# 61.411 What aeronautical experience must I have to apply for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating?
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 ratingfor . . . | 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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316, 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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (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 an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316. |
| (h) Rotorcraft category and helicopter class, only if that helicopter is certificated under § 21.190 and obtains the simplified flight controls designation, | (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 helicopter;
(iii) 25 hours of cross-country flight time;
(iv) 10 hours of cross-country flight time in a helicopter; and
(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a helicopter. |
| | (2) [Reserved] | |
[Docket FAA-2001-11133, 69 FR 44875, July 27, 2004, as amended by FAA-2023-1275; Amdt. 61-157, 89 FR 92483, Nov. 21, 2024; Docket FAA-2023-1377, Amdt. 61-159, 90 FR 35216, 35218, July 24, 2025]