The Commercial Pilot Licence is normally run in parallel with the Instrument Rating so when you finish you have qualified for both.  This makes you more employable.

Course requirements for the Commercial Licence with Instrument Rating are a further 155 total flying hours after the PPL, which includes 100 solo hours of which 50 must be cross-country by day and/or night and 5 hours must be night solo.  A minimum of 40 hours of instrument flight training is required of which 20 hours can be flown on a simulator (these 20 hours include the simulator hours from the PPL and Night Rating).  In addition to the practical flying hours, the student is required to pass the CAA theoretical examinations.  You will only be recommended for your final flight tests once you have completed the minimum requirements and more importantly, reached the standard required.

The full PPL/Night Rating/Commercial/Instrument Rating lasts approximately 12 - 14 months, depending on weather, operational requirements and the student’s progress.

Before applying for the CPL you will be required to pass a further, Class One medical.  The minimum age for acquiring a CPL is 18 but there is no upper age limit.

A good knowledge of basic mathematics and physics and a good command of the English language is required to apply for this course.

You will begin your advanced course by starting a combination of your Night Rating, a conversion to the Piper Cherokee and flying some longer cross-country flights.  You will also be scheduled for local training flights to continue practising what you learnt at PPL level. Your flights will be scheduled for you and cross-country routes specified.  At the same time you will attend your CPL groundschool lectures and write your CAA exams - the course is a lot of hard work! When you have passed your exams and have approximately 150 hours, your advanced aircraft conversions including multi-engine if appropriate and IF training including simulator training will start.

You will be provided with books and equipment at the start of the course and these are yours to keep.

The CAA CPL (including Instrument Rating) written examinations cover the following:

• Meteorology
• Flight planning and performance
• Radio aids and communication
• Navigation and plotting
• Air law and operating procedures
• Instruments and electronics
• Human Performance
• Aircraft technical and general

All the above are multiple choice examinations.

You will be required to attend a full ground school course which is divided into two sections; the first covering 5 papers followed by a short break for self-study and examinations, then the balance of the subjects followed by the remaining examinations.