / or flight instructors. You must hold a Private Pilot Helicopter Rating before you can advance on to the Helicopter Commercial Rating or Flight Instructor Rating.
Airplane Pilots who already hold Private, Commercial, ATP or CFI Ratings in fixed-wing aircraft can earn what's called an "Add-On" Rating in a helicopter. Those pilots are NOT required to take the FAA Commercial Helicopter written exam and the minimum number of total required dual training hours is reduced. Call or E-Mail with your questions about this or other ratings.
FAA Requirements for Commercial Helicopter Pilot Certificate:
- Be At Least 18 Years Old to Take the Commercial Helicopter Practical Flight Test
- Already hold a Helicopter Private (or higher) Pilot Certificate (not always required)
- Hold a Current 3rd. Class (or higher) FAA Medical Certificate
- Minimum of 150 hours of Flight Time, 100 hours of which must be in Powered Aircraft
- Minimum of 100 hours of Pilot-in-Command (PIC) Time, 35 Minimum in a Helicopter
- A Helicopter Instrument Rating is NOT Required
- 10 Hours of Instrument Training in an Aircraft is Required
- NO FAA WRITTEN Exam Required for Those Who Hold a Commercial Airplane Certificate
- Pass the Commercial Helicopter FAA Oral and Practical Flight Test
** Note: NO Prior Airplane or Aircraft Experience is REQUIRED to Earn a Helicopter License.
See Private Pilot Requirements for details
Estimated Cost: Commercial Pilot - "Add-On" Helicopter Certificate*
Minimum of 60 Hours Required - Average Cost Estimate Based on 90 Flight Hours
NOTES: Hourly rates shown are based on the advance purchase of 10-hour "blocks" of flight training time. Add $10 per hour if training is purchased hour-by-hour.
Rates are subject to change without notice. Students may elect to take an outside ground school or study on their own with Midwest's guidance for written exams.
Supplemental individual personalized ground instruction (if requested) will be charged at current ground school instructor rates.
* Cost estimates are based on the FAA MINIMUM training requirements. The number of hours any individual may require depends on that person's abilities, personal initiative,
desire to learn, outside study, and frequency of training. Based on years of experience in training helicopter pilots, we have found that it takes most students approximately
90 hours of flight training to gain the skills and proficiency required to pass the required FAA Private and Commercial Pilot Practical Flight Tests for the "Add-On" Rating.
Please call or E-Mail us with your specific questions.
PLEASE NOTE: The requirements to obtain a Helicopter Commercial Pilot Rating if you are already an Airplane-Rated Pilot with some additional Pilot-in-Command (PIC) time are a little confusing, but we will do our best to explain them here.
You DO NOT have to hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate in Airplanes to earn your Commercial Certificate in a Helicopter.
Up to 65 hours of your fixed-wing PIC time may be applied towards the 100-hour PIC requirement for the helicopter
Commercia Certificate.
That means you only need 35 hours of helicopter PIC for the helicopter Commercial. You will already have at least 10 hours of PIC when you obtain your Helicopter Private (or Private "Add-On") Certificate . Then, you only need an additional 25 hours of helicopter PIC to meet the Commercial helicopter requirements.
If you already hold a Commercial Airplane or ATP Certificate, you do NOT need to take the Helicopter Commercial written "Knowledge Test." If you don't hold a Commercial Airplane Rating,
you WILL need to take the Helicopter Commercial Written "Knowledge Test", which is not especially difficult.
Note: You can begin your primary flight training in a helicopter TODAY! There are NO prior requirements before you can begin dual instruction in the helicopter. You DON'T need ANY airplane experience to fly helicopters.
Commercial Pilot - "Add-On" Helicopter Certificate Requirements
( for those Pilots WITH prior fixed-wing or other aircraft ratings ) **
FAA Commercial Pilot Requirements
FAA Commercial Helicopter Pilot Requirements
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