Commercial Pilot Syllabus

o Eligibility Requirements

o Commercial Pilot Privileges and Limitations

o Recency Requirements

o Legal to Fly

 Pilot

 Documents

 Currency

 IMSAFE

 Airplane

 Documents

 Equipment

 Inspections

 Preflight Inspection

o Important Terminology

 Commercial Operator

 Air Carrier

 Private Carriage

 Common Carriage

 Holding out

o Medical Certificates

o Complex Aircraft

o High Performance Aircraft

o Type Rating

o Special Flight Permit

o Preventative Maintenance

o Minimum Equipment List

o Comprehensive Weight and Balance Equipment List

o Aviation Physiology

 Hypoxia

 Hyperventilation

 Vision

 Rods / Cones

 Visual Illusions

 Spatial Disorientation

o Single-Pilot Resource Management

 Situational Awareness

 Risk Management

 Task Management

 Aeronautical Decision Making

 Controlled Flight into Terrain

 Hazardous Attitudes

 IMSAFE checklist

o Motion Sickness

o Fatigue

o Atmospheric pressure effect on the body

Alcohol and Drugs

o Body

 The Fuselage

 The Empennage

 The Wing

 Trim

o Powerplant

 Reciprocating engine

 Supercharging and Turbocharging

 Ignition system

 Induction system – Carburetor vs. Fuel injection

 Abnormal combustion

o Fuel system

 Fuel types

 Refueling

o Electrical system

o Oil system

o Cooling system

o Exhaust system

o Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH)

 Reference your airplanes specific systems in the POH (Fuel, Electrical, Oil…etc)

o Pilot’s Information Manual (PIM)

o Flight Instruments

 Pitot-Static Instruments

 Gyroscopic Instruments

 Magnetic Compass

o Complex Systems

 Constant Speed Propeller Systems

 How it works

 Overspeed vs. Underspeed

 Landing Gear

 How it works

 Electrical Failure vs. Hydraulic Failure

o Forces of flight

 Lift

 Weight

 Thrust

 Drag

 Airfoils

 Ground Effect

o Stability

 Lateral Stability

 Longitudinal Stability

 Directional Stability

 Stall

 Spin

o Aerodynamics

 Climbs, Turns, Descents

 Adverse yaw

 Centrifugal force

 Horizontal / Vertical components of lift

 Left Turning Tendencies

 Center of Gravity

 Center of Pressure

 Load Factor

o Atmosphere

 Composition

 Pressure

 Circulation

 Stability

o Wind Patterns

 Local

 Global

o Coriolis Force

o Temperature Inversion

o Relative Humidity

o Moisture

 Effect on Performance

o Dewpoint

o Clouds and Fog

o Fronts

o Thunderstorms

o Windshear

o Jet Streams

o Icing

o METAR

o Terminal Aerodrome Forecast (TAF)

o Pilot Weather Report (PIREP)

o Winds and Temperature Aloft

o AIRMET/SIGMET/CONVECTIVE SIGMET

o Surface Analysis Chart

o Weather Depiction Chart

o Radar Summary Chart

o Significant Weather Prognostic Chart

o Satellite Weather Photos

o Airborne Weather Radar

 NEXRAD

o Scanning for Traffic

o Airport Operations

 Uncontrolled vs. Controlled

 Runway Orientation

 Runway and Taxiway Markings

 Traffic Pattern

 Runway Incursion

 Airport Lighting

 Visual Glideslope Indicators

 Approach Lights

 Pilot Controlled Lighting

 Airport Security

o Right-of-Way Rules

o Wind Corrections for Taxi

o Minimum Safe Altitudes

o Positive Exchange of Flight Controls

o Terminal, Sectional, World Charts

 Latitude and Longitude projections

 Chart Symbology

o Airspace

 Uncontrolled vs. Controlled

 Class A

 Class B

 Class C

 Class D

 Class E

 Class G

 Special Use Airspace

 Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)

 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR)

o Intercept Procedures

o Factors that affect Performance

o Performance Calculations

 Takeoff Roll and Distance over a 50ft obstacle

 Climb

 Cruise

 Descent

 Landing Roll and Distance over a 50ft obstacle

o Weight and Balance

 Importance

 Terms

 Weight-Shift Formula

 Aircraft Performance

 Forward CG vs. Aft CG

o Flight Computer

 Manual vs. Electronic

 Calculations

 Time

 Fuel

 Distance

 Groundspeed

o Weather Briefing

o Route Planning

o Altitude Selection

o Emergency / Diversion Considerations

o Weight and Balance

o Performance Calculations

o Complete Navlog

o File Flight Plan

o Part 91 Regulations

 Unpressurized

 12,500 – 14,000 ft

 14,000 – 15,000ft

 Above 15,000ft

 Pressurized

 Above FL250

 Above FL350

o Part 135 Regulations

 Unpressurized

 10,000 – 12,000ft

 Above 12,000ft

 Pressurized

 Cabin Pressure Exceeds 10,000ft

 Cabin Pressure Exceeds 12,000ft

 Aircraft Altitude 25,000 – 35,000ft

 Aircraft Altitudes Above 35,000ft

o Oxygen Systems

 Continuous Flow

 Diluter Demand

 Pressure Demand

o Summary of Ground lessons 1-10

o Review ACS Standards