COMMERCIAL PILOT LICENCE - AEROPLANE
Ref. CAR 421.30
If you are looking for a flying career in the aviation industry, the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) is your first step. With a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) you will be able to work for hire or reward and be paid for your services as a pilot working for a licensed commercial air operator in Canada. Once the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) has been obtained, most pilots then transition to multi-engine and instrument training in order to be ready for the demands of a commercial air operation.
HOW LONG WILL THE FLIGHT TRAINING TAKE?
To complete the Transport Canada minimum on-course requirements of 35 hours Dual plus 30 hours Solo flight time, estimated average flight training time would be:
- 13 Weeks if flying 5 days per week
- 16 Months if flying 1 day per week
WHAT ARE THE AGE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING?
- You must be a minimum of 18 years of age to be issued a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
HOW MUCH FLYING TIME IS REQUIRED?
You require a minimum of 200 hours flight total time of which a minimum of 100 hours shall be pilot-in-command time including 20 hours cross-country pilot-in-command flight time. Other CPL requirements are as follows:
65 hours of commercial pilot flight training after the issue of the PPL consisting of a minimum of:
- 35 hours dual instruction flight time including:
- 5 hours night, including a minimum of 2 hours of cross-country flight time
- 5 hours cross-country
- 20 hours of instrument flight time (a maximum 10 hours of the 20 hours may be conducted on an approved aeroplane simulator or synthetic flight training device)
- 30 hours solo flight time including:
- 25 hours solo flight time emphasizing the improvement of general flying skills of the applicant which shall include a cross-country flight to a point of a minimum of 300 nautical mile radius from the point of departure and shall include a minimum of 3 landings at points other than that of departure
- 5 hours solo flight time by night during which a minimum of 10 takeoffs, circuits and landings were completed
WHAT ARE THE AVIATION MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS?
- Prior to beginning your flight training for the Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL), you must have a valid Category 1 aviation medical certificate from a Transport Canada-approved Civil Aviation Medical Examiner (CAME). Below is a list of approved list of medical examiners in the London, Ontario area:
Dr. Bates
- Office: 519-438-5101
- Address: #208-190 Wortley Road
Dr. Chapeskie
- Office: 519-461-0776
- Address: Box 130, 21816 Fairview Road (Thorndale)
Dr. Marshall
- Office: 519-245-3590
- Address: 31 Caradoc Street North
Dr. Siu
- Office: 519-858-4694
- Address: 827 Richmond Street
If you are from outside the London area, a list of Civil Aviation Medical Examiners can be found here on the Transport Canada website
DO I NEED TO WRITE AN EXAM?
Yes, you must have a minimum of 60% in each of the following four mandatory subjects areas as well as in the overall written examination Commercial Pilot Licence — Aeroplane (CPAER):
- Air Law: Regulations, rules and orders, air traffic services, practices and procedures, and licensing requirements relevant to the licence
- Navigation: Navigation, radio aids and electronic theory,
- Meteorology
- Aeronautics - General Knowledge: Airframes, engines and systems, theory of flight, flight instruments and flight operations.
You must have a minimum of 80 hours commercial pilot aeroplane ground school instruction including at least the following subjects:
- Canadian Aviation Regulations
- Aerodynamics and theory of flight
- Meteorology
- Airframes, engines and systems
- Flight instruments
- Radio and electronic theory
- Navigation
- Flight operations
- Licensing requirements
- Human factors including pilot decision making
IS A FLIGHT TEST REQUIRED?
Yes, you must successfully pass a Commercial Pilot flight test with a Transport Canada-approved pilot examiner
WHAT PRIVILEGES WILL I HAVE AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING?
The Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) allows you to fly single-engine, single pilot, non-high-performance aircraft under Visual Flight Rules for hire or reward
ARE THERE ANY PREREQUISITES TO TRAINING?
Candidate must hold a valid Private Pilot Licence (PPL) and have a Category 1 aviation medical