{"data":{"id":"us/14-cfr-61.411","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"14 CFR 61.411","heading":"What aeronautical experience must I have to apply for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating?","body":"Use the following table to determine the experience you must have for each aircraft category and class:\nIf you are applying for a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating for . . . Then you must log at least . . . Which must include at least . . .\n(a) Airplane category and single-engine class privileges, (1) 150 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft, (ii) 50 hours of flight time in a single-engine airplane, (iii) 25 hours of cross-country time, (iv) 10 hours of cross-country time in a single-engine airplane, and\n(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a single-engine airplane that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(b) Glider category privileges, (1) 25 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a glider, 100 flights in a glider, and 15 flights as pilot in command in a glider that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316, or (2) 100 hours in heavier-than-air aircraft, 20 flights in a glider, and 15 flights as pilot in command in a glider that is a light-sport aircraft\n(c) Rotorcraft category and gyroplane class privileges, (1) 125 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft, (ii) 50 hours of flight time in a gyroplane,\n(iii) 10 hours of cross-country time,\n(iv) 3 hours of cross-country time in a gyroplane, and\n(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a gyroplane that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(d) Lighter-than-air category and airship class privileges, (1) 100 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 40 hours of flight time in an airship, (ii) 20 hours of pilot in command time in an airship,\n(iii) 10 hours of cross-country time,\n(iv) 5 hours of cross-country time in an airship, and\n(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in an airship that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(e) Lighter-than-air category and balloon class privileges, (1) 35 hours of flight time as pilot-in-command, (i) 20 hours of flight time in a balloon, (ii) 10 flights in a balloon, and\n(iii) 5 flights as pilot in command in a balloon that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(f) Weight-shift-control aircraft category privileges, (1) 150 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft, (ii) 50 hours of flight time in a weight-shift-control aircraft,\n(iii) 25 hours of cross-country time,\n(iv) 10 hours of cross-country time in a weight-shift-control aircraft, and\n(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a weight-shift-control aircraft that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(g) Powered-parachute category privileges, (1) 100 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 75 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft, (ii) 50 hours of flight time in a powered parachute,\n(iii) 15 hours of cross-country time,\n(iv) 5 hours of cross-country time in a powered parachute, and\n(v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a powered parachute that is an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316.\n(h) Rotorcraft category and helicopter class, only if that helicopter is certificated under § 21.190 and obtains the simplified flight controls designation, (1) 150 hours of flight time as a pilot, (i) 100 hours of flight time as pilot in command in powered aircraft; (ii) 50 hours of flight time in a helicopter; (iii) 25 hours of cross-country flight time; (iv) 10 hours of cross-country flight time in a helicopter; and (v) 15 hours of flight time as pilot in command in a helicopter.\n(2) [Reserved]","path":["Title 14—Aeronautics and Space","CHAPTER I—FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION","SUBCHAPTER D—AIRMEN","PART 61—CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS","Subpart K—Flight Instructors With a Sport Pilot Rating"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-14.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:20Z","sha256":"5af2297c5a215d7741e2256da687ff4bf6391a2b31a1b6b06c291dc7ce9ef925","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/14-cfr-61.409","next":"us/14-cfr-61.412"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}