Difference between PPL (Private pilot license) and CPL (Commercial Pilot License)

If you have the dream to fly, you should always explore about this career option in and out. The very first question, which is posed before anyone who aspire to become a pilot is whether the person wants to fly for the hobby thing or simply want to make career out of the same. Regardless of your choice, it is important to understand the difference between the Private Pilot License commonly known as PPL and Commercial Pilot License usually termed as CPL. Both the PPL and CPL are licenses, which you need if you intend to become a pilot. Though both of them can be called as popular and coveted, yet the two differ a lot. Let’s explore this topic in the following paragraphs as under:

Definition - PPL and CPL

A private pilot license or PPL is a private pilot certificate or a license, which allows the holder simply to act like the pilot in command of the aircraft privately and not for the pay. While, Commercial Pilot is basically a qualification, which allows the holder to act like a pilot of the aircraft and is paid for his or her work.

The basic requirements of PPL

Some of the important requirements of PPL is that you should be able to read, write, speak and understand English language, should have at least third class FAA medical certificate, must be above 16 years of age and find student pilot license, should have acquired 40 hours of total flying time, must have passed FAA Private Pilot written exam and have also qualified the Private Pilot Oral and Practical Exam.

The basic requirements of CPL

CPL has its own set of requirements and some of the important ones include – you should known English language (reading, writing, speaking and understanding), must have at least a private pilot license, should have got and logged the approx ground and flight training in Commercial License. He or she should have passed the FAA Commercial Pilot written exam along with qualifying commercial Pilot Oral and Practical Exam.

Important difference between CPL and PPL

CPL is basically a license, which is awarded to a person who is interested in making his or her career in commercial airlines, while as far as the PPL is concerned it is meant for people who want to pursue the job of pilot simply for hobby and leisure thing. People obtaining CPL do not often own the aircrafts, while the PPL is meant for people own the aircraft and use it for leisure thing. CPL can be obtained by the people who have done their senior secondary exams and the one who has completed the age of 17 years of age. On the contrary, PPL can be obtained by the ones who just need a bare minimum of 10^th grade and must have attained the age of 16 years. Any who has the Commercial Pilot License should have obtained the Private Pilot License earlier while you can even directly get the license of PPL. Though both the PPL and CPL are licenses, which are required for any pilot, however, their purpose and nature of use vary a lot in different aspects. As you dig more, you end up understanding the difference in detail.

This Post is Written By :-

Shaun Miller is a flight expert, who works as senior instructor in a reputed flight academy, while he is based in Chilliwack, BC, Canada.