Class rating

An example of a single engine land class aircraft, the ubiquitous Cessna 172

In aviation, a class rating is an allowance to fly a certain group of aircraft that require training common to all aircraft within the group. A type rating is specified if a particular aircraft requires additional specialized training beyond the scope of initial license and aircraft class training. Which aircraft require a type rating is decided by the local aviation authority. Almost all single-engine piston (SEP) or multi-engine piston (MEP) single pilot aircraft can be flown without a type rating, but are covered by a class rating instead.

United States

In the United States, all turbojets require a type rating. Aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of more than 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) typically require a type rating.^[1]

In the United States, there are seven categories of aircraft, which contain the following classes:

Category	Class		Category	Class
Airplane	Single-engine land (ASEL)		Lighter-than-air	Airship
	Multiengine land (AMEL)			Balloon
	Single-engine sea (ASES)		Powered-lift	—
	Multiengine sea (AMES)		Powered parachute	Powered parachute land
Rotorcraft	Helicopter			Powered parachute sea
	Gyroplane		Weight-shift-control aircraft	Weight-shift-control aircraft land
Glider	—			Weight-shift-control aircraft sea

Class ratings may have limitations placed upon them. In the United States, if a pilot being examined for a multi-engine rating does not demonstrate the ability to control an aircraft under asymmetric thrust, their multi-engine rating will be endorsed as "Limited-to-Center Thrust".^[2] (In the European Union, a multi-engine centreline thrust aeroplane is considered a single-engine aeroplane when being used for an instrument rating skill test.^{[3]: FCL.620})

Gallery

• 
  A Mars water bomber, one of the largest multi-engine sea-class aircraft
• 
  An airship class aircraft in the aerostat category, a Zeppelin NT
• 
  An example of a glider class aircraft, a Schweizer SGS 2-33
• 
  An example of a rotorcraft class aircraft, a CH-149 Cormorant helicopter
• 
  An example of a very large multi-engine class aircraft, a C-17 Globemaster III
• 
  An example of a jet fighter aircraft, a CF-18 Hornet

See also

• Instrument rating

Notes

1. "What's your type?". www.aopa.org. AOPA. 6 May 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
2. "Volume 5. Airman Certification. Chapter 1: Direction, guidance, and procedures for Title 14 CFR Parts 121/135 and general aviation. Section 4: Considerations for the Practical Test". Archived from the original on 24 March 2012.
3. "Part-FCL" (PDF). EASA. Retrieved 14 May 2023.

References

• JAA official website - list of class and type ratings
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14: Aeronautics and Space; PART 61—CERTIFICATION: PILOTS, FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS, AND GROUND INSTRUCTORS