A question on licences
 

I was wondering...if you work full time as a professional pilot for an airline such as BA or easyJet, does your ATPL preclude you from flying light aircraft at a local airfield? This assumes, of course, that you don't prefer to do something else on your day off!

If it's possible, are there any implications for the annual 900-hour limit on your flying? Or does that rule only apply to professional flights?

Thanks, Nick.

I can't answer all your questions regarding flying time limits but one thing I do know is that the airline pilots can fly light aircraft (but I think they need to keep their PPL valid) I've known a few airline pilots who owned their own light aircraft while flying for the airlines.

Hi Nick,

Basically the answers to your questions are:

The hours accumulated flying privately do count against your 900hr limit and generally you require the permission of your employer to allow you to use up some of your hrs!

Regarding flying a single engine plane on your days off, the licence allows you to do so, as long as your class rating is valid or in date, as per a PPL. So if a ATPLer has let their single engine class rating to expire, then they will have to go back to school and be re-tested to get it re-issued.

Hope that helps

Rb311

An ATPL is a license. On that license you have have varies ratings, eg 737, light a/c are counted as SEP (single engine piston) So to fly a light a/c all you need to do is keep your SEP rating current.

And NO, Hours in light a/c do not count towards the rolling 12 month 900 hour limit. only a/c over 5.7 tones are. (A Cessna 152 is about 1 tone)

What then is the relevant part, weight or the fact of getting paid for flying? I. e. if a pilot owns and flies for free a secondhand Cessna Citation II (6,8 tons) and also does some paid taxiing or instructing in a CitationJet CJ1 (4,8 hours), which hours count into 900 hours?