522 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 61.81 

(i) 

Surrender.  The holder of a special 

purpose pilot authorization must sur-
render the authorization to the Admin-
istrator within 7 days after the date 
the authorization terminates. 

[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 40901, July 30, 1997, as 
amended by Amdt. 61–123, 74 FR 34234, July 
15, 2009; Amdt. 61–124, 74 FR 42557, Aug. 21, 
2009; Amdt. 61–134, 80 FR 33401, June 12, 2015; 
Docket FAA–2018–0119, Amdt. 61–141, 83 FR 
9170, Mar. 5, 2018] 

Subpart C—Student Pilots 

§ 61.81

Applicability. 

This subpart prescribes the require-

ments for the issuance of student pilot 
certificates, the conditions under 
which those certificates are necessary, 
and the general operating rules and 
limitations for the holders of those cer-
tificates. 

§ 61.83

Eligibility requirements for stu-

dent pilots. 

To be eligible for a student pilot cer-

tificate, an applicant must: 

(a) Be at least 16 years of age for 

other than the operation of a glider or 
balloon. 

(b) Be at least 14 years of age for the 

operation of a glider or balloon. 

(c) Be able to read, speak, write, and 

understand the English language. If the 
applicant is unable to meet one of 
these requirements due to medical rea-
sons, then the Administrator may 
place such operating limitations on 
that applicant’s pilot certificate as are 
necessary for the safe operation of the 
aircraft. 

§ 61.85

Application. 

An applicant for a student pilot cer-

tificate: 

(a) Must make that application in a 

form acceptable to the Administrator; 
and 

(b) Must submit the application to a 

Flight Standards office, a designated 
pilot examiner, an airman certification 
representative associated with a pilot 
school, a flight instructor, or other 
person authorized by the Adminis-
trator. 

[Docket FAA–2010–1127, Amdt. 61–135, 81 FR 
1306, Jan. 12, 2016, as amended by Docket 
FAA–2018–0119, Amdt. 61–141, 83 FR 9170, Mar. 
5, 2018] 

§ 61.87

Solo requirements for student 

pilots. 

(a) 

General.  A student pilot may not 

operate an aircraft in solo flight unless 
that student has met the requirements 
of this section. The term ‘‘solo flight’’ 
as used in this subpart means that 
flight time during which a student 
pilot is the sole occupant of the air-
craft or that flight time during which 
the student performs the duties of a 
pilot in command of a gas balloon or an 
airship requiring more than one pilot 
flight crewmember. 

(b) 

Aeronautical knowledge. A student 

pilot must demonstrate satisfactory 
aeronautical knowledge on a knowl-
edge test that meets the requirements 
of this paragraph: 

(1) The test must address the student 

pilot’s knowledge of— 

(i) Applicable sections of parts 61 and 

91 of this chapter; 

(ii) Airspace rules and procedures for 

the airport where the solo flight will be 
performed; and 

(iii) Flight characteristics and oper-

ational limitations for the make and 
model of aircraft to be flown. 

(2) The student’s authorized instruc-

tor must— 

(i) Administer the test; and 
(ii) At the conclusion of the test, re-

view all incorrect answers with the 
student before authorizing that stu-
dent to conduct a solo flight. 

(c) 

Pre-solo flight training. Prior to 

conducting a solo flight, a student 
pilot must have: 

(1) Received and logged flight train-

ing for the maneuvers and procedures 
of this section that are appropriate to 
the make and model of aircraft to be 
flown; and 

(2) Demonstrated satisfactory pro-

ficiency and safety, as judged by an au-
thorized instructor, on the maneuvers 
and procedures required by this section 
in the make and model of aircraft or 
similar make and model of aircraft to 
be flown. 

(d) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a single-engine air-
plane.  A student pilot who is receiving 
training for a single-engine airplane 
rating or privileges must receive and 
log flight training for the following 
maneuvers and procedures: 

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Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 61.87 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents, with and without turns, 

using high and low drag configurations; 

(9) Flight at various airspeeds from 

cruise to slow flight; 

(10) Stall entries from various flight 

attitudes and power combinations with 
recovery initiated at the first indica-
tion of a stall, and recovery from a full 
stall; 

(11) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(12) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(13) Approaches to a landing area 

with simulated engine malfunctions; 

(14) Slips to a landing; and 
(15) Go-arounds. 
(e) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a multiengine air-
plane.  A student pilot who is receiving 
training for a multiengine airplane rat-
ing must receive and log flight training 
for the following maneuvers and proce-
dures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents, with and without turns, 

using high and low drag configurations; 

(9) Flight at various airspeeds from 

cruise to slow flight; 

(10) Stall entries from various flight 

attitudes and power combinations with 
recovery initiated at the first indica-
tion of a stall, and recovery from a full 
stall; 

(11) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(12) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(13) Approaches to a landing area 

with simulated engine malfunctions; 
and 

(14) Go-arounds. 
(f) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a helicopter. A stu-
dent pilot who is receiving training for 
a helicopter rating must receive and 
log flight training for the following 
maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents with and without turns; 
(9) Flight at various airspeeds; 
(10) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(11) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(12) Approaches to the landing area; 
(13) Hovering and hovering turns; 
(14) Go-arounds; 
(15) Simulated emergency proce-

dures, including autorotational de-
scents with a power recovery and 
power recovery to a hover; 

(16) Rapid decelerations; and 
(17) Simulated one-engine-inoper-

ative approaches and landings for mul-
tiengine helicopters. 

(g) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a gyroplane. A stu-
dent pilot who is receiving training for 
a gyroplane rating or privileges must 
receive and log flight training for the 
following maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 

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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 61.87 

preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents with and without turns; 
(9) Flight at various airspeeds; 
(10) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(11) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(12) Approaches to the landing area; 
(13) High rates of descent with power 

on and with simulated power off, and 
recovery from those flight configura-
tions; 

(14) Go-arounds; and 
(15) Simulated emergency proce-

dures, including simulated power-off 
landings and simulated power failure 
during departures. 

(h) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a powered-lift. A 
student pilot who is receiving training 
for a powered-lift rating must receive 
and log flight training in the following 
maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents with and without turns; 
(9) Flight at various airspeeds from 

cruise to slow flight; 

(10) Stall entries from various flight 

attitudes and power combinations with 
recovery initiated at the first indica-
tion of a stall, and recovery from a full 
stall; 

(11) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(12) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(13) Approaches to a landing with 

simulated engine malfunctions; 

(14) Go-arounds; 
(15) Approaches to the landing area; 
(16) Hovering and hovering turns; and 
(17) For multiengine powered-lifts, 

simulated one-engine-inoperative ap-
proaches and landings. 

(i) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a glider. A student 
pilot who is receiving training for a 
glider rating or privileges must receive 
and log flight training for the following 
maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning, 
preparation, aircraft systems, and, if 
appropriate, powerplant operations; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups, if applicable; 

(3) Launches, including normal and 

crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions, if applicable; 

(5) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry procedures; 

(6) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(7) Descents with and without turns 

using high and low drag configurations; 

(8) Flight at various airspeeds; 
(9) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(10) Ground reference maneuvers, if 

applicable; 

(11) Inspection of towline rigging and 

review of signals and release proce-
dures, if applicable; 

(12) Aerotow, ground tow, or self- 

launch procedures; 

(13) Procedures for disassembly and 

assembly of the glider; 

(14) Stall entry, stall, and stall recov-

ery; 

(15) Straight glides, turns, and spi-

rals; 

(16) Landings, including normal and 

crosswind; 

(17) Slips to a landing; 
(18) Procedures and techniques for 

thermalling; and 

(19) Emergency operations, including 

towline break procedures. 

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§ 61.87 

(j) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in an airship. A stu-
dent pilot who is receiving training for 
an airship rating or privileges must re-
ceive and log flight training for the fol-
lowing maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, powerplant operation, and 
aircraft systems; 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding runups; 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind; 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions; 

(5) Climbs and climbing turns; 
(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures; 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance; 

(8) Descents with and without turns; 
(9) Flight at various airspeeds from 

cruise to slow flight; 

(10) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(11) Ground reference maneuvers; 
(12) Rigging, ballasting, and control-

ling pressure in the ballonets, and 
superheating; and 

(13) Landings with positive and with 

negative static trim. 

(k) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a balloon. A stu-
dent pilot who is receiving training in 
a balloon must receive and log flight 
training for the following maneuvers 
and procedures: 

(1) Layout and assembly procedures; 
(2) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, and aircraft systems; 

(3) Ascents and descents; 
(4) Landing and recovery procedures; 
(5) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions; 

(6) Operation of hot air or gas source, 

ballast, valves, vents, and rip panels, as 
appropriate; 

(7) Use of deflation valves or rip pan-

els for simulating an emergency; 

(8) The effects of wind on climb and 

approach angles; and 

(9) Obstruction detection and avoid-

ance techniques. 

(l) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a powered para-
chute.  A student pilot who is receiving 

training for a powered parachute rat-
ing or privileges must receive and log 
flight training for the following ma-
neuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, preflight assembly and 
rigging, aircraft systems, and power-
plant operations. 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding run-ups. 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind. 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions. 

(5) Climbs, and climbing turns in 

both directions. 

(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures. 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance. 

(8) Descents, and descending turns in 

both directions. 

(9) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions. 

(10) Ground reference maneuvers. 
(11) Straight glides, and gliding turns 

in both directions. 

(12) Go-arounds. 
(13) Approaches to landing areas with 

a simulated engine malfunction. 

(14) Procedures for canopy packing 

and aircraft disassembly. 

(m) 

Maneuvers and procedures for pre- 

solo flight training in a weight-shift-con-
trol aircraft. A student pilot who is re-
ceiving training for a weight-shift-con-
trol aircraft rating or privileges must 
receive and log flight training for the 
following maneuvers and procedures: 

(1) Proper flight preparation proce-

dures, including preflight planning and 
preparation, preflight assembly and 
rigging, aircraft systems, and power-
plant operations. 

(2) Taxiing or surface operations, in-

cluding run-ups. 

(3) Takeoffs and landings, including 

normal and crosswind. 

(4) Straight and level flight, and 

turns in both directions. 

(5) Climbs, and climbing turns in 

both directions. 

(6) Airport traffic patterns, including 

entry and departure procedures. 

(7) Collision avoidance, windshear 

avoidance, and wake turbulence avoid-
ance. 

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14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 61.89 

(8) Descents, and descending turns in 

both directions. 

(9) Flight at various airspeeds from 

maximum cruise to slow flight. 

(10) Emergency procedures and equip-

ment malfunctions. 

(11) Ground reference maneuvers. 
(12) Stall entry, stall, and stall recov-

ery. 

(13) Straight glides, and gliding turns 

in both directions. 

(14) Go-arounds. 
(15) Approaches to landing areas with 

a simulated engine malfunction. 

(16) Procedures for disassembly. 
(n) 

Limitations on student pilots oper-

ating an aircraft in solo flight. A student 
pilot may not operate an aircraft in 
solo flight unless that student pilot has 
received an endorsement in the stu-
dent’s logbook for the specific make 
and model aircraft to be flown by an 
authorized instructor who gave the 
training within the 90 days preceding 
the date of the flight. 

(o) 

Limitations on student pilots oper-

ating an aircraft in solo flight at night. A 
student pilot may not operate an air-
craft in solo flight at night unless that 
student pilot has received: 

(1) Flight training at night on night 

flying procedures that includes take-
offs, approaches, landings, and go- 
arounds at night at the airport where 
the solo flight will be conducted; 

(2) Navigation training at night in 

the vicinity of the airport where the 
solo flight will be conducted; and 

(3) An endorsement in the student’s 

logbook for the specific make and 
model aircraft to be flown for night 
solo flight by an authorized instructor 
who gave the training within the 90- 
day period preceding the date of the 
flight. 

(p) 

Limitations on flight instructors au-

thorizing solo flight. No instructor may 
authorize a student pilot to perform a 
solo flight unless that instructor has— 

(1) Given that student pilot training 

in the make and model of aircraft or a 
similar make and model of aircraft in 
which the solo flight is to be flown; 

(2) Determined the student pilot is 

proficient in the maneuvers and proce-
dures prescribed in this section; 

(3) Determined the student pilot is 

proficient in the make and model of 
aircraft to be flown; and 

(4) Endorsed the student pilot’s log-

book for the specific make and model 
aircraft to be flown, and that endorse-
ment remains current for solo flight 
privileges, provided an authorized in-
structor updates the student’s logbook 
every 90 days thereafter. 

[Doc. No. 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997; 
Amdt. 61–103, 62 FR 40902, July 30, 1997; 
Amdt. 61–104, 63 FR 20287, Apr. 23, 1998; Amdt. 
61–110, 69 FR 44866, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 61– 
124, 74 FR 42557, Aug. 21, 2009; Docket FAA– 
2010–1127, Amdt. 61–135, 81 FR 1306, Jan. 12, 
2016] 

§ 61.89

General limitations. 

(a) A student pilot may not act as 

pilot in command of an aircraft: 

(1) That is carrying a passenger; 
(2) That is carrying property for com-

pensation or hire; 

(3) For compensation or hire; 
(4) In furtherance of a business; 
(5) On an international flight, except 

that a student pilot may make solo 
training flights from Haines, Gustavus, 
or Juneau, Alaska, to White Horse, 
Yukon, Canada, and return over the 
province of British Columbia; 

(6) With a flight or surface visibility 

of less than 3 statute miles during day-
light hours or 5 statute miles at night; 

(7) When the flight cannot be made 

with visual reference to the surface; or 

(8) In a manner contrary to any limi-

tations placed in the pilot’s logbook by 
an authorized instructor. 

(b) A student pilot may not act as a 

required pilot flight crewmember on 
any aircraft for which more than one 
pilot is required by the type certificate 
of the aircraft or regulations under 
which the flight is conducted, except 
when receiving flight training from an 
authorized instructor on board an air-
ship, and no person other than a re-
quired flight crewmember is carried on 
the aircraft. 

(c) A student pilot seeking a sport 

pilot certificate must comply with the 
provisions of paragraphs (a) and (b) of 
this section and may not act as pilot in 
command— 

(1) Of an aircraft other than a light- 

sport aircraft; 

(2) At night; 
(3) At an altitude of more than 10,000 

feet MSL or 2,000 feet AGL, whichever 
is higher; 

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