How to get an ATP license?

ATP MultiEngine airplane license

Intro

This section is dedicated to FAA Commercial pilots who wants to obtain ATP MultiEngine airplane license. If you interested in Single Engine Airplane ATP or Rotorcraft Helicopter ATP – you can contact our office for more details.

If you are foreign commercial or airline pilot – you better visit the page “For foreign pilots” for more information.

Minimum Requirements for enrollment

To be eligible for an airline transport pilot certificate, a person must:

• be at least 23 years of age or 21 years (exception according part 61.160).
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language.
• Be of good moral character;
• Meet at least one of the following requirements:
  • (1) Holds a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating issued under this part;
  • (2) Meet the military experience requirements under §61.73 of this part to qualify for a commercial pilot certificate, and an instrument rating if the person is a rated military pilot or former rated military pilot of an Armed Force of the United States; or
  • (3) Holds either a foreign airline transport pilot license with instrument privileges, or a foreign commercial pilot license with an instrument rating, that—
    • (i) Was issued by a contracting State to the Convention on International Civil Aviation; and
    • (ii) Contains no geographical limitations.
• After July 31, 2014, for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate obtained concurrently with an airplane type rating, receive a graduation certificate from an authorized training provider certifying completion of the airline transport pilot certification training program specified in §61.156 before applying for the knowledge test required by paragraph (g) of this section.

Aeronautical experience

A person who is applying for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category and class rating must have at least 1,500 hours of total time as a pilot that includes at least:

• 500 hours of cross-country flight time
• 100 hours of night flight time
• 50 hours of flight time in the class of airplane for the rating sought.
• 75 hours of instrument flight time, in actual or simulated instrument conditions, subject to the following:
• 250 hours of flight time in an airplane as a pilot in command, or when serving as a required second in command flightcrew member performing the duties of pilot in command while under the supervision of a pilot in command, or any combination thereof, which includes at least—
  • 100 hours of cross-country flight time
  • 25 hours of night flight time

You can find more details about minimum aeronautical experience in part 61.159.

Cost estimation:

All prices here are just approximate expenses. Your personal situation can be different from the common cases (age, experience, pause in an aviation career, personal abilities, etc). Some people need individual approaches, so this price is not a public offer but just an example of how much standard person in standard conditions can spend on the process of getting an ATP license.

1. NON-type ATP: $3,499 (ATP-CTP) + $165 Written test ATP ME + $3,900 (10 hours of ME training on P2006T) + $1,000 (checkride  and aircraft rental) = $8,564
2. ATP with Type-rating A320 (initial): $3,499 (ATP-CTP) + $165 Written test ATP ME + $12,000 (A320 Initial + checkride) = $15,664
3. ATP with Type-rating A320 (reduced, if you have A320 in ICAO license): $3,499 (ATP-CTP) + $165 Written test ATP ME + $8,000 (A320 Reduced + checkride) = $11,664