How to get a Complex Endorsment:

A complex airplane endorsement allows you to fly complex airplanes. What makes an aircraft "complex" is that it has flaps, retractable landing gear, and a controllable pitch propeller. There are no specified hours required to obtain a complex endorsement, but you will be required to log ground and flight training that you received from an authorized instructor for complex airplanes. You must also show proficiency in the operations and systems of the airplane that you are flying. The suggested amount of ground training for your complex endorsement is between one and two hours. For flight time, five to ten hours of flight instruction should be sufficient, but it all depends on the student's ability to retain the information they are receiving, just as it is for any other endorsement or rating.

According to 14 CFR 61.31(e) in the FAR, additional training a student may require in completing their complex edorsement includes having received and logged ground and flight training from an authorized instructor. The training can be done in a complex airplane, in a flight simulator, or in a flight training device that is representative of a complex airplane, and the student must be found proficient in the operation and systems of the airplane.

Getting started:

If you would like to begin training for a complex aircraft endorsement or would like more information from one of our CFI's, give us a call at (805) 233-7601. We would be happy to provide you with any further information.