FAA ATP Certification Program for Australian
pilots in Florida

Apply for a U.S. visa

Studying in the U.S. requires an M1 student visa. Our flight school is authorized by SEVIS to issue visas to international students and provide all the necessary support you need to obtain one. We will take care of all paperwork needed for securing the M1 student visa.

To start the processes:

• Download and fill out the ATP.Academy course registration form and the M1 visa application.
• Then scan the completed form and email it to info@flydreams.us.
• We will bill you $500 for your M1 visa application. After paying for the visa, you will also need to make a $1,000 deposit into your personal study account. You can use this money to pay your tuition as soon as you enroll in the course. Information for payment will be provided.
• Receive and fill out the required documents
• We will send you the I-20 form and other documents required for your visa application. Fill out these documents, then go to the official Department of Homeland Security website link, click “Pay I-901 Fee,” and pay.

Book an appointment at your local U.S. embassy

Do it by phone or online. Arrive for your visa interview on the appointed day and time. If your visa is denied, your $1,000 tuition deposit will be fully refunded.

File an application for verification of your pilot’s license

You will not be able to apply for an FAA ATP license unless you have verified the license under which you are currently flying. To do so, you must apply for an FAA AIRMEN CERTIFICATION BRANCH by mail or through the IACRA application. Please follow the application instructions on the FAA website or use our guidelines. Notice that you can still take ATP-CTP class and ATP Written exam while you are waiting for Letter of Verification. You need this only before ATP checkride. 

Submit your documents as early as possible, as the FAA takes up to 90 days to review them.

File a application for TSA approval

Visit the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website and request training approval. This is a requirement for all international student pilots coming to the U.S. It is important to keep in mind that the application process takes 1-2 weeks, so you should submit it as soon as possible, preferably as soon as you receive your visa. If the application is not processed in time before the course starts, you will be excluded from simulator training (ground school only). 

Once the application is approved, submit your fingerprints (you will find a list of authorized TSA agents on the official website). You can have your fingerprints taken in Australia or when you arrive in the U.S.

Take the ATP-CTP course

We offer ATP-CTP courses throughout the year, with four ATP-CTP training courses monthly. Determine the most convenient time for you to complete the training (taking into account the visa processing and TSA approval period). Coordinate with us on the desired training period (via website or email).

Plan to take a leave of absence from your main place of employment while you are in the U.S. Keep in mind the duration of the trip:

• 1-2 days – flights,
• 8 days – ATP-CTP course at our training center,
• 1 day – written ATP test.

Your trip will take at least 12 days overall.

If you plan to pass the whole ATP ME program (non-Type, Type A320 or ATP ME + Type Rating), this will also require approval from our school and an additional period of stay.

Non-Type ATP ME training requires 7-10 flight hours and 3-5 hours of ground school, as well as 1 further day for a checkride with an examiner. In this case, the period of stay could increase to 2-4 weeks.

Local law in Florida does not allow for short-term home rentals. Apartments for rent are offered for a term of 1 year or more. Therefore, there are two accommodation options.

• Booking a hotel room. You can book a room at one of the hotels close to the training center. Fort Lauderdale has many hotels of varying comfort levels ranging in price from $70 to $200 per night.
• Booking a room at the ATP.Academy guest house. We offer our own student houses, located just 10 minutes away from the training center, providing comfortable accommodations for our students for the duration of their studies. Students can stay at our student house for between 1 day and 1 year, with payment starting at $60/night. The house is available on “first come, first serve” base.

We can also help students select and rent a car for the period of the training course.

If you require help with accommodation and a car, please let us know in advance. We recommend that you book your accommodation and car at least one month in advance of your expected arrival date for the course.

Complete the course

The total duration of the course is 8 days. The training takes place at our training center in Fort Lauderdale or Orlando. The program includes 40 hours of training:

• 30 hours of ground school;
• 4 hours of Flight Training Device;
• 6 hours of Full Flight Simulator

Our students train on the most advanced full A320-200 CAE XR7000 flight simulator at Fort Lauderdale International Airport or Orlando training center, which provides a superior level of practice.

After completion of the course you will receive a certificate which also functions as admission to take the ATP ME written test.

The ATP-CTP course does not include preparation for the ATP ME written test (you can prepare for the test yourself using apps recommended by our instructors.

Take the ATP ME written test

You can take the ATP ME written test immediately after completing the ATP-CTP course at the FAA testing site within our training center in Fort Lauderdale. You must register for the test on the PSI website, get an account and schedule a test day.

The written test is computer-based. It includes 125 questions and takes 4 hours. Passing the test requires that at least 70% of questions be answered correctly.

Complete the additional training and checkride

After successfully passing the test, the last step on your way to a career as a U.S. line pilot is the ATP test in a simulator or airplane. At this stage you can choose which license you want (with or without a type rating).

Even if you already have a type rating and have been a pilot for many years, you still need to take additional training and complete a checkride with an examiner. This is because the FAA has equally high requirements for airline pilots’ education and experience in the U.S. and foreign countries. Since the requirements are the same across the board, additional training will be required depending on your desired rating and future plans for working as a U.S. airline pilot.

With a U.S. pilot’s license, you can confidently begin your search for jobs with U.S. airlines. Once you receive an offer from a U.S. employer, apply for an E3 visa and officially begin working in the U.S.