FAA ATP Certificate: Complete Requirements and Process Guide

The Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate is the highest level of aircraft pilot certification issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is required to act as pilot-in-command (captain) in most scheduled air carrier operations under 14 CFR Part 121 and in many Part 135 operations. For anyone planning a professional airline career in the United States, understanding ATP requirements is a key part of long-term planning.

Introduction to the ATP Certificate

The ATP certificate is the FAA’s top licence level and broadly comparable to the EASA ATPL. It signals that a pilot has achieved the highest standards of knowledge, experience and proficiency needed for airline operations.

Purpose and Significance

In practice, the ATP:

• Is required for all Part 121 airline captains and for many high-end Part 135 operations.
• Demonstrates extensive experience, strong aeronautical decision-making and advanced instrument skills.
• Is recognised internationally under ICAO standards, making it an important credential for global operations.

With an ATP, a pilot can serve as PIC in Part 121 operations and gain access to a broader range of airline and corporate jobs. For many employers, holding (or clearly working toward) an ATP is a basic filter in the hiring process.

ATP vs. Commercial Pilot Certificate

The ATP builds directly on the commercial certificate but raises the bar in age, experience and training.

The commercial certificate lets you work as a professional pilot; the ATP certificate is what airlines expect when you move into major airline and long-term career roles.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for an ATP certificate, you need to meet age, language, medical and flight experience standards, and complete specific training.

Age Requirements

For a standard ATP you must be at least 23 years old on the day of the practical test. There is no upper age limit, provided you can still meet the medical standards.

The Restricted ATP (R-ATP) allows certain pilots to act as first officers in Part 121 operations from age 21. Once they reach 23 and meet the full hour requirements, they can upgrade to an unrestricted ATP.

Language Proficiency

As with all FAA pilot certificates, you must be able to read, speak, write and understand English. This is assessed throughout your training and again during the practical test. It aligns with ICAO Level 4 or higher and is crucial for radio communication and international operations.

Medical Certificate

To exercise ATP privileges you need a First Class medical certificate, issued by an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME).

• Under 40 years of age, a First Class medical is valid for ATP operations for 12 months.
• From 40 onwards, the First Class privileges are valid for 6 months; after that, the certificate may still be valid at a lower class level.

The underlying standards cover vision (typically 20/20 or better with correction), hearing, cardiovascular health and the absence of disqualifying conditions. ECGs are required at certain age thresholds. In broad terms, it is comparable to the EASA Class 1 medical.

Flight Experience Requirements

For the standard ATP, the FAA requires 1,500 total flight hours. These must include specified amounts of cross-country, night, instrument, PIC and (for multi-engine ATP) multi-engine time.

Core Hour Requirements (Standard ATP)

Within the 1,500 hours, you must have:

• 500 hours of cross-country time, typically with legs more than 50 NM from the point of departure.
• 100 hours of night flying, giving experience in reduced visibility and night operations.
• 75 hours of instrument time, actual or simulated. A portion may be in an approved simulator or flight training device within regulatory limits.
• 250 hours as PIC, or a combination of PIC and “sole manipulator of the controls” time as a rated pilot, subject to specific rules.
• For a multi-engine ATP, 50 hours in multi-engine airplanes.

The exact breakdown can vary slightly depending on how you log PIC and SIC time, and how much simulator time you use, but the general structure above is the standard target.

Logging Principles

You can credit:

• Time as sole manipulator of the controls in an aircraft for which you are rated.
• Time as PIC when you are properly rated and designated as PIC, or sole occupant.
• SIC time in operations that legally require two pilots.
• A limited amount of simulator or FTD time, as allowed by the regulations.

Ground instruction, briefings and non-flying duties do not count towards total flight time. Excess simulator time beyond the permitted limit also cannot be credited to ATP minimums.

Restricted ATP (R-ATP) Options

The R-ATP allows certain groups of pilots to obtain ATP privileges with reduced total time, provided they follow approved training programmes. This is mainly aimed at military pilots and graduates of specific university or college aviation programmes.

Reduced Hour Thresholds

Depending on background, the total time requirement can be reduced as follows:

All R-ATP holders are limited to first officer (SIC) roles in Part 121 operations until they meet the requirements for a full ATP and reach age 23.

Military and Academic Pathways

Military pilots with recognised training can qualify at 750 hours total time, reflecting the intensity of military programmes. Academic pathways require graduation from FAA-authorized universities or colleges with Part 141 programmes and specific aviation coursework. In each case, the school or military organisation must be formally approved for R-ATP issuance.

ATP Certification Training Program (CTP)

Before you can take the ATP written exam, you must complete an ATP Certification Training Program (ATP CTP) as required by 14 CFR § 61.156.

What the CTP Covers

The CTP combines advanced ground school and simulator training. It introduces:

• High-altitude aerodynamics and jet performance,
• Advanced meteorology, including icing and high-altitude weather systems,
• Airline-style operations and procedures,
• Leadership, crew resource management and professional standards, and
• Multi-crew simulator scenarios (usually in a Level C or higher full flight simulator).

Most courses last about a week and are offered by large training organisations and airline-linked academies. At the end, you receive a completion certificate, which you need to sit the ATP knowledge test. The CTP certificate itself does not expire.

ATP Knowledge Test

After the CTP, you can take the ATP knowledge test (written).

• The exam consists of around 90 multiple-choice questions.
• You usually have 3 hours to complete it.
• The passing score is 70%.

Questions are drawn from a broad range of topics: complex regulations (Part 91, 121 and 135), advanced meteorology, performance and limitations, long-range navigation, crew coordination, high-altitude and swept-wing aerodynamics and emergency operations.

Most candidates use a mix of test prep books, online ground schools and question banks, and plan four to eight weeks of focused study. Once passed, the knowledge test result is valid for 24 months for the purpose of taking the practical test.

ATP Practical Test (Checkride)

The practical test is the final hurdle. It is conducted under the ATP Airplane Airman Certification Standards (ACS) and combines a detailed oral examination with a flight test, usually in a multi-engine aircraft or a full flight simulator.

Oral Examination

The oral portion typically lasts two to three hours. The examiner will explore:

• Regulatory knowledge relevant to ATP-level operations,
• Aircraft systems and limitations,
• Weather analysis and decision-making,
• Flight planning and performance, and
• Crew resource management and scenario-based judgment.

The goal is to see whether you think like an airline captain, even if you are initially going into a first-officer role.

Flight Portion

The flight segment usually runs for two to three hours in total (including setup), and covers:

• Preflight planning and performance calculations,
• Normal procedures in all phases of flight,
• A full range of instrument procedures (precision and non-precision approaches, holds, missed approaches and circling where applicable),
• Abnormal and emergency procedures, and
• For multi-engine ATP: single-engine operations, including engine failures on takeoff and in flight, and single-engine approaches and landings.

The checkride may be conducted either in an actual aircraft or in a simulator meeting the required standards. Many airline-bound pilots complete the ATP practical test in the context of a type rating course.

Combining ATP with a Type Rating

In airline environments, the ATP practical test is often combined with a type rating checkride on a transport category jet (such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320). In that case:

• You complete a full type rating course, including systems ground school and intensive simulator training.
• The final checkride is structured to satisfy both ATP and type rating standards in a single event.

For self-funded pilots, this can be expensive, but many airlines cover these costs for new hires. For more on this, see Type Rating Overview.

Certification Process Timeline

Once you have the necessary hours and medical, the ATP process itself can be relatively compact:

1. Confirm eligibility: Check total hours, specific experience categories, First Class medical and English proficiency.
2. Complete ATP CTP: Attend an approved course and obtain the completion certificate.
3. Pass ATP knowledge test: Study and sit the written exam within a reasonable timeframe after CTP.
4. Prepare for practical test: Take any needed refresher training, especially on multi-engine and instrument procedures.
5. Take the ATP checkride: Complete the oral and flight test with an examiner.
6. Receive certificate: On successful completion, you receive a temporary ATP certificate; the permanent plastic licence follows by mail.

If you already meet the hour requirements, many pilots complete CTP, written and checkride within two to four months.

Costs Overview

Actual costs vary widely with location and training path, but a rough breakdown for a stand-alone ATP might look like:

When combined with a type rating, total training value can easily reach into the tens of thousands of dollars, but this is often paid by the hiring airline.

FAA ATP vs. EASA ATPL

For pilots comparing systems or planning license conversion, it’s useful to understand the main differences.

• The FAA ATP uses a single knowledge test after the CTP, whereas the EASA ATPL requires 14 separate theory exams.
• Total hour requirements are similar (1,500 hours), but the way hours are accumulated and credited can differ.
• FAA training structures (Part 61 vs Part 141) are more flexible, while EASA Part-FCL places more emphasis on structured ATO training.
• Both systems require a top-level medical (First Class vs Class 1) and recurrent checks to maintain privileges.

Career Path and Practical Considerations

For most aspiring airline pilots in the U.S., the typical path is:

• Earn commercial certificate and instrument rating.
• Build hours through flight instructing, Part 135, banner towing, skydive operations or similar.
• Reach 1,500 hours (or applicable R-ATP threshold).
• Complete ATP CTP, pass the written, then join a regional airline or training programme where ATP and type rating are completed together.

Major airlines generally expect an unrestricted ATP, significant total time and turbine experience, but many pilots reach those roles after several years at a regional carrier or in other professional flying jobs.

Maintaining ATP Privileges

The ATP certificate itself does not expire, but to exercise ATP privileges you must:

• Keep your First Class medical current (with age-dependent validity for ATP operations).
• Maintain instrument currency (approaches, holds and tracking every six months, or complete an instrument proficiency check).
• Meet any type-rating recurrent training and proficiency check requirements (especially under Part 121).

Part 121 operators have structured recurrent programmes that automatically keep their pilots compliant. Pilots flying outside airline systems must manage currency and recurrent checks more independently.

Conclusion

The FAA ATP certificate is the top of the U.S. pilot licensing ladder and a key milestone for any professional airline career. It combines high experience thresholds, advanced training (through the ATP CTP), a demanding knowledge test and a comprehensive practical exam.

Understanding the full ATP pathway – including standard and R-ATP options, costs, timelines and how it interfaces with airline training and type ratings – allows you to plan your career realistically. Whether you are building hours as a flight instructor, transitioning from military flying, or coming from another licensing system such as EASA, a clear view of ATP requirements makes each step towards the cockpit door more predictable and more achievable.

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Related Articles:

• FAA Overview
• FAA Part 61 vs Part 141 Training
• EASA Licensing Process
• License Conversion Guide
• Type Rating Overview

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