The path to becoming a professional pilot has evolved a lot in the past eight years, following the implementation of new regulations and testing guidance governing how pilots of transport-category aircraft obtain certification. While it’s possible to fly professionally with a certificate for commercial single-engine operations, most pilots intending to fly for the airlines, commuter ops, or a corporate flight department will go one step further.
ATP Requirements for Your Certificate
Key Takeaways:
- The path to becoming a professional airline pilot was significantly reshaped by the 2010 Airline Safety Act, spurred by the 2009 Colgan Air crash, leading to stricter certification regulations.
- New requirements mandate that all airline first officers hold an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate (or a Restricted ATP for those with aviation degrees), with increased flight hour minimums, and captains accumulate 1,000 hours as copilots.
- A key addition to multi-engine ATP certification is the mandatory and costly Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP-CTP), introduced in 2014, which includes extensive ground instruction and full-motion simulator training.
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