Complex aircraft

[MidlifeFlyer]

Nope. You could do'em both in a J-3.

That's right.

From the current commercial PTS:


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Aircraft and Equipment Required for the Practical Test
The commercial pilot—airplane applicant is required by 14 CFR section 61.45, to provide an airworthy, certificated airplane for use during the practical test. This section further requires that the aircraft must:

[snip]

4. be a complex airplane furnished by the applicant, unless the applicant currently holds a commercial pilot certificate with a single-engine or multiengine class rating as appropriate, for the performance of takeoffs, landings, and appropriate emergency procedures. A complex landplane is one having retractable landing gear, flaps, and controllable propeller or turbine-powered. A complex seaplane is one having flaps and controllable propeller.
==============================

OTOH, the CFI airplane PTS doesn't contain this language. Whether that's a simple error or intentional, I'm not sure, but I can definitely see a reason for treating them differently.

What is does say is

==============================
A complex airplane must be furnished for the performance of takeoff and landing maneuvers, and appropriate emergency procedures.
==============================
Even in the multi to single add-on, two takeoff and landing tasks are required.

 

[splash]

OTOH, the CFI airplane PTS doesn't contain this language. Whether that's a simple error or intentional, I'm not sure, but I can definitely see a reason for treating them differently.

What is does say is

==============================
A complex airplane must be furnished for the performance of takeoff and landing maneuvers, and appropriate emergency procedures.
==============================
Even in the multi to single add-on, two takeoff and landing tasks are required.

This is what I have found in the current CFI pts

The flight instructor applicant is required by 14 CFR part 61, section
61.45 to provide an airworthy, certificated aircraft for use during the
practical test. This section further requires that the aircraft must:

[snip]

3. be capable of performing all appropriate TASKs for the flight instructor
rating sought and have no operating limitations, which prohibit the
performance of those TASKs. A complex landplane is one having a
retractable landing gear, flaps, and controllable propeller. A complex
seaplane is one having flaps, floats, and a controllable propeller.
Airplanes that are equipped with a full authority digital engine control
(FADEC) system are considered to have a controllable propeller.


It does not say complex aircraft must be furnished it only goes straight into the definition of a complex aircraft. Do you even need a complex aircraft for the initial single engine CFI anymore?

here's the link: http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/airmen/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-6C.pdf

Page 20 on the document or page 10 in the pts

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

It does not say complex aircraft must be furnished it only goes straight into the definition of a complex aircraft. Do you even need a complex aircraft for the initial single engine CFI anymore?

here's the link: http://www.faa.gov/training_testing/testing/airmen/test_standards/media/FAA-S-8081-6C.pdf

Page 20 on the document or page 10 in the pts

Very interesting. I hadn't look at the 2009 revision before. I knew that there had been a redefinition of "complex airplane" but had not been aware that they removed any reference to a task that requires one.

The question, I guess, is whether this was intentional or inadvertent. If they intended to remove any requirement for a complex airplane for the CFI practical, one would think that it would have been with a little more fanfare.

 

[MidlifeFlyer]

Very interesting. I hadn't look at the 2009 revision before. I knew that there had been a redefinition of "complex airplane" but had not been aware that they removed any reference to a task that requires one.

The question, I guess, is whether this was intentional or inadvertent. If they intended to remove any requirement for a complex airplane for the CFI practical, one would think that it would have been with a little more fanfare.

An update, folks. I asked the FAA about the missing complex airplane for the takeoff and landing tasks in the CFI PTS. The response from AFS 630 below:

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You are correct in your assumption that the requirement for a complex airplane was left out during the last change. I would like to clarify that the omission was inadvertent and will be corrected during the next revision, which will occur shortly. In the mean time, I must emphasize that it is still FAA policy that a complex airplane is required for the CFI Airplane practical test.
==============================