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Originally posted by moe.ron
What are the different categories of pilot licenses?

Quoting the Federal Aviation Regs (FAR 61.5) :

Sec. 61.5 - Certificates and ratings issued under this part.

(a) The following certificates are issued under this part to an applicant who satisfactorily accomplishes the training and certification requirements for the certificate sought:

(1) Pilot certificates --

(i) Student pilot.
(ii) Recreational pilot.
(iii) Private pilot.
(iv) Commercial pilot.
(v) Airline transport pilot.

(2) Flight instructor certificates.

(3) Ground instructor certificates.

(b) The following ratings are placed on a pilot certificate (other than student pilot) when an applicant satisfactorily accomplishes the training and certification requirements for the rating sought:

(1) Aircraft category ratings --

(i) Airplane.
(ii) Rotorcraft.
(iii) Glider.
(iv) Lighter-than-air.
(v) Powered-lift.

(2) Airplane class ratings --

(i) Single-engine land.
(ii) Multiengine land.
(iii) Single-engine sea.
(iv) Multiengine sea.

(3) Rotorcraft class ratings --

(i) Helicopter.
(ii) Gyroplane.

(4) Lighter-than-air class ratings --

(i) Airship.
(ii) Balloon.

(5) Aircraft type ratings --

(i) Large aircraft other than lighter-than-air.
(ii) Turbojet-powered airplanes.
(iii) Other aircraft type ratings specified by the Administrator through the aircraft type certification procedures.

(6) Instrument ratings (on private and commercial pilot certificates only) --

(i) Instrument -- Airplane.
(ii) Instrument -- Helicopter.

(iii) Instrument -- Powered-lift.

(c) The following ratings are placed on a flight instructor certificate when an applicant satisfactorily accomplishes the training and certification requirements for the rating sought:

(1) Aircraft category ratings --

(i) Airplane.
(ii) Rotorcraft.
(iii) Glider.
(iv) Powered-lift.

(2) Airplane class ratings --

(i) Single-engine.
(ii) Multiengine.

(3) Rotorcraft class ratings --

(i) Helicopter.
(ii) Gyroplane.

(4) Instrument ratings --

(i) Instrument -- Airplane.
(ii) Instrument -- Helicopter.
(iii) Instrument -- Powered-lift.

(d) The following ratings are placed on a ground instructor certificate when an applicant satisfactorily accomplishes the training and certification requirements for the rating sought:

(1) Basic.
(2) Advanced.
(3) Instrument.

For example, John Travolta holds an Airline Transport Pilot license and has a type rating for the Boeing 747-400, Boeing 707, Gulfstream G-IV and a few others. He owns a Boeing 707-138B painted in the 1960s colors of QANTAS Australian Airlines. (In case you're wondering, QANTAS is actually an acronym: Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service.)