Pilot Qualifications

This one involves a lot of memorization. Again, this is not meant as a comprehensive study guide, but a helper to get you through the section more efficiently.

Certification Requirements

This is often the first question in the test, so you want to hit the ball out of the park with a good answer. I’ve heard some inconsistent word-salad answers on this one, so I came up with a mnemonic and jingle to make it easier to remember. If you have the references and key points, you’re probably ok not having every last line item memorized.

How do you become a commercial pilot? EKPEE
  • Eligibility: 61.123: be 18, have PP, medical, read/write/speak English, pass checkride.
  • Knowledge: 61.125: pass the test on the topics listed.
  • Proficiency: 61.127: be proficient at the areas listed.
  • Experience: 61.129: have 250 hours, including 20 training, the day/night XC, long solo, night landings, and the other breakouts we just discussed when we went through my tabbed-out logbook.
  • Endorsements: 61.39: have an endorsement for the above proficiency and anything I missed on the written test.
The jingle for this is “3, 5, 7, 9, 61.39.” For private pilot, it’s 61.10x, commercial is 61.12x, ATP is 61.15x. Instrument 61.65 and 141 courses follow the same EKPEE format, but have it in one section. Most DPEs won’t require you to have all of EKPEE completely memorized, but you should have the high-level bullets down. When you set up, you should organize all your documents using this or some other format to quickly present that to the DPE (FPC, P&P). Do a practice run: if it takes longer than 5 minutes, change your presentation.

Basicmed

BasicMed gets its own row in the ACS, so it will get attention. “Why do I care about this if I’m going to need a Class 2 for commercial ops” is the wrong answer. There are two number sequence memory aids to remember for the checkups and limitations:
Checkups: 2-4-6-8: you need a self-cert every 2 years, doctor visit every 4, and the specifics are in Part 68.
Limitations: 6-6-6-18-250: PP ops at max 6k MTOW, 6 seats, 6 people, 18k altitude, and 250 on the airspeed. Think three 6s make 18, and 250 as a speed. The reg for that is 61.113i. Don’t get fooled thinking it’s in 68.

Those two should get you past the majority of evaluators. I don’t think they’re super common memory aids yet, so you might get points for coming across as more organized (FPC, P&P).

Unfamiliar aircraft

You evaluator will likely ask you a question about some aircraft you may not have flown and give you a scenario, something like “Here’s the keys to a PC-12, let’s go to Vegas.” Your answer should break it into two sub-questions:
  • “Is it legal? I’d look up the attributes of the PC-12 and then check 61.31 to see if I need a type rating or other training. I think I’d need HA, HP, and complex for sure, but I’d double check.” This is an example of where you should know the additional endorsements, but might not have all of them memorized 100%. If you don’t recognize the airplane in the example, you shouldn’t get dinged for that, so “look it up and check 61.31” should be a safe answer. If the evaluator is happy that you can solve the problem, you’re probably set.
  • “Is it safe? I am/am not current and proficient in X, so I’d need training….” If you have not flown the plane, the answer should be “no, and here’s how I can fix that.”