Originally Posted by Chilli Monster
Originally Posted by IO540
You don't need an ATPL to fly a single pilot jet.
Officially no, and this will become more relevant when the VLJ's become available.
However, we go back to who really calls the shots here. The minimum insurance requirement for our Citations (550 & 560), in the days when they could operate single pilot, was:
Single pilot waiver
2500 hours TT
Valid ATPL
A friend of mine is in the process of arranging a delivery position for one of the smaller Cessna jets and while he is money bags and a CPL helicoptor pilot, he in the fixed wing world is going to go from zero to type rated pilot and not going to spend anything like your suggested $5 million (my 50k estimate with two more zeros) on his training. In addition, his insurers seem to have a reasonably sensible programme to get him insured.
This is not to say he won't have to fly to ATPL standard, learn most of the ATPL subject matter, spend a lot on training, have a rigorous course of additional training to satisfy his insurer - all of which is true. However, a jet type rating IS achievable by a PPL with skill, effort, and money. Buying and operating the Jet of course takes megabucks
