FAA License Requirements - Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) Part 61

1) To be eligible for an Helicopter-Rotorcraft Airline Transport Pilot certificate, a person must:

a. Be at least 23 years of age

b. Meet at least one of the following requirements:

i. Holds a commercial pilot certificate with an instrument rating issued under this part;

ii. 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 in the US Armed Forces.

2) A person who is applying for an airline transport pilot certificate with a rotorcraft category and helicopter class rating, must have at least 1,200 hours of total time as a pilot that includes at least:

a. 500 hours of cross-country flight time;

b. 100 hours of night flight time, of which 15 hours are in helicopters;

c. 200 hours of flight time in helicopters, which includes at least 75 hours as a pilot in command, or as second in command performing the duties of a pilot in command under the supervision of a pilot in command, or any combination thereof; and

d. 75 hours of instrument flight time in actual or simulated instrument meteorological conditions, of which at least 50 hours are obtained in flight with at least 25 hours in helicopters as a pilot in command, or as second in command performing the duties of a pilot in command under the supervision of a pilot in command, or any combination thereof.

i. Training in a flight simulator or flight training device may be credited toward the instrument flight time requirements, subject to the following:

1. Training in a flight simulator or a flight training device must be accomplished in a flight simulator or flight training device that represents a rotorcraft.

2. An applicant may receive credit for not more than a total of 25 hours of simulated instrument time in a flight simulator and flight training device.

3) Pass a knowledge test (Written Exam) on aeronautical knowledge areas;

a. Applicable Federal Aviation Regulations of this chapter that relate to airline transport pilot privileges, limitations, and flight operations;

b. Meteorology, including knowledge of and effects of fronts, frontal characteristics, cloud formations, icing, and upper- air data;

c. General system of weather and NOTAM collection, dissemination, interpretation, and use;

d. Interpretation and use of weather charts, maps, forecasts, sequence reports, abbreviations, and symbols;

e. National Weather Service functions as they pertain to operations in the National Airspace System;

f. Windshear and microburst awareness, identification, and avoidance;

g. Principles of air navigation under instrument meteorological conditions in the National Airspace System;

h. Air traffic control procedures and pilot responsibilities as they relate to en route operations, terminal area and radar operations, and instrument departure and approach procedures;

i. Aircraft loading, weight and balance, use of charts, graphs, tables, formulas, and computations, and their effect on aircraft performance;

j. Aerodynamics relating to an aircraft's flight characteristics and performance in normal and abnormal flight regimes;

k. Human factors;

l. Aeronautical decision making and judgment;

m. Crew resource management to include crew communication and coordination;

4) Pass the practical test (Checkride).

* This section covers most cases of obtaining an ATP rating, however, there may be additional scenarios to consider based on other factors. Be sure to talk with us about your current flight and military experience prior to making a final decision about your flight training needs.