You may know the ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) rating is required for airline transport category operations – and it the requirements to get an ATP rating are 1500 hours total time. What you may not know is that the FAA put aside or reduced some of those required hours as part of the Restricted ATP (R-ATP) certification. This means you can qualify to fly for the airlines with less than the standard 1500 required hours. As per the FAA… (ATP) Certificate with Reduced Aeronautical Experience Graduates of an institution of higher education that have received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization to certify graduates may be eligible to apply for a restricted privileges airline transport pilot (R-ATP) certificate. The total flight time requirements for a restricted privileges ATP Certificate based on a degree with an aviation major are found in §61.160.
American Winds College of Aeronautics has received an FAA Letter of Authorization (LOA) and can be found on the FAA’s list of approved Institutions Authorized to Certify its Graduates for an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Certificate with Reduced Aeronautical Experience – found here: http://www.faa.gov/pilots/training/atp/media/Institutional_Authority_List.pdf
1,000 hours for a graduate who holds a bachelor’s degree with an aviation major and meets the remaining requirements of §61.160(b);
A person may apply for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate concurrently with an airplane type rating with a minimum of 1,000 hours of total time as a pilot if the person:
Holds a Bachelor’s degree with an aviation major from an institution of higher education, as defined in §61.1, that has been issued a letter of authorization by the Administrator under §61.169;
Completes 60 semester credit hours of aviation and aviation-related coursework that has been recognized by the Administrator as coursework designed to improve and enhance the knowledge and skills of a person seeking a career as a professional pilot;
Holds a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and instrument rating if:
(i) The required ground training was completed as part of an approved part 141 curriculum at the institution of higher education; and
(ii) The required flight training was completed as part of an approved part 141 curriculum at the institution of higher education or at a part 141 pilot school that has a training agreement under §141.26 of this chapter with the institution of higher education; and
4. Presents official transcripts or other documentation acceptable to the Administrator from the institution of higher education certifying that the graduate has satisfied the requirements in paragraphs (b)(1) through (3) of this section.
1,250 hours for a graduate who holds an associate’s degree with an aviation major and meets the remaining requirements of §61.160(c);
A person may apply for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate concurrently with an airplane type rating with a minimum of 1,250 hours of total time as a pilot if the person:
- Holds an Associate’s degree with an aviation major from an institution of higher education, as defined in §61.1, that has been issued a letter of authorization by the Administrator under §61.169;
- Completes at least 30 semester credit hours of aviation and aviation-related coursework that has been recognized by the Administrator as coursework designed to improve and enhance the knowledge and skills of a person seeking a career as a professional pilot;
- Holds a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane category and instrument rating if:
(i) The required ground training was completed as part of an approved part 141 curriculum at the institution of higher education; and
(ii) The required flight training was completed as part of an approved part 141 curriculum at the institution of higher education or at a part 141 pilot school that has a written training agreement under §141.26 of this chapter with the institution of higher education; and
4.Presents official transcripts or other documentation acceptable to the Administrator from the institution of higher education certifying that the graduate has satisfied the requirements in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this section.
1,250 hours for a graduate who holds a bachelor’s degree with aviation major and meets the remaining requirements of §61.160(d).
- A graduate of an institution of higher education who completes fewer than 60 semester credit hours but at least 30 credit hours and otherwise satisfies the requirements of paragraph (b) may apply for airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating or an airline transport pilot certificate concurrently with an airplane type rating with a minimum of 1,250 hours of total time as a pilot.
- A person who applies for an airline transport pilot certificate under the total flight times listed in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section must otherwise meet the aeronautical experience requirements of §61.159, except that the person may apply for an airline transport pilot certificate with 200 hours of cross-country flight time.
- A person who has 1,500 hours total time as a pilot, 200 hours of cross-country flight time, and otherwise meets the aeronautical experience requirements of §61.159 may apply for an airline transport pilot certificate under this section.
- An airline transport pilot certificate obtained under this section is subject to the pilot in command limitations set forth in §61.167(b) and must contain the following limitation, “Restricted in accordance with 14 CFR 61.167.” The pilot is entitled to an airline transport pilot certificate without the limitation specified in this paragraph when the applicant presents satisfactory evidence of having met the aeronautical experience requirements of §61.159 and the age requirement of §61.153(a)(1).
- An applicant who meets the aeronautical experience requirements of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d) of this section is issued an airline transport pilot certificate with the limitation, “Holder does not meet the pilot in command aeronautical experience requirements of ICAO,” as prescribed under Article 39 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation if the applicant does not meet the ICAO requirements contained in Annex 1 “Personnel Licensing” to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. An applicant is entitled to an airline transport pilot certificate without the ICAO limitation specified under this paragraph when the applicant presents satisfactory evidence of having met the ICAO requirements and otherwise meets the aeronautical experience requirements of §61.159