CPL

[Ghostie31]

Ok, i've been looking around on here and on the internet for the last few hours! I can't seem to get a straight answer.
If you have a CPL what sort of aircraft can you fly. For example can you fly the Electra? Or does this require an ATPL? Also, at what point can you become an instructor for PPL? Sorry if these are very basic questions, my head is in a muddle after all of the surfing!

Thanks

Ghostie

[Keygrip]

Forgive me for answering a question with a question - but, do you already have a CPL and want to know what you can do with it - or are you going to try to get a CPL in the (near?) future?

[Ghostie31]

Currently at Uni doing a MEng in Aero engineering. Would like to get an ATPL one day but I was wondering what sort of jobs one could get with a PPL or CPL (when/if I get one).


Thanks

[IMC007]

Hi Ghostie 31

In order to gain a Commercial Pilots Licence (CPL) and therefore receive renumeration (be paid) for flying you need to undertake a course of study for the CPL ground exams and then undertake CPL flying training and pass a CPL skills test.

Having been issued with your CPL you can now be paid to fly and you can do such things a tow gliders, parachute dropping, crop spraying, however all 3 of these can be done on a PPL licence but you cannot legally be paid to do it. To receive payment you need the CPL.

You can also undertake air taxi work in single crew light twin engine aeroplanes but you will also need a Instrument rating (IR) for that, more about the IR later.

With a CPL and undertaking a flight instructor course (FI) you can teach at PPL level and get paid.

There are two types of Ground examinations CPL or Airline Transport Pilots Licence (ATPL) ground exams and there is not a vast amount of difference between the two, however in order to fly as part of a crew in a Multi Pilot Areoplane (MPA) one must have studied and passed the ATPL set of ground exams. So in order to fly an electra or any other multi crew aeroplane you must have passed the ATPL ground exams. The flight test is exactly the same as for the CPL but you will need the IR as well.

If you have done the CPL flight test and passed the ATPL ground exams then you have a Frozen ATPL (fATPL) which means that you can apply to be employed as a first Officer (right seat) on a multi crew aeroplane (but you must have an IR also). In order to un freeze the fATPL you are required to reach 1500 hours total time of which 500 hours must be on Multi Pilot aeroplanes and a certain amount needs to be night flying and cross country etc. In order to get a command (left Seat - Captain) you must have a full ATPL and of course an IR.

With a fATPL you can still do everything a CPL holder can do but you can now also work for the airlines.

The Instrument Rating (IR) is a separate rating and allows the holder to fly an aeroplane by sole reference to instruments therefore you can fly in bad weather, in cloud etc a must for Airline work and air taxi work but not required for flight instruction, aerial photography, parachute dropping, glider towing etc. You can get a IR with only a PPL but again cannot get paid to do any flying.

If you only wish to instruct and get paid for it then a CPL is all you need (plus Flight instructor rating). Most people tend to sit the ATPL exams even if they don't want an ATPL, it just means that you have done them and your options are left open if you ever do wish to join the airlines, otherwise you would have to do the ATPL examinations if you had only done the CPL exams in the first instance.

I hope that helps, I probably haven't explained it too well but drop me a PM if you need further clarification.

Regards IMC007

[Ghostie31]

Fantastic!! :D
Thanks very much, that answered all of my questions!

Ghostie!

[Whopity]

Put simply, an Aircraft Rating determines WHAT you can fly;

The licence (PPL, CPL, ATPL thers is no such licence as a fATPL) determines what you can do with the aircraft that you are rated to fly.