Jason Blair is an active single- and multi-engine flight instructor and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner with over 6,000 hours total time, including 3,500 hours of instruction given and more than 3,500 hours as a DPE. He has issued over 2,500 pilot certificates and flown more than 100 different aircraft makes and models.
A NAFI Master Flight Instructor and 2023 Michigan FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year, Jason has over 30 years of flying experience and two decades as a flight instructor. He was named 2016 Michigan CFI of the Year and has served as Executive Director of the National Association of Flight Instructors. His service includes national committees such as the FAA’s Runway Safety Council, the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee, and the TSA Aviation Safety Advisory Council.
In addition to examiner duties, Jason works with aviation associations and companies as a consultant and writer, focusing on pilot training, testing, and safety. He holds undergraduate degrees in Human Resource Management and International and Comparative Politics, plus a master’s degree in Development Administration from Western Michigan University. Originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, he is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys scuba diving, skiing, hunting, fishing, mountain biking, and golfing.
Altitude discipline is one of those fundamental expectations that quietly underpins almost every maneuver in the Airman Certification Standards (ACS). It’s not just about airspace compliance or obstacle clearance—it’s about safety, performance, and demonstrating command of the aircraft. Yet year after year, a consistent cause of disapprovals on practical tests stems from pilots flying maneuvers at altitudes outside ACS standards.
The aviation industry has long debated the minimum flight hours required for pilots to obtain an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate, a prerequisite for serving as a pilot in command at major airlines. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates 1,500 hours of total flight time for most pilots seeking an ATP certificate, although certain exemptions (e.g., for military pilots or graduates of approved aviation programs) allow for reduced minimums—known as a Restricted ATP.
The crafty, creative CFI thought it would be a great opportunity for the student to get in some practice at another airport. In this case, he had the student grab another airport (a 4th) along the way. They thought that the student doing another landing at Marion (KMWA) would be some good additional experience for them at a towered airport. They aren’t wrong about that, but in a strict sense, it now means that cross-country solo flight doesn’t count toward the experience requirements for a private pilot certificate.
I went back through a bunch of practical tests I had given and came up with some averages of how many hours people had when they completed practical tests. The goal was to answer the question, how many hours does a pilot typically have when they complete a private or commercial pilot certificate and instrument rating? So, I compiled hours for each event from each practical test I have given through the end of 2023 and this is what I found.
If you do proceed forward with a test with any of these or other handicaps already identified, you will get a fair shake from a DPE. However, they can’t stretch the standards because of conditions or circumstances. You will have to perform to the same standards despite any outside pressures as you would if you did it on a day when these pressures were not present.
Instrument flying certification and skills can be something that a pilot can use even on good VFR weather flying days. The process, and the skill set that comes with being an instrument pilot, and even a proficient one, can be a set of tools that makes any flight safer and more predictable.
A statistic was recently shared with us that indicates that in the past approximately 6-months, it appears first-time pass rates on private pilot airplane single-engine land practical tests are hovering somewhere in the 50-60% range. Take this to heart, please. It means that nearly half of our pilot applicants are failing their first attempts at a private pilot certificate.
