Commercial Pilot (Airplane)
Pilot Qualifications Lesson Plan

Introduction:

  • Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a commercial pilot
  • References: 14 CFR parts 61, 68, 91, 119.1(e); AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)

Attention:

Motivator:

  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates general aviation operations in the United States.
  • According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 50,000+ people are issued one or more certificates, from student to airline transport, by age 24.
  • Pilot and instructor certificates each have unique privileges and limitations.
    • Pilot certificates include student, sport, recreational, private, commercial, airline transport, and remote pilot certificates.
    • Instructor certificates include flight and ground instructors.
  • Certificates may have additional ratings added to them.

Overview:

Topic:
Time:
Introduction:
0:05
Aircraft Categories and Classes:
0:10
Pilot certificates & ratings:
0:10
Eligibility information:
0:02
Aeronautical knowledge:
0:02
Aeronautical experience & flight proficiency:
0:10
Privileges & limitations:
0:02
Required documents:
0:02
Pilot logbook/record keeping:
0:05
Medical certificate/BasicMed:
0:08
Currency vs. proficiency:
0:02
Review (quiz):
0:05
Total Ground Time:
1:03

Required Materials:

  • Student Jacket, Paper & Pen or Marker & Whiteboard

Instructor Actions:

Student Actions:

Pilot Qualifications Guided Scenario:

  • A prospective pilot, age 16, walks into a new flight school looking to earn their private pilot's license, but are they eligible?
  • Assuming the same prospective pilot meets age and language requirements, they take a home-study course to satisfy ground training requirements for the specific knowledge areas. Is that permitted? Does an instructor have to be involved if the course is from a well-known business? What are some of the areas covered? Where can those knowledge areas be found?
  • In addition to knowledge, prospective pilot pilots must have aeronautical experience. How many hours are required? How are requirements broken down?
  • A pilot wants to fly to a local airport for dinner, returning that same night.
    • What requirements must that pilot meet to fly at night?
    • What is the definition of night?
    • What changes if the pilot is carrying passengers?
    • Can the pilot takeoff legal if when they land they are no longer legal?
  • A pilot returns from a training flight toward their new rating
    • Does the student pilot have to log this flight? Should the student pilot log the flight? What if the student pilot does not log this flight?
  • A student pilot working toward a private pilot airplane rating is invited to fly with their pilot friend for lunch and flies some of the route
    • Does the student pilot have to log this flight? Should the student pilot log the flight? What if the student pilot does not log this flight?
  • A licensed pilot in an airplane single-engine land has been flying a "steam gauge" Cessna 172 since their first flight but wants to try flying a Cessna 172 with "glass cockpit" avionics
    • Are they legal to do so?
    • What considerations should the pilot take into account with an unfamiliar aircraft?
  • A licensed pilot in an airplane single-engine land has been flying a Cessna 172 since their first flight but wants to try the Piper Archer
    • Are they legal to do so?
    • What considerations should the pilot take into account with an unfamiliar aircraft?
  • A pilot receives a 1st class medical certificate 8 months before their 42nd birthday
    • Can the pilot fly once they hit 42? How does their class of certificate change?
    • Can they fly with BasicMed?
    • What changes if they decide to fly gliders only?
  • When and how might a pilot conduct a self-assessment?

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Airman Certification Standards:

  • Objective: To determine whether the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with airman and medical certificates including privileges, limitations, currency, and operating as pilot-in-command as a commercial pilot
  • References: 14 CFR parts 61, 68, 91, 119.1(e); AC 68-1; FAA-H-8083-2 (Risk Management Handbook), FAA-H-8083-3 (Airplane Flying Handbook), FAA-H-8083-25 (Pilot Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge)

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Knowledge:

The applicant demonstrates an understanding of:

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Risk Management:

The applicant is able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk associated with:

Commercial Pilot (Airplane) Pilot Qualifications Skills:

The applicant exhibits the skills to:
  • CA.I.A.S1:

    Apply requirements to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) in a scenario given by the evaluator.

Re-Motivation:

  • Still looking for something? Continue searching:

Closure:

  • Advise students that this lesson will be used as a starting point for the next lesson
  • Advise the student to register for the WINGS program if they have not done so already.
  • Advise the student to complete BasicMed if they have not done so already.
  • Assign study materials for the next lesson

Reference Materials: