Difference Frozen and Unfrozen ATPL(A)?
 

Hi guys/girls,

Here's a quick question I couldn't find an awnser to with the search function.

I hold a frozen ATPL(A) in the UK and are coming up to 1500hrs TT and an LPC. Question being, what's the difference between a frozen and a unfrozen ATPL? Why is it such an important milestone? Does it lift restrictions or something?

Cheers,

You can't exercise the privileges of an ATPL(A) until it is unfrozen. Whilst you are on a frozen ATPL you may only exercise the privileges of a CPL/SCPL.

A more accurate title for the licence, when first issued, would be "CPL - Written exams towards ATPL passed" but that is much too long winded so frozen ATPL it is!

Many reasons for it being a milestone:-

- some airlines will give you a payrise on attaining your ATPL.

- in order to act as cruise relief pilot typically on a longhaul aircraft you will need a minimum of an ATPL plus have passed the prerequisite sim, ground school and line training. Additionally depending on your companys OPS Manual you will no doubt need a certain level of hours on type and maybe sectors so its unlikely that a fresh ATPL will be set loose as acting commander whilst the PIC is in the bunk asleep.

- in a smaller outfit holding an ATPL will mean that you can now enter into the command training/checking process. Typically smaller piston or turbo prop outfits. In an airline expect many years of apprenticeship ahead of you.

- and you might even get another stripe for your epaulettes if that floats your boat.

You don't have a frozen ATPL or any other sort of ATPL for that matter, as there is no such thing. You have a CPL/IR. This "frozen" rubbish was invented as a marketing phrase by Oxford I think it was, or if not Oxford some other flying school.
When you meet the requirements for an ATPL, you can bin your CPL and apply for issue of an ATPL. At that point you can begin to enjoy the benefits outlined by potkettleblack!

potkettleblack/CamelhAir - I was trying to let her down gently!;)

Make that a him iso her. :ok: Start the day with a laugh I say. Username refers to my previous airline.

Thanks for the awnsers.

Not exclusive to smaller outfits.

To all intents and purposes an ATPL will permit you to become a Captain with any outfit!

Not in mine. Not in BA nor in most of the big players that I know of. Just the wee small matter of seniority, potentially a 10 year or more wait and meeting the minimum hours set out in your OPS manual which could well be way above the 1500hrs required for an ATPL. Most candidates would have 2 or 3 times the minimum hours in our airline due to the long wait.

potkettleblack

You're still missing the fundamental point that unless you have an ATPL, you can't become a Captain, be it with a small airline or a bigger one.

Having ATPL (note: f is nowhere to be seen in it) is legal prerequisite of becoming designated PiC (sometimes mistaken for captain, which is rank) of an aircraft requiring more than one qualified pilot for normal operations. This is almost universal, the only exception I can currently remember was the deceased Yugoslavia, which issued CPL first class that enabled the holder to exercise PiC privileges on MPAs with less than 20t MTOM.

However, simply having ATPL may not be, and most of the time is not, sole condition for becoming a captain as companies do set higher standards (minimum total time, minimum years with company or both) for promotion.

Anyway, I think this thread is wind-up. That someone in transport category aeroplane's RHS approaching 1500TT is so disinterested in aviation that he knows not what ATPL actually is, really beggars belief.