Helicopter Private Pilot Endorsements, in Training Order (AC 61-65K)
The hours in 14 CFR 61.109(c) are only half of the eligibility picture. Your logbook also has to carry the right instructor endorsements, and several of them expire. This page lists the endorsements a helicopter private pilot applicant typically needs, in the order they usually come up. It uses the sample-endorsement numbers from AC 61-65K, Appendix A (dated 11/14/25). Your instructor decides which ones apply to you.
What every endorsement must include
AC 61-65K says each endorsement must be legible and include the instructor's signature, the date signed, the instructor's certificate number, and the flight instructor recent experience (RE) end date or certificate expiration date, as applicable. The printed name is optional. Separately, instructors must keep a record of solo and test endorsements they give for at least 3 years (61.189).
1. Before you fly a Robinson (R22/R44 only)
| AC 61-65K | Endorsement | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A.60 | SFAR 73 ground training | No one may manipulate the controls of an R22/R44 until the SFAR 73 ground training is done and endorsed (SFAR 73 §2(a)(1)) |
2. Before your first solo
| AC 61-65K | Endorsement | Rule | Time limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.3 | Pre-solo aeronautical knowledge test | 61.87(b): the test covers Parts 61 and 91, the solo airport's airspace rules, and the make and model; the instructor reviews every incorrect answer before authorizing solo | none stated |
| A.4 | Pre-solo flight training | 61.87(c); helicopter maneuvers are listed in 61.87(f) | none stated |
| A.61 (R22) / A.65 (R44) | SFAR 73 solo endorsement, after at least 20 hours of flight training in that model | SFAR 73 §2(b)(3), (4) | valid 90 days (SFAR 73 text) |
| A.6 | Solo flight, first 90 days | 61.87(n): endorsement for the specific make and model by an instructor who gave the training within the 90 days before the flight | 90 days |
| A.7 | Solo flight, each additional 90 days | 61.87(p) | renew every 90 days |
| A.5 | Night solo (only if you'll solo at night) | 61.87(o) | 90 days from the night training |
SFAR 73 applies in addition to Part 61 (SFAR 73 §1). For a Robinson student, the A.61/A.65 endorsement doesn't replace the 61.87 solo endorsements, so expect both.
The AC 61-65K wording for A.61 reads: "I certify that [First name, MI, Last name, Pilot Certificate No. ] meets the experience requirements of SFAR 73, section 2(b)(3) and has been given training specified by SFAR 73, section 2(b)(3)(i)–(iv). They have been found proficient to solo the R-22 helicopter." A.65 is the same for the R-44, citing §2(b)(4).
3. Solo away from home base
| AC 61-65K | Endorsement | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A.8 | Solo takeoffs and landings at another airport within 25 NM | 61.93(b)(1) |
| A.11 | Repeated solo cross-country flights not more than 50 NM over a trained route (no separate endorsement for each flight) | 61.93(b)(2) |
| A.9 | Solo cross-country, for the category and the make and model | 61.93(c)(1), (2) |
| A.10 | Solo cross-country planning review, for each XC flight | 61.93(c)(3) |
| A.12 / A.13 | Solo in Class B airspace / at an airport in Class B airspace (only if your solo flights go there) | 61.95(a), (b) |
4. Other
- A.14: U.S. citizenship endorsement under TSA rules (49 CFR 1552). AC 61-65K says the instructor either keeps copies of the proof documents for 5 years or makes this endorsement.
5. Knowledge and practical test
| AC 61-65K | Endorsement | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| A.36 | Prepared for the private pilot knowledge test | 61.35(a)(1), 61.103(d) |
| A.2 | Review of knowledge-test deficiencies (if the test report lists any) | 61.39(a)(6)(iii) |
| A.1 | Practical test prerequisites: training within 2 calendar months preceding the month of application, and prepared for the test | 61.39(a)(6)(i), (ii) |
| A.37 | Prepared for the practical test (in addition to A.1 and A.2) | 61.103(f), 61.107(b), 61.109 |
Example endorsement check (made-up student, R44, for illustration only)
- A.60 dated before the first R44 flight: ✔
- A.3 and A.4 present: ✔
- A.65 dated 30 days before the first solo: ✔. A later solo flown 95 days after A.65 with no new endorsement: ✘, 90-day SFAR 73 limit.
- A.9 present, but two of three solo XC flights have no A.10 for that flight: ✘, 61.93(c)(3) requires one for each.
- A.1 signed, but the last prep training was 3 calendar months before the month of application: ✘, outside 61.39(a)(6)(i).
Fix gaps like these with your instructor before you book the checkride.
Want a second set of eyes? Cleared 2 Checkride checks your paper logbook photos against 61.109(c), the AC 61-65K endorsement checklist, and SFAR 73 for R22/R44, and gives you an 8710 hours summary and a CSV export. See the sample report on cleared2checkride.com. $24.99 per check, re-check after fixes included. It's a prep aid; your instructor and examiner make the final call.