FAA Theory Exams

[Rugbyjack2005]

I have a Frozen EASA ATPL and I am looking at doing my FAA ATP also. Once I have an FAA PPL, can I take the 2 theory exams that I need or do I need to pay for an approved course?

Once I have passed the theory tests, how long do they last before I have to do the CPL and IR check rides?

Thanks in advance.

Jack

[ersa]

You have not got an ATPL, you have a CPL with ATPL exams.

First questions is, do you have enough aeronautical experience to meet the FAA ATP ?

[paco]

And don't underestimate the FAA ATP, either. :)

phil

[rudestuff]

Exams last 24 months. Allow a few days each to memorise the question banks. The oral is another thing altogether. Then there's the turns on pylons, chandelles and lazy eights to think about.

[rudestuff]

If you meet the ATP requirements, 1500tt, 500xc, 250pic, 100 night, 75 instrument, then you can skip CPL/IR and go straight to ATP, BUT you will need to do an ATP-CTP course which is a bit like an MCC before you can take the ATP ME written exam. If you're short of PIC, you might want to write a new logbook as the FAA consider all dual received after your PPL as PIC.

[MarkerInbound]

There is only one knowledge test for the ATP - unless you want both the ME and SE ATP. There are separate writtens for the SE and ME ATP. And while it might make some sense to have to do the ATP CTP and ATM written even if you hold a SE ATP I can see no relief from the SE ATP written for a ME ATP holder.

The ATM (the ME ATP written) is good for 60 months, the ATS is only good for 24 months. And there are no turns on pylons, chandelles and lazy eights on the ATP checkride. Those are commercial checkride maneuvers. The ATP ride is a straight IR ride to higher standards.

Or did I miss the whole point and you are really wanting a FAA commercial with an IR? Then the writtens are good for 24 months as Rudestuff says.

[Rugbyjack2005]

Sorry, just to elaborate. I am looking for an FAA commercial. I don't have 1500 hours, only 750 but presumably it will if I did the written exams and check rides, it will upgrade to a full FAA ATP, like a frozen EASA ATPL to full ATPL right?

So the exams last 24 months then right? Do I have to do an approved theory course or can I just do the exams?

[Tinstaafl]

No, it won't. Neither will the EASA one, if you don't have the required experience & pass an appropriate flight test that grants ATPL issue. In EASA-land, that could be an IPC with your employer to renew your instrument rating.

FAA-land doesn't have IR renewals - they're a permanent certificate - so requires a specific ATP flight test. Tolerances are tighter than EASA IR eg 1/4 scale tracking (GS & LOC). Generally, you may only do the ATP checkride when you meet the min. experience requirements.

There are two exams for an FAA ATP: one for a single engine ATP, and one for a multi-engine ATP. M/E ATP exam requires you complete a prep course (pretty much the equivalent of EASA's MCC). Other than that, there are no course requirements. Not even an instructor recommendation (for either exam, or for the checkride).

In either case it would be more accurate to consider your CPL (of whatever brand) to be a frozen CPL - because that's all it will ever be until, & unless, you meet all the other requirements for the issue of an ATP(L).

[MarkerInbound]

I really don't know what y'all do over there but here you take the commercial written for the commercial, the instrument written for an IR and an ATP written for an ATP. Seems simple, right?

Tinstaafl is right, you don't need an instructor sign off for the ATP written or checkride. The FAA figures by the time you get to the ATP level you should know when you are ready. But now you need an ATP CTP completion certificate to take the written. And if you are getting a type rating as part of the ATP there has to be a record of training.

For the IR and commercial you are going to need an instructor's signoff for the written and checkride. Some of the online training programs will issue a course completion certificate that will count as a signoff for the written.

[Rugbyjack2005]

I really don't know what y'all do over there but here you take the commercial written for the commercial, the instrument written for an IR and an ATP written for an ATP. Seems simple, right?

Tinstaafl is right, you don't need an instructor sign off for the ATP written or checkride. The FAA figures by the time you get to the ATP level you should know when you are ready. But now you need an ATP CTP completion certificate to take the written. And if you are getting a type rating as part of the ATP there has to be a record of training.

For the IR and commercial you are going to need an instructor's signoff for the written and checkride. Some of the online training programs will issue a course completion certificate that will count as a signoff for the written.

Great, thanks. Do you know if I can count sim hours toward my ATP? I work for a simulator company seat filling on initial and recurrent TRs, LPCs/OPCs where operators send single crew on multi-crew aircraft and so far have 300 hours level d sim time there (all approved courses). Will any of that count or is it just flying time in a plane?

[B2N2]

We can answer every single one of your questions or you can exercise some PIC decision making an look it up yourself....:rolleyes:

61.129 buddy...

eCFR ? Code of Federal Regulations (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=02329751ad4dd13af233f13062047abb&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14cfrv2_02.tpl#0)

[Tinstaafl]

Awww.....damn, B2N2! You just gave away one of my sources. How the hell am I supposed maintain my guru illusion, now that you've made it available to anyone with 'net access?

[MarkerInbound]

Shush, we still have Flight Standards Information System (FSIMS) (http://fsims.faa.gov/SubjectForm.aspx?category=02all)

And it is 61.159 for the ATP.

[baleares]

We can answer every single one of your questions or you can exercise some PIC decision making an look it up yourself....:rolleyes:

61.129 buddy...

eCFR ? Code of Federal Regulations (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=02329751ad4dd13af233f13062047abb&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title14/14cfrv2_02.tpl#0)

what about CRM?