A Specific FAA Military Competency Question

[CumminsPilot]

Here is some interesting gouge I learned today while getting my Commercial cert:

If you already have a Private Pilots license, the Military Competency Exam is NOT REQUIRED. I spent $150 to take it yesterday, only to find this out today at the FSDO in San Diego.

This was from Nick, at the San Diego FSDO phone (858) 502-9882.

He also called the FAA Airman Certification office to verify this information at 866-878-2498 and they verified it twice.

They cited FAR 61.73 as their basis for this. Even though it does not SPECIFICALLY state so in that FAR, they said the basis was that your knowledge has already been proven through an FAA exam in the past. And honestly, there really isn't much in the Mil-Comp exam that is other than basic private pilot knowledge.

So, the more you know...Don't waste your money on the exam if you're already rated.

Disclaimer: YMMV at different a different FSDO. But if you can go to Nick in San Diego, I'd recommend it. My designation letter didn't mean anything to him, he wanted to see my Instrument checkride in my log book and that was what earned me my commercial cert...weird.

 

[craftingraptor]

If you already have a Private Pilots license, the Military Competency Exam is NOT REQUIRED.

I just got my commercial license and asked about this. Mr. B******* (he helps us out here in multi-engine land) said that only works if you don't want the commercial and you just want to add the instrument rating on to your already existing private pilot's license.

 

[CumminsPilot]

I just got my commercial license and asked about this. Mr. B******* (he helps us out here in multi-engine land) said that only works if you don't want the commercial and you just want to add the instrument rating on to your already existing private pilot's license.

As I said in my post, the man at the FSDO, who issued me my commercial cert, called Oklahoma City TWICE to verify. You really can't ask anyone higher than that.

The test is a joke anyway. Maybe 5 questions actually pertain to commercial flying, so what's the point? Most of it is basic FAA private pilot knowledge.

 

[craftingraptor]

I agree with you. I'm just saying that the dude here made it sound like he couldn't push my app through without the certificate number from the MCA test.

 

[e6bflyer]

Question for anyone who has done this recently: Can you go from no FAA ratings, take the Mil-comp instructor test and get your CFI multi or do you have to have an existing license (private or commercial)? I am actually trying to get my ATP checkride done in the next couple of weeks and didn't realize that the ATP requires you to already have an existing license, which I don't have. Since I am going to have to take another test and shell out another $150 plus the cost of the prep software, I would rather just take the Instructor Comp exam instead of the commercial exam.

 

[HokiePilot]

I am almost positive that you need your commercial to get your CFI. It is a separate license than a pilot's license. It is a separate card.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Yup gotta have a commerical ticket before you can get a CFI.

 

[jollygreen07]

Question for anyone who has done this recently: Can you go from no FAA ratings, take the Mil-comp instructor test and get your CFI multi or do you have to have an existing license (private or commercial)? I am actually trying to get my ATP checkride done in the next couple of weeks and didn't realize that the ATP requires you to already have an existing license, which I don't have. Since I am going to have to take another test and shell out another $150 plus the cost of the prep software, I would rather just take the Instructor Comp exam instead of the commercial exam.

Let me know how that goes, would ya?

 

[e6bflyer]

Yup gotta have a commerical ticket before you can get a CFI.

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Hopefully that mil comp commercial gouge is up to date, looks like I'll be taking it, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Swanee]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Hopefully that mil comp commercial gouge is up to date, looks like I'll be taking it, maybe tomorrow.

The Sheppard Air prep software is really good. It has been mentioned before, but I just used it. Much success.

 

[707guy]

Thanks guys. Much appreciated. Hopefully that mil comp commercial gouge is up to date, looks like I'll be taking it, maybe tomorrow.

Good luck - hope it goes well!

 

[e6bflyer]

The Sheppard Air prep software is really good. It has been mentioned before, but I just used it. Much success.

Agreed. I used it for my ATP test and did well on it considering the minimal effort that I spend studying. I would highly recommend it. It was $75 well spent.
I am going to use the existing online gouge for the Mil-comp commercial test. I will let everyone know how it goes. I took it after flight school, but was too lazy to go to the FSDO (which is literally 10 minutes from my house), so this is a $150 lesson learned on why not to procrastinate.
I am trying to schedule my ATP checkride, and I have to get everything done in short order. It was my dumb fault for not doing my homework prior.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Agreed. I used it for my ATP test and did well on it considering the minimal effort that I spend studying. I would highly recommend it. It was $75 well spent.
I am going to use the existing online gouge for the Mil-comp commercial test. I will let everyone know how it goes. I took it after flight school, but was too lazy to go to the FSDO (which is literally 10 minutes from my house), so this is a $150 lesson learned on why not to procrastinate.
I am trying to schedule my ATP checkride, and I have to get everything done in short order. It was my dumb fault for not doing my homework prior.

The good news is you're not the first to make this mistake. Got a good bud who is a JetBlue Captain who did the same thing!

Good Luck

 

[MattWSU]

Here is some interesting gouge I learned today while getting my Commercial cert:

If you already have a Private Pilots license, the Military Competency Exam is NOT REQUIRED. I spent $150 to take it yesterday, only to find this out today at the FSDO in San Diego.

This was from Nick, at the San Diego FSDO phone (858) 502-9882.

He also called the FAA Airman Certification office to verify this information at 866-878-2498 and they verified it twice.

They cited FAR 61.73 as their basis for this. Even though it does not SPECIFICALLY state so in that FAR, they said the basis was that your knowledge has already been proven through an FAA exam in the past. And honestly, there really isn't much in the Mil-Comp exam that is other than basic private pilot knowledge.

So, the more you know...Don't waste your money on the exam if you're already rated.

Disclaimer: YMMV at different a different FSDO. But if you can go to Nick in San Diego, I'd recommend it. My designation letter didn't mean anything to him, he wanted to see my Instrument checkride in my log book and that was what earned me my commercial cert...weird.

Sorry for the thread revival.

Has anybody been able to corroborate / confirm this in the last four years?

 

[ChuckM]

Way false for commercial equivalency. The only good news since this thread was started is that there is no drop dead on your T-34 equivalency if you're a helicopter guy. Once upon a time you had a year to get the sign off.

You can find a detailed answer in the FARs part 61.