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476 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 135.245 

previously used by the certificate hold-
er in operations under this part, oper-
ating experience acquired in the air-
craft during proving flights or ferry 
flights may be used to meet this re-
quirement. 

(3) Each person must acquire the op-

erating experience while performing 
the duties of a pilot in command under 
the supervision of a qualified check 
pilot. 

(4) The hours of operating experience 

may be reduced to not less than 50 per-
cent of the hours required by this sec-
tion by the substitution of one addi-
tional takeoff and landing for each 
hour of flight. 

[Doc. No. 20011, 45 FR 7541, Feb. 4, 1980, as 
amended by Amdt. 135–9, 45 FR 80461, Dec. 14, 
1980; Amdt. 135–58, 60 FR 65940, Dec. 20, 1995] 

§ 135.245 Second in command quali-

fications. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(b) of this section, no certificate holder 
may use any person, nor may any per-
son serve, as second in command of an 
aircraft unless that person holds at 
least a commercial pilot certificate 
with appropriate category and class 
ratings and an instrument rating. 

(b) A second in command of a heli-

copter operated under VFR, other than 
over-the-top, must have at least a com-
mercial pilot certificate with an appro-
priate aircraft category and class rat-
ing. 

(c) No certificate holder may use any 

person, nor may any person serve, as 
second in command under IFR unless 
that person meets the following instru-
ment experience requirements: 

(1) 

Use of an airplane or helicopter for 

maintaining instrument experience. 

With-

in the 6 calendar months preceding the 
month of the flight, that person per-
formed and logged at least the fol-
lowing tasks and iterations in-flight in 
an airplane or helicopter, as appro-
priate, in actual weather conditions, or 
under simulated instrument conditions 
using a view-limiting device: 

(i) Six instrument approaches; 
(ii) Holding procedures and tasks; 

and 

(iii) Intercepting and tracking 

courses through the use of navigational 
electronic systems. 

(2) 

Use of an FSTD for maintaining in-

strument experience. 

A person may ac-

complish the requirements in para-
graph (c)(1) of this section in an ap-
proved FSTD, or a combination of air-
craft and FSTD, provided: 

(i) The FSTD represents the category 

of aircraft for the instrument rating 
privileges to be maintained; 

(ii) The person performs the tasks 

and iterations in simulated instrument 
conditions; and 

(iii) A flight instructor qualified 

under § 135.338 or a check pilot qualified 
under § 135.337 observes the tasks and 
iterations and signs the person’s log-
book or training record to verify the 
time and content of the session. 

(d) A second in command who has 

failed to meet the instrument experi-
ence requirements of paragraph (c) of 
this section for more than six calendar 
months must reestablish instrument 
recency under the supervision of a 
flight instructor qualified under 
§ 135.338 or a check pilot qualified under 
§ 135.337. To reestablish instrument 
recency, a second in command must 
complete at least the following areas of 
operation required for the instrument 
rating practical test in an aircraft or 
FSTD that represents the category of 
aircraft for the instrument experience 
requirements to be reestablished: 

(1) Air traffic control clearances and 

procedures; 

(2) Flight by reference to instru-

ments; 

(3) Navigation systems; 
(4) Instrument approach procedures; 
(5) Emergency operations; and 
(6) Postflight procedures. 

[44 FR 26738, May 7, 1979, as amended by Doc. 
No. FAA–2016–6142, 83 FR 30283, June 27, 2018] 

§ 135.247 Pilot qualifications: Recent 

experience. 

(a) No certificate holder may use any 

person, nor may any person serve, as 
pilot in command of an aircraft car-
rying passengers unless, within the 
preceding 90 days, that person has— 

(1) Made three takeoffs and three 

landings as the sole manipulator of the 
flight controls in an aircraft of the 
same category and class and, if a type 
rating is required, of the same type in 
which that person is to serve; or