The Commercial Pilot License (CPL) – as the name suggests – allows you to enter the commercial world of aviation. This means that you can carry passengers or cargo while getting paid!
After completing the Commercial Pilot License, former Blue Chip students are everywhere in sought after positions in the aviation industry – nationally and internationally. Brilliant career or passionate leisure activity, aviation offers you a future like no other and as a student of Blue Chip Flight School, you’ll find yourself in a class above the rest.
Blue Chip offers some of the most advanced pilot training technology and industry-leading Commercial Pilot instructors that help you through difficult airstreams on your way to becoming a professional pilot. But before we get you there, find out a bit more about the theoretical and practical requirements associated with a CPL.
Pilots need to complete a practical skills test in advanced flying with a civil aviation authority approved flight examiner.
Theoretical requirements
Minimum age to acquire your CPL is 18
A Valid Private Pilot Licence with Night Rating
Pass all Theoretical Examinations
Complete a Minimum of 200 hours flight time, including:
Meteorology
Flight Planning
Radio Aids
Navigation & Plotting
Instruments
Air law & Procedures
Human Performance
Aircraft Technical & General
We offer economical training rental opportunities after hours during weekdays and on weekends. Students can stay in touch with Blue Chip management and their Flight Instructors for recommendations to achieve optimum experience and learning benefits.
Once you have completed the required number of Pilot in Command hours and passed all the theoretical exams, you will be ready to move into the advanced training phase. Prepare yourself for vigorous preparation and skill sharpening, following a structured program, before your instructor recommends you for the CPL test with a Designated Examiner.
The final phase should involve a variable pitch with a retractable gear aircraft for a Single Engine VFR/IFR CPL. The flight test must be conducted by a South African Civil Aviation Authority Designated Examiner.
Many, if not most, employment opportunities require multi-engine flight experience. Preparation for the Commercial Pilot License can overlap with an Initial Multi-Engine Rating preparation.
However you decide to combine the tests for a Commercial Pilot License and Multi-Engine Rating, it may be prudent to allow for an additional five hours of preparation time. Many, if not most, candidates prefer this approach, although the final choice to test on a single or multi-engine aircraft is entirely up to you.
The initial Instrument Rating test can also be conducted on a Multi-Engine aircraft. Testing with a designated examiner is required to complete the Multi-Engine Rating. Bear in mind that the initial Multi-Engine rating requires 70 hours of pilot-in-command time before being tested.