Pilot – How Long Can a Private Pilot Fly Daily?

Kiryl Mikhalkevich

February 6, 2023

Kiryl Mikhalkevich

When you are a pilot, you must ensure that you follow the regulations and limitations set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These rules will determine how long a pilot can fly daily and whether or not you have to rest between flights.

These limits are also based on how many sectors (flights) you will operate and the number of flight crew onboard. The number of hours you can work on a day, week, or month depends on these factors and can be complex.

The FAA

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates all civil aviation in the United States and neighboring international waters. It provides air traffic control, certification of aircraft and pilots, and sets standards for airports.

The FAA also promotes civil aviation in the United States and abroad. It works with its counterparts in 188 countries to ensure and promote air travel safety and engages in the dialog to harmonize global aviation standards.

Private pilots are generally permitted to fly for eight hours daily if they have an active flight duty schedule. They are also allowed to rest for at least 18 hours between flights.

This ensures that a pilot stays energized and energized. It also helps to prevent accidents and injuries on the ground. Moreover, it ensures that pilots have time to rest and refuel their aircraft before returning it to the skies.

EASA

The European Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, is the leading EU governing body for pilots. It makes and oversees rules and certification for air traffic management and aerodrome safety in Europe.

They also regulate how long a private pilot can fly daily and how many hours they can have in their logbook. This varies depending on their start time and the number of flights they must complete.

Typically, a pilot can have between 75 and 100 flight hours a month. This includes both day and night hours.

Certain conditions may cause a pilot to be unable to fly. These include a medical certificate or a flight review.

Getting a private pilot license is no easy task and requires significant time and money. The training usually takes six months with a minimum of 40 logged flying hours.

The European Aviation Safety Agency

The European Aviation Safety Agency is a government agency that works to protect the safety of people involved in flight. It also provides pilots with resources to help them learn about their profession and how to operate their aircraft safely.

EASA is the European Union’s governing body in this field and closely cooperates with national aviation authorities. It also performs research and analysis in the aviation field.

A pilot can fly daily for up to 13 hours. This is an increase from the previous maximum duty period of 12 hours.

However, this is only if they start early in the morning and do 1 flight rather than 2 or 3. This is deemed less fatiguing, and fewer mistakes are made as they only set up the aircraft, depart, and arrive once.

The time a pilot can work in one day depends on their acclimatization to the local weather conditions, how many sectors they will operate, and how many flight crew are onboard. They can also be limited to several early starts in a row or time off required following night flights.

The International Civil Aviation Organization

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a United Nations organization responsible for air traffic regulations and standards for 193 member countries. ICAO has several component bodies, including an Assembly of delegates from all member countries that meets every three years.

ICAO’s mission is to promote world peace and security by developing and applying international laws, regulations, and standards in air traffic management, air navigation, aircraft safety, meteorology, aviation research, and ground operations.

In addition, ICAO has helped to establish regional and international agreements aimed at liberalizing aviation markets, developing legal standards that ensure safety, and encouraging the development of other aspects of international aviation law.

Flight duty limitations vary based on the first flight time of the day, the number of pilots on board, and the type of rest facilities for aircraft. Typically a crew can work a maximum of 13 hours on any given flight.