A "SIC Privileges Only" type rating under 14 CFR §61.55 is what a second-in-command needs to fly a type-rated aircraft on international (ICAO) operations. There's no checkride — you do the familiarization and flight training with a provider, get the endorsements on your 8710-1, and an examiner issues the rating. The catch: FAA rules require you to appear in person before the examiner with your records. $200 flat.
What a SIC type rating is — and who needs one
Under 14 CFR §61.55, a pilot acting as second-in-command of an aircraft that requires a type rating must hold at least a pilot type rating for that aircraft — unless the flight is a domestic operation within U.S. airspace. In practice that means the "SIC Privileges Only" type rating is needed for international / ICAO operations. It's a common requirement for Part 91 and Part 135 crews flying business jets across borders.
The rating is annotated "SIC Privileges Only" on your certificate — it authorizes you to serve as second-in-command, not to act as pilot in command of the type.
Step 1 — The training you complete first
Before the rating can be issued, you complete the §61.55(d) training with a qualified provider. Within the previous 12 calendar months:
- Ground familiarization — powerplant, equipment and systems, performance and limitations, normal/abnormal/emergency procedures, flight manual, placards and markings
- Flight training — three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop as the sole manipulator of the controls, engine-out procedures (where applicable), and crew resource management
A qualified instructor or management official (Chief Pilot, Director of Training, or Director of Operations) signs the training and recommendation sections of FAA Form 8710-1. Daytona DPE does not provide the training itself — you arrive with it complete and endorsed.
Step 2 — The in-person issuance appointment
With training done and the 8710-1 endorsed, you submit the contact form, get a document checklist, and schedule an in-person appointment. At the appointment the examiner:
- Inspects your logbook and training records in person
- Confirms the completed, signed 8710-1 and the required endorsements
- Verifies identity and eligibility
- Processes the application and adds the SIC Privileges Only type rating — issuing a temporary certificate on the spot
The permanent plastic certificate is mailed by the FAA within 4 to 6 weeks. No practical test is administered — this is a records-and-eligibility action, done face-to-face.
Why it has to be in person
Even though there's no checkride, §61.55 is specific: the applicant must appear in person at a Flight Standards office or before an examiner with the logbook/training records and the completed, signed 8710-1. The examiner has to physically review the records and confirm eligibility. That's why this action — like foreign pilot conversions — isn't offered over video.
What you'll need
After you submit the contact form you'll get a full checklist. Generally:
- Completed, endorsed FAA Form 8710-1 (training and recommendation sections signed)
- Your logbook / training records showing the §61.55(d) ground and flight training within 12 months
- Government-issued photo ID
- Your current pilot certificate and appropriate category/class rating
- A started IACRA application where used
Pricing — $200 flat
$200 flat for the in-person issuance appointment, collected by Zelle or Venmo after the rating is issued. No rescheduling or discontinuance fees. (Your SIC training with your provider is separate and not part of this fee.)
More on pricing → View pricing details
Who you're booking with
Daytona DPE is run by Thomas Dowell, an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner with a background in military aviation, flight-school ownership, Part 135, and Part 121 operations. About the examiner → /about/
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Ready for your SIC type rating?
Finish your §61.55 training and get the 8710-1 endorsed, then submit the contact form to schedule your in-person appointment.
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