Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

2 Answers

COMM SE add on to COMM ME

Asked by: 1936 views Commercial Pilot

I am working on adding a Comm SE to my Comm ME and then CFI-A. The school I am deeling with says I have to take the check ride in a complex single. Since I have already demonstrated the complex tasks in a ME is this necessary?

Thanks in advance.

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

2 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Apr 11, 2017

    I answered your question on the AOPA forums, but just for others here, I’ll paste it below:

    You do not need to use a complex aircraft for the Comm-ASEL, as you are correct, you have already performed the complex tasks. From page 9 of the Comm PTS, starting at the bottom:

    The aircraft must:
    “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 CFI-A, yes you will have to do it in a complex aircraft, as you have not yet demonstrated those tasks from an instructional perspective. See page 11 of the CFI PTS:

    “Except as noted below, a complex airplane must be
    furnished for the performance of takeoff and landing
    maneuvers and appropriate emergency procedures. 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.

    Note: When adding an airplane category rating to an existing
    flight instructor certificate, a complex aircraft is not required
    if the applicant already holds an airplane category, with
    either a single-engine or a multiengine class rating.”

    You do not hold an airplane CFI certificate, so you need the complex aircraft.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  2. vernh59 on Apr 11, 2017

    Thanks again

    0 Votes Thumb up 0 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.