The FAA changed the rules for first officers - announcing new requirements on July 10, 2013. In short, on
August 1, 2013, the FAA requires SIC's to hold an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate (ATP), but the certificate may have restricted privileges. An ATP with restricted privileges requires you to:
- Be 21 years old
- Hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate with an Instrument Rating
- Complete an Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP)
- Pass the ATP knowledge and practical test
- And meet the flight time requirements of FAR 61.160 - roughly 1,500 hours
Before this change, SIC's only needed a Commercial Pilot Certificate - roughly 250 hours of flight time - so this is a big change. However, the FAA recognizes that great training can make up for some raw experience. They've made exceptions for pilots coming through certain training programs, allowing them to earn an ATP with restricted privileges in less time. The exceptions are:
- Military pilots need only 750 hours total flight time and 200 hours cross-country time
- Graduates from approved four-year universities with a Bachelor's degree and an aviation major need only 1000 hours total flight time and 200 hours cross-country time if they:
- Complete at least 60 credit hours of aviation related coursework, and
- Hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate that was earned through the university's part 141 training program
- If they complete less than 60 credit hours, but at least 30 credit hours, they need 1250 hours total flight time and 200 hours cross-country time
- Graduates from approved two-year colleges with an Associate's degree and an aviation major need only 1250 hours total flight time and 200 hours cross-country time if they:
- Complete at least 30 credit hours of aviation related coursework, and
- Hold a Commercial Pilot Certificate that was earned through the school's part 141 training program.
- Other pilots need 1500 hours total time and 200 hours cross-country time
Full time requirements for an ATP with restricted privileges
Total flight time and cross-country time aren't the only requirements for an ATP. In total, you'll need:
- 1500, 1250, 1000, or 750 hours of total flight time
- You can get up to 100 hours in an airplane full flight simulator or flight training device, if it was flown during an approved training course at a part 121, 135, 141, or 142 school
- 200 hours of cross-country flight time
- 100 hours of night flight time
- If you've performed more than 20 night takeoffs and landings to a full stop, you can count each additional takeoff/landing pair as one hour of night flight time - up to 25 hours of total night credit
- 50 hours of multi-engine flight time, but you can get 25 hours in a full flight simulator if done in an approved training program
- 75 hours of instrument flight time (actual or simulated)
- You can count up to 25 hours in a flight simulator or a flight training device while training with an instructor
- 250 hours of pilot in command (PIC) time, including
- At least 100 hours of cross-country time
- At least 25 hours of night flight time