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Below are the Transport Canada requirements to obtain your airplane pilot licence:

421.22 Recreational - Aeroplane - Requirements

IMPORTANT: This is for information only. Always check the latest info from the officials sources.



(1) Age
An applicant shall be a minimum of sixteen years of age.

(2) Medical Fitness and Validity
(a) An applicant shall hold a Category 4 Medical Certificate valid for a Pilot Permit - Recreational - Aeroplane.
(b) An applicant who meets the medical conditions specified on the Civil Aviation Medical Declaration and has signed it shall be deemed to have met the Category 4 Medical Standards, provided a physician licensed to practice medicine in Canada has signed Part C of the declaration.
(c) The medical validity period for the permit holder under 40 years of age is 60 months and for a permit holder 40 years of age or over, is 24 months.
(d) The permit is maintained by a valid Category 1, 3, or 4 Medical Certificate.
(3) Knowledge An applicant shall have obtained a minimum of 60 percent (60%) in each of the following four mandatory areas, as well as in the overall written examination Pilot Permit - Recreational - Aeroplane (RPPAE), or Private Pilot License - Aeroplane (PPAER): (amended 1998/03/23)
(a) Air Law - regulations, rules and orders, air traffic services, practices and procedures, and licensing requirements relevant to the permit;
(b) Navigation - navigation, radio aids and electronic theory;
(c) Meteorology;
(d) Aeronautics - General Knowledge - airframes, engines and systems, theory of flight, flight instruments, flight operations and human factors.
(4) Experience
(a) An applicant shall have completed a minimum of 25 hours of recreational pilot flight training under the direction and supervision of the holder of a flight instructor rating - aeroplane - in aeroplanes operating with a Certificate of Airworthiness.
(b) The flight training shall include a minimum of:
(i) 15 hours of dual instruction flight time, including a minimum of 2 hours of cross-country flight time, and (amended 1998/03/23)
(ii) 5 hours of solo flight time.

(5) Skill
Within the 12 months preceding the date of application for the permit, an applicant shall successfully complete a flight test to the standard outlined in the Flight Test Standard - Recreational Pilot Permit - Aeroplane (TP12475E). (amended 1999/03/01)

(6) Credit (amended 1999/03/01)
An applicant for a Pilot Permit - Recreational - Aeroplane who holds a valid Pilot Permit - Ultralight Aeroplane - may credit all dual and solo flight time acquired in ultralight aeroplanes towards the experience requirement. (amended 1998/03/23; no previous version)

(7) Credits for Foreign Applicants (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
The holder of a license in the aeroplane category, issued by a Contracting State shall be considered to have met the written examination requirement and the skill requirement provided that the applicant: (amended 2000/09/01)
(a) meets the experience requirements; (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(b) obtains a minimum of 90% in the written examination Student Pilot Permit or Private Pilot License for Foreign and Military Applicants, Air Regulations (PSTAR); and (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(c) has completed in aeroplanes a minimum of 5 take-offs and 5 landings within the 6 months preceding the date of application for the Canadian permit. (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)

421.26 Aeroplanes - Requirements

(1) Age
An applicant shall be a minimum of seventeen years of age.

(2) Medical Fitness and Validity
(a) An applicant shall hold a Category 3 Medical Certificate valid for a Private Pilot License - Aeroplanes:
(i) where an applicant holds a Category 4 Medical Certificate for the purpose of a Student Pilot Permit, the applicant shall upgrade to a Category 3 Medical Certificate prior to making application for the Private Pilot License - Aeroplane.
(b) The medical validity period for the license holder under 40 years of age is 24 months and for a license holder 40 years of age or over, is 12 months.
(c) The license is maintained by a valid Category 1 or 3 Medical Certificate.

(3) Knowledge
An applicant shall have:
(a) completed a minimum of 40 hours of private pilot aeroplane ground school instruction on the following subjects:
(i) Canadian Aviation Regulations,
(ii) Aerodynamics and Theory of Flight,
(iii) Meteorology,
(iv) Airframes, Engines and Systems,
(v) Flight Instruments,
(vi) Radio and Electronic Theory,
(vii) Navigation,
(viii) Flight Operations,
(ix) Licensing Requirements, and
(x) Human Factors, including pilot decision-making; and
(b) obtained a minimum of 60% in each of the following four mandatory subject areas as well as in the overall written examination Private Pilot License - Aeroplane (PPAER):
(i) Air Law - regulations, rules and orders, air traffic services, practices and procedures, and licensing requirements relevant to the license;
(ii) Navigation - navigation, radio aids and electronic theory;
(iii) Meteorology;
(iv) Aeronautics - General Knowledge - airframes, engines and systems, theory of flight, flight instruments and flight operations.

(4) Experience
(a) An applicant shall have completed a minimum of 45 hours of private pilot flight training in aeroplanes under the direction and supervision of the holder of a Flight Instructor Rating - Aeroplane. A maximum 5 of the 45 hours may be conducted on an approved aeroplane simulator or flight training device. (amended 1998/09/01)
(b) The flight training shall include a minimum of:
(i) 17 hours of dual instruction flight time, including a minimum of 3 hours of cross-country flight time and 5 hours of instrument time of which a maximum of 3 hours may be instrument ground time; and (amended 1998/09/01)
(ii) 12 hours of solo flight time, including 5 hours of cross-country flight time with a flight of a minimum of 150 nautical miles which shall include 2 full stop landings at points other than the point of departure.

(5) Skill
Within the 12 month preceding the date of application for the license, an applicant shall successfully complete a flight test to the standard outlined in the Flight Test Standard Private and Commercial Pilot licenses - Aeroplanes (TP2655E). (amended 1999/03/01)
(6) Credits
(a) Knowledge
(i) An applicant who holds a Pilot Permit, Gyroplane - or a private or higher-type pilot license for helicopters may, when applying for the issue of Private Pilot License - Aeroplane - have the 40-hour ground instruction requirement reduced to 20 hours.
(ii) An applicant who holds a Pilot Permit - Gyroplane - or a private or higher-type pilot license for helicopters shall in lieu of completing the written examination PPAER obtain a minimum of 60% in the written examination Private Pilot Aeroplane Rating - Alternate Category (PARAC).
(b) Experience
(i) The total flight time must include a minimum of 30 hours in aeroplanes.
(ii) Where an applicant holds a pilot permit or license in another aircraft category, flight time credits shall be claimed as follows: (amended 1998/03/23)
(A) Helicopter and Gyroplane
(I) a maximum of 15 hours towards the total flight time; and
(II) a maximum of 4 hours of solo flight time, 2 hours of which shall be credited to solo cross-country flight time.
(B) Glider
A maximum of 5 hours pilot-in-command flight time towards the total flight time.
(C) Three Axis Ultralight Aeroplane
A maximum of 10 hours pilot-in-command flight time towards the total flight time.
(D) Instrument Flight Time
An applicant who holds a private or higher type license in another category shall be credited with instrument flight time acquired in the other category towards meeting the instrument experience requirements provided that the instrument flight time acquired in the other category is not credited towards the 17 hours of dual instruction flight time or the 12 hours of solo flight time.

(7) Credits for DND Applicants
(a) Active and retired Canadian Forces personnel who have qualified to pilot aeroplane wings standard or who have successfully completed the Basic Flying Training course of approximately 120 hours shall be considered to have met the ground school instruction requirement, the written examination requirement, the course requirement and the skill requirement provided that: (amended 2003/03/01)
(i) the applicant has met the flight time requirements specified in subsection (4) of which a minimum of 10 hours of flight time in aeroplanes has been acquired in the 12 months preceding the date of application, and (amended 2003/03/01)
(ii) the applicant obtains a minimum of 90% in the written examination Student Pilot Permit or Private Pilot License for Foreign and Military Applicants, Air Regulations (PSTAR). (amended 2003/03/01)
(b) A person who has undergone aeroplane pilot flight training in the Canadian Forces may be credited military dual and solo aeroplane flight time and aeroplane ground school time towards the knowledge and experience requirements for the issue of a Private Pilot License - Aeroplane. (amended 2003/03/01; no previous version)

(8) License Issued On the Basis of Foreign License (amended 1999/03/01)
(a) An applicant who is the holder of a Private or higher-pilot license "aeroplane", issued by a Contracting State shall be considered: (amended 1999/03/01)
(i) to have met the ground school instruction requirement; and (amended 1999/03/01
(ii) to have met the written examination requirement and the flight test requirement, provided that the foreign license was not issued on the basis of a license from another State, and that the applicant: (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(A) has met the flight time requirements specified in subsection (4); (amended 2000/09/01)
(B) has obtained a minimum of 90% in the written examination Student Pilot Permit or Private Pilot License for Foreign and Military Applicants, Aviation Regulations (PSTAR); and (amended 2000/09/01))
(C) has completed, as pilot-in-command or co-pilot in aeroplanes, a minimum of 5 take-offs and 5 landings within the 6 months preceding the date of application for the Canadian license. (amended 1999/03/01)
(b) The license shall be annotated by the Minister to indicate that it was issued on the basis of the foreign license. (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(c) The Minister shall remove the annotation from the license provided that the applicant has successfully completed: (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(i) the written examination requirements (PPAER); and (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(ii) the skill requirement. (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)

(9) Credits for Foreign Applicants (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(a) An applicant who holds a Private or higher-pilot license - Aeroplane - issued by a contracting state and who does not wish to obtain a license issued on the basis of the foreign license, may be considered by the Minister to have met the ground school instruction requirement. (amended 1999/03/01; no previous version)
(b) An applicant who holds a Private or higher-pilot license - Aeroplane - issued by a contracting state other than Canada and who meets the flight time requirements specified in subsection (4) is considered to have met the experience requirements. (amended 2000/09/01)
(c) An applicant who does not hold a Private or higher-pilot license - Aeroplane - issued by a contracting state may be credited foreign dual and solo aeroplane flight training time and aeroplane ground school time towards the knowledge and experience requirements for the issue of a Private Pilot License - Aeroplane - if the applicant provides certification from the holder of a Flight Instructor Rating - Aeroplane - that all ground and flight training exercises have been satisfactorily reviewed. (amended 2003/03/01)

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