Originally Posted by
aerospacepilot
Here are my questions.
How much flight training is usually required to get your commercial single engine?
Do you need to do your checkride in a complex aircraft, or just 10hrs of flight training is complex as required by the FAR's?
How much flight training is usually required to get your CFI (just initial)?
USMC is correct, you can be ready in less than 250 hours. Get with your instructor now, knock out the required XC's and learn the manuevers and then go solo to build time (and keep practicing commercial manuevers). Once you approach 250 hours, get back together with your CFI for checkride prep.
If you do your commercial training (and checkride) from the right seat that will almost eliminate any need for additional CFI flight training (other than checkride prep). Check out insurance and club rules before soloing in the right seat (you might not want to solo in IMC in the right seat unless you have a full panel on that side).
If you do not do the commercial from the right seat, 10+ hours would probably get you ready for the CFI.
On the checkride, you need to do certain manuevers (pattern work) in a complex airplane. Most folks do the whole checkride in the complex, but sometimes people will do just the pattern work in the complex and then take a fixed-gear to do the other manuevers. Saves a LITTLE money, but you have to know speeds and systems for two airplanes, review two Mx books, and preflight two airplanes. Also you double your chances of a Mx problem and a rescheduled checkride. Not worth the hassle in my mind, but some people do it
