FAR §61.109 Explained: Every PPL Flight-Hour Requirement
A plain-language walk through the aeronautical experience required for an airplane single-engine private certificate.
Last updated June 3, 2026 · by Sami Kosaraju, an FAA-certificated private pilot
14 CFR §61.109(a) is the experience checklist for an airplane single-engine private certificate: 40 total hours, with at least 20 of them dual and 10 solo, plus a handful of specific cross-country, night, instrument, and test-prep flights. Logging 40 hours is not the finish line on its own. Every item below has to be there too.
The dual requirements (with an instructor)
- 3 hours of cross-country instruction in a single-engine airplane.
- 3 hours of night instruction, which has to include one cross-country over 100 NM total and 10 takeoffs with 10 full-stop landings (each with a traffic pattern) at an airport.
- 3 hours of instrument instruction, flying the airplane by reference to instruments only.
- 3 hours of test prep within the 2 calendar months before your practical test.
The solo requirements
Your 10 hours of solo in a single-engine airplane have to include:
- 5 hours of solo cross-country flying.
- One long solo cross-country of at least 150 NM total, with full-stop landings at three points and one segment of more than 50 NM straight-line between takeoff and landing.
- 3 takeoffs and 3 full-stop landings at an airport with an operating control tower.
At a glance
| §61.109(a) component | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total time | 40 hr | 35 hr under Part 141 |
| Dual instruction | 20 hr | With an authorized instructor |
| Solo | 10 hr | Single-engine airplane |
| Dual cross-country | 3 hr | — |
| Dual night | 3 hr | Incl. 1 XC > 100 NM + 10 full-stop T/O & landings |
| Dual instrument | 3 hr | Reference to instruments |
| Test prep | 3 hr | Within 2 calendar months of the test |
| Solo cross-country | 5 hr | Incl. the long XC: 150 NM total / 3 points / one leg > 50 NM |
| Solo towered-airport ops | — | 3 full-stop takeoffs & landings |
Why this is easy to get wrong
The requirements overlap, which cuts both ways. A single night cross-country with full-stop landings can check several boxes at once, but one missing piece (usually the long solo cross-country or the towered-airport landings) can stall an applicant who otherwise looks ready. This is exactly the bookkeeping Waypoint handles: it reads the route and landing detail on each flight you log and works out every §61.109 item for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is FAR 61.109?
14 CFR §61.109 is the FAA regulation that lists the flight experience you have to log to be eligible for a private pilot certificate. For an airplane single-engine rating, §61.109(a) sets 40 total hours with specific cross-country, night, instrument, solo, and test-prep pieces inside that total.
How long is the long solo cross-country?
At least 150 nautical miles total distance, with full-stop landings at three or more points, and one segment of more than 50 nautical miles straight-line between the takeoff and landing locations.
Do night touch-and-goes count?
No. The night requirement is 10 takeoffs and 10 landings to a full stop, each with a traffic pattern. Touch-and-goes do not meet the full-stop part.
What is the 3-hour test-prep requirement?
Three hours of flight training with an instructor in a single-engine airplane to get ready for the practical test, flown within the 2 calendar months before the month of your checkride.
Stop guessing what’s left before your checkride
Waypoint auto-computes every §61.109 requirement from the flights you log — free through your Private Pilot certificate.