Ratings and Endorsements

In addition to gaining licences to fly aeroplanes, there are also various ratings and endorsements which you can train for and attain.  These include:

Ratings

IMC Rating

The IMC rating is intended for private pilots flying for leisure wanting to obtain the knowledge on how to survive if the weather gets worse. IMC stands for Instrument Metrological Condition and appears when the weather is too bad for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flying. It is cheaper then a full Instrument Rating (IR) and is not intended for deliberate flight into clouds or strictly IMC flying.

Instrument Rating

Depending on where you take the instrument rating (IR) it may take about 1 ½ to 3 months (full time) and you cover everything from rules, procedures, and meteorology. After completing the check ride you are capable of piloting an IR rated airplane into instrument meteorology conditions (IMC), meaning you fly solely by reference to the instruments. Even though it is not required to hold an IR to be a commercial pilot you need it to get a job as literally all commercial flying is done IFR (Instrument Flight Rules).

If doing JAA training you can take the commercial and instrument check ride together and that way get the rating on the commercial pilot license (CPL) right away.

Multi Engine Class

This is a class rating allowing you to fly airplanes with more then one engine. Depending on how you plan your career it can either be done combined with the commercial pilot license (CPL) training or you can add it later.

The multi engine course usually takes two to three weeks and includes 15-25 hours of flying. In JAA training it is common to do the commercial check ride in a multi engine aircraft and that way gain the rating and commercial pilot license (CPL) together.

Type Rating

This is a rating needed to fly a specific type. As there are many different aircrafts flying very differently they are all divided (category, class and type). A type is a specific make and model like a Cessna 150 or a Boeing 747 the same way a car may be a Renault or Ford. The difference is that in the aviation world you need a type rating to operate that specific make and model.

In Europe the regulations require you to be checked out (and have your logbook endorsed) for every new aircraft type to be operated. A type rating can take anywhere from a few hours to several months depending on the complexity of the aircraft.

Endorsements

In flight training we often talk about endorsements. An endorsement can be from the simplest; an instructor signing your logbook after completing a training flight, to a written statement in the back of your logbook. The endorsements listed below signify a stage change in your flight training, and far from all the different you encounter during training.

Solo Flight

This goes in the back of your logbook and is a statement from the instructor that you meet the requirements, and have been found fit to conduct solo flight. A barrier for all student pilots, and probably the flight you remember the longest. After this you can, with permission from an instructor, fly solo in the aircraft.

Complex Aircraft

A complex aircraft is defined as having a moveable pitch propeller (constant speed), retractable landing gear and wing flaps. To fly such an aircraft you need proper training and an endorsement in the back of your logbook. The complex endorsement is required as part of the commercial pilot license (CPL).

High Performance Aircraft

High performance aircraft is defined as an aircraft with an engine capacity of more then 200 horsepower (hp). This is per engine, meaning a multi engine aircraft with two engines of ex. 199hp is not high performance.

Because of the torque effects created by the engine(s) and the forces involved when flying such an aircraft you need an endorsement in the back of your logbook to operate one.

Tail Wheel

A tail wheel aircraft (also known as “tail dragger”) is easily recognised as it has the third wheel located aft of the main gear. Old war birds are popular “tail draggers”. Because of different takeoff and landing techniques you need an endorsement in the back of your logbook to operate one.

Flight Review

Depending on the nationality of the certificates you hold a flight review is needed annually or biannually. This is done by spending some time with an instructor on the ground and in the air. After determining you are fit to fly, he or she will endorse the back of your logbook and you are legal to fly again until the next review is up.