Hey guys, new to the forums but in need of a second opinion.
First some background: I'm a current AD F-16 pilot who had some GA flight time prior to UPT. From that GA experience I have roughly 30 hours in light twins and a ME rating with no centerline thrust restriction. Between my GA time and my Air Force time I have the 1500 hrs/500 XC time needed for the ATP checkride.
Today when I went to take said checkride the DPE noticed that the 50 hrs ME time required was fulfilled by both these GA twin hours and the remainder by time I had in the T-38. After 30 minutes of looking up regulations and increasingly heated discussion he decided that because part of my required ME time came from a centerline thrust aircraft he wouldn't administer the ride.
To me this seems crazy. As far as I can tell 14 CFR part 61.159 simply specifies class of aircraft (AMEL in this case) for the 50 hr requirement. And if a T-38 isn't an AMEL, what is it?
My real question is: does anyone else have any experience with this issue? Seems to me that if the DPE is right (currently under discussion at the local FSDO) it sets a pretty poor precedent for all the fighter pilots out there that haven't ponied up for this arbitrary number of hours droning around in a Piper that want to get their ATPs.