Getting an air transport pilot licence (ATPL)

By the time you apply for your ATPL, you have probably done the training and minimum experience. This is because your hours as a commercial pilot count.

Once you have your ATPL, you can:

• change aircraft category ratings
• add endorsements.

Keeping your air transport pilot licence current

To keep your ATPL aeroplane (ATPLA) licence active, you will do:

• flight reviews
• instrument proficiency checks (IPC) for the aircraft you're flying.

If you don’t have a current instrument proficiency check, you can still use a lower licence operating under visual flight rules (VFR).

For the ATPL helicopter (ATPLH), you must have:

• a current flight review for the helicopter you are flying
• a current IPC if you want to operate under instrument flight rules (IFR).

Theory and the exams for commercial pilot licences

Some of the subjects you will learn for an ATPL include:

• air law
• human factors (with a focus on multi-crew operations)
• meteorology
• navigation
• flight planning
• performance and aircraft loading
• aerodynamics
• aircraft systems
• instrument rating theory (for the aeroplane licence).

You can study the theory yourself, for example, through a self-learning course. Or you can go to classes with a training provider.

The ATPL theory exam tests how well you know the theory of your chosen aircraft rating.

Training for air transport pilot licence

The ATPL flight training focuses on pilot-in-command in a multi-crew operation. It usually happens during command upgrade training.

ATPL training also covers:

• instrument-rating skills, for aeroplane licence only
• multi-crew operations
• multi-engine aircraft skills
• other generic piloting.

You will do an ATPL flight test when you finish the training.

Instrument ratings

You can operate under the VFR and IFR with an ATPLA. You don’t need a separate instrument rating.

The limitations are that you must:

• have a valid IPC
• meet the recent experience requirements.

If you want to fly IFR with your ATPLH, you must have a current:

• instrument rating with a helicopter endorsement
• IPC.

Otherwise, your options for an ATPLH are to:

• get an ATPLH without holding an instrument rating
• include the instrument rating standards in your ATPLH flight test.

Limitations on single-pilot IFR

If you hold an ATPL you can conduct a single-pilot IFR operation only if you have done one of these:

• Passed the flight test for an instrument rating in a single-pilot aircraft – this doesn't have to be recent.
• Completed an instrument proficiency check in a single-pilot aircraft – this doesn't have to be current.

Minimum hours for an air transport pilot licence

You can do these hours in any aircraft or any category except when conditions apply. If the condition is that you must fly a certain aircraft type, it must be recognised or registered.

Experience	Hours for an ATPL-A	Hours for an ATPL-H	Conditions
Aeronautical experience	1500	1000	Up to 100 hours can be in a flight simulation training device (FSTD), including up to 25 hours in an FSTD that is not a flight simulator. Up to 100 hours can be in an FSTD, with up to 25 hours in an FSTD that is not a flight simulator. Up to 5 of those hours can be tethered flight time.
Flight time as pilot	1400	900	At least 750 hours must be in aeroplane (for ATPLA) or helicopter (for ATPLH)
Pilot in command (PIC) or pilot in command under supervision (PICUS) flight time	500 or 250 if at least 70 are PIC	250 with at least 70 as PIC	Hours must be in an aeroplane for ATPLA or helicopter for ATPLH
Cross-country flight time	200	200	Must be in aeroplane for ATPLA or helicopter for ATPLH
Cross-country flight time as PIC or PICUS	100	100	Must be in aeroplane for ATPLA or helicopter for ATPLH
Flight time at night other than dual	100	50	Must be in aeroplane for ATPLA or helicopter for ATPLH
Instrument time	75	30	N/A
Instrument flight time	45	20	Must be in aeroplane for ATPLA or helicopter for ATPLH

Regulations for air transport pilot licences

The rules for air transport pilots are in these sections of Part 61 of CASR Flight crew licencing:

• Subpart 61.K – air transport pilot licences
• Regulations 61.665 to 61.695 – limitations on exercise of privileges of air transport pilot licences
• Regulation 61.700 to 61.715 – requirements for grant of air transport licences.

Transitioning a CAR 5 licence to a Part 61 licence

You can no longer exercise the privileges of a CAR Part 5 licence. If you hold a CAR 5 licence it will need to be transitioned to the new Part 61 licence to continue to operate.

These include licences, ratings, endorsements, authorisations, approvals, and delegations issued under:

• Part 5 of CAR
• a CAO made under Part 5 of CAR
• CAO 29.6
• CAO 29.10
• CAO 29.11
• CAO 82.6.

You can transition your licences by using the ‘Recognition and Transfer CAR Part 5 Qualifications’ form.