To Be a Pilot: The Airline Transport Pilot Certificate

(Note: This is part of a series of blog entries designed to provide you more information on becoming a professional pilot. To read previous “To Be a Pilot” information, go to www.pea.com. Click on “What’s New” and “Blog.”)

The Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) is the highest certificate a pilot can achieve. A pilot must have a total of 1,500 flight hours before applying for this certificate.  The pilot must also have completed Commercial, Instrument, Multi-Engine and Instructor Ratings (CFI, CFII, and MEI).

At some point most airline pilots will get an ATP Certificate. It allows you to be the pilot in command (PIC), also called the “captain” of a large commercial aircraft. FAA requirements state you must pass a written test, have at least graduated from high school, have a first-class medical certificate and have logged at least 1,500 hours, with at least 250 of those hours as pilot in command in order to be eligible for your ATP Certificate.

At Phoenix East Aviation, as part of your ATP course, you will also train under FAR (Federal Aviation Regulations) 135 to become a single-engine and multi-engine charter pilot. This will give you more options in terms of employment — you can now carry passengers for compensation. At Phoenix East, you will gain knowledge of sophisticated aircraft systems. Also, due to the demanding environment of today’s technologically advanced cockpits, you will find greater emphasis on multi-engine crew coordination or Crew Resource Management (CRM) at Phoenix East; this has become very important for the safe and efficient operation of today’s airliners.  Hence, Phoenix East makes sure you are well-trained in CRM.