Você precisa de 40 horas em um helicóptero para obter um complemento PPL se já tiver um PPL ASEL?

Considerando a diferença entre legal e inteligente, você pode satisfazer os requisitos de treinamento com apenas algumas horas em um helicóptero. FAR 61.109 observa especificamente que certos requisitos devem ser satisfeitos em um helicóptero:

• 61.109(c)(1): "3 hours of cross-country flight training in a helicopter;"
• 61.109(c)(2): "[...] 3 hours of night flight training in a helicopter that includes" a 50nm flight and 10 takeoffs and landings
• 61.109(c)(3): "3 hours of flight training with an authorized instructor in a helicopter in preparation for the practical test..."
• 61.109(c)(4): "10 hours of solo flight time in a helicopter..."

Teoricamente, o treinamento de voo poderia ser combinado, resultando em 3 horas duplas e 10 horas solo em um helicóptero, sendo o restante dos requisitos preenchido em uma categoria ou classe diferente de aeronave.

A FAA emitiu uma interpretação (O'Mara, 2012) sobre essas regras em 2012. A discussão foi sobre aeronaves de controle de deslocamento de peso (61.109 (j)), mas o raciocínio é aplicável a outras seções de 61.109:

In your letter you indicate that an examiner you spoke with stated that all of the aeronautical experience requirements specified in § 61.109(j), to include the 40 hours of flight time, 20 hours of flight training, and 10 hours of solo flight training must be completed in a weight-shift-control aircraft. That statement was incorrect.

[...]

...[T]he requirement for an applicant for a weight-shift-control aircraft to have 40 hours of flight time may be met by obtaining flight time in any category and class of aircraft.

Paragraphs (j)(1) through (j)(5) of § 61.109 specify the flight training that must be received by an applicant to receive a weight-shift-control aircraft rating. Flight training is defined in § 61.1 as "training, other than ground training, received from an authorized instructor in flight in an aircraft." Similar to the definition of flight time, it also does not include a limitation that the training be obtained in any particular category and class of aircraft.

Dito isso, isso é um pouco acadêmico: para obter uma aprovação individual de um CFI, um aluno exigiria pelo menos um tempo de treinamento não-trivial em um helicóptero. Também citarei outro interpretation (Zomnir, 2010) Me deparei em minha pesquisa, que talvez tenha a mais óbvia declaração em uma interpretação legal da FAA:

First, you ask whether your student is required to be proficient to the practical test standards to pass a practical exam. The answer is yes.

Há um equívoco muito comum sobre as horas necessárias para completar um complemento de aeronave. Chame qualquer escola de helicóptero (ou pesquise online) e eles dirão que são 30 horas se você tiver uma PPL.

Aqui está o resumo:

14 CFR 61.109 em estados de parte:

(c) For a helicopter rating. Except as provided in paragraph (k) of this section, a person who applies for a private pilot certificate with rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating must log at least 40 hours of flight time that includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b)(3) of this part, and the training must include at least—

A seção operativa é esta:

...includes at least 20 hours of flight training from an authorized instructor and 10 hours of solo flight training in the areas of operation listed in §61.107(b)(3) of this part...

Se você ler 14 CFR 61.107 (b) (3), você verá que você não pode completar as 20 horas com um instrutor autorizado ou as 10 horas sozinho em qualquer coisa, exceto um helicóptero:

(3) For a rotorcraft category rating with a helicopter class rating: (i) Preflight preparation;
(ii) Preflight procedures;
(iii) Airport and heliport operations;
(iv) Hovering maneuvers;
(v) Takeoffs, landings, and go-arounds;
(vi) Performance maneuvers;
(vii) Navigation;
(viii) Emergency operations;
(ix) Night operations, except as provided in § 61.110 of this part; and
(x) Postflight procedures.

Sim, precisa estar em um helicóptero.

§61.107 Flight proficiency. (a) General. A person who applies for a private pilot certificate must receive and log ground and flight training from an authorized instructor on the areas of operation of this section that apply to the aircraft category and class rating sought.

Você deve observar que o texto em §61.109 (c) "deve registrar pelo menos 40 horas de tempo de vôo que inclua pelo menos 20 horas de treinamento de voo de um instrutor autorizado e 10 horas de treinamento de voo solo em" é idêntico a a formulação em §61.109 (a) para categoria de avião.

A interpretação é que você precisa de um total de 40 horas com um mínimo de 20 horas duplas e um mínimo de 10 horas de solo. As outras 10 horas podem ser duplas ou solitárias.

Você deve observar os requisitos do §61.63 (b) para classificações adicionais. Basicamente, a única coisa que você está isento do teste de conhecimento do piloto privado.

§61.63 Additional aircraft ratings (other than for ratings at the airline transport pilot certification level). (a) General. For an additional aircraft rating on a pilot certificate, other than for an airline transport pilot certificate, a person must meet the requirements of this section appropriate to the additional aircraft rating sought.

(b) Additional aircraft category rating. A person who applies to add a category rating to a pilot certificate:

(1) Must complete the training and have the applicable aeronautical experience.

(2) Must have a logbook or training record endorsement from an authorized instructor attesting that the person was found competent in the appropriate aeronautical knowledge areas and proficient in the appropriate areas of operation.

(3) Must pass the practical test.

(4) Need not take an additional knowledge test, provided the applicant holds an airplane, rotorcraft, powered-lift, weight-shift-control aircraft, powered parachute, or airship rating at that pilot certificate level.