Hello all,
I´m looking forward to get my FAA ATPL but have a few doubts and concerns about the process and I hope you can help me. If I am wrong at something please let me know.
First, my background:
FAA Commercial Multi-engine without A320 Type Rating.
Foreign ICAO Commercial Multi-engine with A320 Type Rating. Currently flying at an airline overseas as 320 F/O.
1500+ TT and complying with the aeronautical experience according to 61.159.
This is what I understand:
I need to take the ATP-CTP Course to be able to take the Knowledge Test. ATP-CTP does not include any kind of Practical Test, it only allows you to take the Written Test. Is that right?
After that I need to get the Practical Test done (Oral + actual flight in PA-44 or so, or a simulator session concurrently with a type rating)
I´ve been offered a Foreign A320 Upgrade/Conversion Course as a path to get the FAA ATPL concurrently with the A320 type rating. In that case, am I going to get the "Based on a foreign license" statement in the back of my pilot license? I want to avoid that. And I´ve seen that statement in a few FAA pilot licenses that made some kind of conversion from a foreign license, but without going through practical tests, only written tests and FSDO paper work and I believe you can only do that for PPL
(See 61.75)
In order to be eligible for airlines overseas as Middle East and Asia, do you guys know if they require you to have a Type Rating in the ATPL? What if I hold a commercial license with type rating from one country and sufficient flight time in such type rated a/c, and in addition holding a ATPL without type rating from another country? Im trying to decide if going for a normal checkride or a simulator checkride concurrently with the type rating. There is a substantial difference in $$$$ between them.
I would appreciate if you can guide me a little here.
Thanks in advance!