UK ATPL to FAA
Joined: Feb 2024
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: London
You need an FAA ATP (which in turn requires 1500 hours ordinarily*) whether it's a major airline or regional.
It might be easiest to say what exactly your current situation is - and ask for advice on getting from that point to where you want to be. I've gone from UK ATPL(A) to FAA ATP and would be willing to advise. It is complicated and there's no simple answer to the scenarios you've given.
It sounds like from your scenarios you're at the start of the whole pilot journey?
* US military aviators and graduates of certain aviation programs qualify for reductions in the 1500 hour requirement
It might be easiest to say what exactly your current situation is - and ask for advice on getting from that point to where you want to be. I've gone from UK ATPL(A) to FAA ATP and would be willing to advise. It is complicated and there's no simple answer to the scenarios you've given.
It sounds like from your scenarios you're at the start of the whole pilot journey?
* US military aviators and graduates of certain aviation programs qualify for reductions in the 1500 hour requirement
I'm not able to privately message you, but would you be able to share your experience with the conversion process from a UK ATPL to the FAA ATP, and the subsequent job search in the States? Many thanks!
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 52
Likes: 1
From: UK
Also now looking potentially for similar as looking at all options to get back to some sort of flying. I have a UK Full ATPL (Unfrozen) with >1,500 hours and commercial experience, unfortunately with a lapsed type rating and lapsed medical. Last flight end of 2022...
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 52
Likes: 1
From: UK
Is anyone able to help at all please? Thanks.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
[wrote a whole response to your question just to have the website dump all of it. 
I'll try again]
PT92,
While not an expert, I'll take a stab at your questions. Of course, I stand ready to be corrected by any of the knowledgeable contributors on this website.
You mention more than 1500 hours and "commercial experience" but weren't specific enough to tell your story. Assuming you have the flight time required by FAR Part 61.159 here's what I think you might need to do:
Get authority to train in the USA
Get FAA First Class medical
Take the ATP-CTP course
Take the FAA ATP written
Get flight training to prepare for the check ride. What the training might be depends on what flying you've done previously. If you have experience in an airline airplane like B737 or A320, you'd want to go to a training organization and get the type rating /ATP in an airplane with which you're familiar. If your previous experience is in light airplanes, you'd go to some GA training company and get a few hours in a light twin then take the check ride in the airplane.
As for post-license job hunting, I don't know quite what to say about that. It hinges first on the legal ability to live/work in the USA...an area about which I know almost nothing.
Hiring in general seems to have slowed down a bit from its frantic pace of a couple of years ago but it's still happening. A reduction in hiring numbers likely means competitive requirements will have gone up.
I hope I haven't merely told you stuff you already know. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
I'll try again]PT92,
While not an expert, I'll take a stab at your questions. Of course, I stand ready to be corrected by any of the knowledgeable contributors on this website.
You mention more than 1500 hours and "commercial experience" but weren't specific enough to tell your story. Assuming you have the flight time required by FAR Part 61.159 here's what I think you might need to do:
Get authority to train in the USA
Get FAA First Class medical
Take the ATP-CTP course
Take the FAA ATP written
Get flight training to prepare for the check ride. What the training might be depends on what flying you've done previously. If you have experience in an airline airplane like B737 or A320, you'd want to go to a training organization and get the type rating /ATP in an airplane with which you're familiar. If your previous experience is in light airplanes, you'd go to some GA training company and get a few hours in a light twin then take the check ride in the airplane.
As for post-license job hunting, I don't know quite what to say about that. It hinges first on the legal ability to live/work in the USA...an area about which I know almost nothing.
Hiring in general seems to have slowed down a bit from its frantic pace of a couple of years ago but it's still happening. A reduction in hiring numbers likely means competitive requirements will have gone up.
I hope I haven't merely told you stuff you already know. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 52
Likes: 1
From: UK
[wrote a whole response to your question just to have the website dump all of it. I'll try again]
PT92,
While not an expert, I'll take a stab at your questions. Of course, I stand ready to be corrected by any of the knowledgeable contributors on this website.
You mention more than 1500 hours and "commercial experience" but weren't specific enough to tell your story. Assuming you have the flight time required by FAR Part 61.159 here's what I think you might need to do:
Get authority to train in the USA
Get FAA First Class medical
Take the ATP-CTP course
Take the FAA ATP written
Get flight training to prepare for the check ride. What the training might be depends on what flying you've done previously. If you have experience in an airline airplane like B737 or A320, you'd want to go to a training organization and get the type rating /ATP in an airplane with which you're familiar. If your previous experience is in light airplanes, you'd go to some GA training company and get a few hours in a light twin then take the check ride in the airplane.
As for post-license job hunting, I don't know quite what to say about that. It hinges first on the legal ability to live/work in the USA...an area about which I know almost nothing.
Hiring in general seems to have slowed down a bit from its frantic pace of a couple of years ago but it's still happening. A reduction in hiring numbers likely means competitive requirements will have gone up.
I hope I haven't merely told you stuff you already know. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
I'll try again]PT92,
While not an expert, I'll take a stab at your questions. Of course, I stand ready to be corrected by any of the knowledgeable contributors on this website.
You mention more than 1500 hours and "commercial experience" but weren't specific enough to tell your story. Assuming you have the flight time required by FAR Part 61.159 here's what I think you might need to do:
Get authority to train in the USA
Get FAA First Class medical
Take the ATP-CTP course
Take the FAA ATP written
Get flight training to prepare for the check ride. What the training might be depends on what flying you've done previously. If you have experience in an airline airplane like B737 or A320, you'd want to go to a training organization and get the type rating /ATP in an airplane with which you're familiar. If your previous experience is in light airplanes, you'd go to some GA training company and get a few hours in a light twin then take the check ride in the airplane.
As for post-license job hunting, I don't know quite what to say about that. It hinges first on the legal ability to live/work in the USA...an area about which I know almost nothing.
Hiring in general seems to have slowed down a bit from its frantic pace of a couple of years ago but it's still happening. A reduction in hiring numbers likely means competitive requirements will have gone up.
I hope I haven't merely told you stuff you already know. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
PT92,
It's not necessarily complicated but rather frustrating and expensive. Butting heads with the Imperial Federal Bureaucracy is never easy.
I do think that taking the ATP check ride in an airplane with which you're already familiar is the best route under the circumstances. However, I'm not sure where one gets a stand-alone sim check ride in an ATR 72 or EMB 190. I get the impression the airlines operating those types don't sell type training to outsiders...and I don't know of any independent training organizations operating those sims. But I stand ready to be wrong.
Hang in there.
It's not necessarily complicated but rather frustrating and expensive. Butting heads with the Imperial Federal Bureaucracy is never easy.
I do think that taking the ATP check ride in an airplane with which you're already familiar is the best route under the circumstances. However, I'm not sure where one gets a stand-alone sim check ride in an ATR 72 or EMB 190. I get the impression the airlines operating those types don't sell type training to outsiders...and I don't know of any independent training organizations operating those sims. But I stand ready to be wrong.
Hang in there.
Joined: Feb 2004
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 3,689
Likes: 118
From: USA
Joined: Dec 2005
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 4,970
Likes: 326
From: Hong Kong
