Aeronautical experience

To earn a recreational pilot certificate, you need at least 30 total flight hours, broken down as follows:

15 hours of flight training with an instructor covering the required areas of operation, including:

• A cross-country flight to an airport more than 25 nautical miles away (with three takeoffs and landings there), unless you qualify for the exception in §61.100
• Three hours of test preparation in your chosen aircraft within the two calendar months before your practical test

3 hours of solo flight in the aircraft category and class you're seeking, practicing the required maneuvers and operations.

The remaining 12 hours can be any combination of instruction, solo, or other flight time.

If you already hold a sport pilot certificate, you can count qualifying flight training from a sport pilot instructor toward these requirements, provided it was in the same aircraft category/class and covered operations required for both certificates.

*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.*