How many hours for complex endorsement and commercial checkride?

airplane401

airplane401

New Member
I was wondering how many hours on average it takes to get a complex endorsement? My instructor said he wants me to be more fluid with the controls or something? Idk. I'm working on my commercial and I have 300 hours total with 40 hours complex. I just feel like I'm at a stall with my commercial training. What should I do?
 
airplane401 said:
My instructor said he wants me to be more fluid with the controls or something? Idk. I'm working on my commercial and I have 300 hours total with 40 hours complex. I just feel like I'm at a stall with my commercial training. What should I do?
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"Smooth" operation of the flight controls is one of the biggest areas of emphasis for commercial-level flying. So, a light touch on the controls, minimal abrupt movements, correct trim at all times. Ask your CFI for examples (demonstrations) of what you are doing that isn't "fluid," and to point it out immediately when you are doing it. Bad habits can be hard to unlearn, so it might take a while. I (and I suspect everyone else as well) had the same criticism when I was a commercial student.

FYI - the word "smooth" appears 16 times in the current Commercial ACS, every time in reference to control inputs. So - it is pretty important.
 
I did the 10 hour minimum iirc. But I was one of those weirdos who did a split checkride in a 150 and 177RG (maneuvers in 150), which I do not reccomend.
 
250tt if part 61, 190tt if part 141.... oh wait, different question.

Either that instructor is taking you for a ride, or there is more to the story and you may need some additional practice with smooth operation of the controls.
 
Smooth can't be taught. You can ride in a car with a pilot and get a pretty good idea how they'll treat an airplane. Smooth can't be purchased. Smooth is obvious.
 
Are you talking about 40+ hours for your commercial or actually for your complex endorsement?
As noted above, if you are going for your endorsement, I can't imagine it taking more than a few hours, at most.
Is your instructor wanting to wait until you have your commercial done to give you a complex endorsement?
 
Markf64 said:
Are you talking about 40+ hours for your commercial or actually for your complex endorsement?
As noted above, if you are going for your endorsement, I can't imagine it taking more than a few hours, at most.
Is your instructor wanting to wait until you have your commercial done to give you a complex endorsement?
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Well we are doing both. But you need the complex endorsement to take the cpl checkride.
 
airplane401 said:
I was wondering how many hours on average it takes to get a complex endorsement? My instructor said he wants me to be more fluid with the controls or something? Idk. I'm working on my commercial and I have 300 hours total with 40 hours complex. I just feel like I'm at a stall with my commercial training. What should I do?
Click to expand...

40 hours to get a complex endorsement? What the heck are you flying? Are you having any problems? Or, is he just keeping the endorsement in his pocket while you receive other duel training?
 
40 hour to get a complex endorsement!!? Wow! That just sounds fishy to me! You might have a bad instructor who is taking you for a ride, because I just have a hard time believing that if you are already a licenced pilot, you could be that dense as to fail to master a simple transition. Just think, the FAA calls for 40 hours, to go from zero hours to private pilot, and you are merely transitioning from one type to another and it's taking that much time. That just sounds very fishy. Get another instructor!
 
Is this what you're learning on?

download (2).jpg
 
airplane401 said:
I was wondering how many hours on average it takes to get a complex endorsement? My instructor said he wants me to be more fluid with the controls or something? Idk. I'm working on my commercial and I have 300 hours total with 40 hours complex. I just feel like I'm at a stall with my commercial training. What should I do?
Click to expand...

I did my complex endorsement in about 5 hours in a Piper Arrow IV. If you are confident that you can safely and competently fly the airplane then I'd say its time to change instructors and get a fresh perspective like others have stated previously. It will give you a fresh perspective and hopefully give you your desired result, and he or she also may point out deficiencies in your pilot training that might not be so apparent to instructor #1...
 
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