Confused about CPL vs ATPL

[sstaurus]

Hello

I have searched around the internet and the forums here, but if you know of a place please let me know. (I can't find a specific answer).

I am still confused on the CPL and ATPL. I know that you need CPL to get paid basically, and the ATPL to work for airlines (and I know what fATPL is). But do you have to go CPL then ATPL? I thought I heard that some people skip the CPL and go straight to ATPL, is that true? Or do you need both? What would be the benefit of this, or doing just the ATPL? Coming from Canada, is it different from the UK? (everything I read here is mostly UK based)

Thanks.

[Send Clowns]

fATPL is a nickname, and it applies to Europe and perhaps some others. I don't know how Canada works, but in the US the ATPL exams cannot be sat until the hours requirement is met, so there is no such thing. The frozen ATPL is a CPL/IR with passes in the ATPL exams.

The CPL/ATPL difference is nothing to do with who you work for; it relates to what aircraft you can command. A CPL allows you to earn money from flying, and allows you to fly as crew of any aircraft (given the appropriate class or type rating), including commanding a single-pilot aircraft (although there might be further conditions, such as requirement for 700 hours for single-pilot IFR operations in the UK). A full ATPL allows you to command a multi-crew aircraft.

In Europe most people skip the CPL exams, and do the ATPLs. In the US that is impossible unless you can achieve 1500 hors on a PPL.