Commercial pilot — balloon
For Commercial pilot, certificate or rating is Commercial pilot — balloon; part 61 minimum is 35 hours of flight time as a pilot; part 61 section is 14 CFR 61.129(h); key sub-requirements is 20 hours in balloons; (2) 10 flights in balloons; (3) Two flights in balloons as the pilot in command, recorded from its source on 2026-08-18.
- Certificate or rating
- Commercial pilot — balloon our reading
- Part 61 minimum
- 35 hours of flight time as a pilot verified
- Part 61 section
- 14 CFR 61.129(h) our reading
- Key sub-requirements
- 20 hours in balloons; (2) 10 flights in balloons; (3) Two flights in balloons as the pilot in command verified
- Part 141 minimum
- 10 hours of training and 8 training flights if the course is for a balloon rating per ecfr.gov
- Part 141 appendix
- Part 141 Appendix D, para. 4(a) (Flight training) per ecfr.gov
Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.
What the source says
A person who applies for a commercial pilot certificate with a lighter-than-air category and a balloon class rating must log at least 35 hours of flight time as a pilot, which includes at least the following requirements: (1) 20 hours in balloons; (2) 10 flights in balloons; (3) Two flights in balloons as the pilot in command; and
— ecfr.gov, retrieved 2026-08-18
What ecfr.gov says
(1) 120 hours of training if the course is for an airplane or powered-lift rating. (2) 155 hours of training if the course is for an airship rating. (3) 115 hours of training if the course is for a rotocraft rating. (4) 6 hours of training if the course is for a glider rating. (5) 10 hours of training and 8 training flights if the course is for a balloon rating.
— ecfr.gov, retrieved 2026-08-18