Recreational pilot privileges and limitations

A recreational pilot certificate allows you to fly with one passenger and share expenses (fuel, oil, airport fees, rental costs) equally. By default, you can only fly within 50 nautical miles of your departure airport, but you can exceed this distance with proper cross-country training and a logbook endorsement.

You cannot fly in Class B, C, or D airspace or at towered airports unless you receive specific training and an endorsement covering radio communications, controlled airspace operations, and traffic patterns.

Significant aircraft restrictions apply: no more than four seats, single-engine only, maximum 180 horsepower (except helicopters), and no retractable gear. You also cannot fly at night, above 10,000 feet MSL or 2,000 feet AGL, in less than 3 miles visibility, or for any compensation or business purpose.

If you have fewer than 400 total hours and haven't flown as pilot-in-command in the past 180 days, you need refresher training and an instructor endorsement before acting as PIC again.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*