The applicant for Category II or III Pilot authorization shall have at least how many cross country flight hours as PIC?

The minimum requirement for the applicant seeking Category II or III Pilot authorization is set at 250 hours of cross-country flight time as Pilot in Command (PIC). This requirement ensures that pilots have a substantial amount of experience navigating and managing flight operations over longer distances, which is critical for the safety and efficiency of operations under instrument flight rules (IFR) that are often associated with Category II and III approaches.

Cross-country flight hours are a vital metric in pilot training and certification since they demonstrate not only the pilot's navigational skills but also their ability to handle various flight scenarios over longer distances away from the home airport. The threshold of 250 hours is intended to balance the need for a well-developed skill set without overly restricting access to these important categories of pilot authorization.

Other options, while they may reflect common hour requirements for different ratings or endorsements, do not meet the specific regulatory requirement for Category II or III authorization, making them less appropriate for this context. The focus on 250 hours specifically indicates that regulatory bodies are emphasizing a tailored level of experience directly relevant to the complexities associated with these advanced operational categories.