Originally Posted by
serhito
Hopefully someone will be able to shed some light on this, maybe you know someone who has done it. I am getting conflicting info from DE, and the FAA is not answering my emails and voicemails.
I hold a FAA ATP Multiengine. I had a FAA private pilot Single engine based on a foreign JAR license. That JAR license is not valid anymore, since I havent' used it in quite a while. I do fly for a part 121 carrier here in the US.
I would like to add a single engine class rating to fly private VFR/IFR. What are the requirements to add it ? Do I have to take a private pilot check ride ? Do I have to satisfy the private pilot requirements ? Is there a checkride solely based on the single engine add on ?
I find it a bit strange that I was allowed to fly single engine VFR based on a foreign license without a check ride when I had never flown in the US, and today I fly in the US but I can't fly single engine without a checkride.
I also never heard of someone holding a private pilot single engine that wants to add a multiengine, having to retake a whole private pilot test.
You shouldn't find it strange that you were allowed to fly single engine in the US without a checkride; you held a foreign pilot certificate and your privileges were based on a recognized certificate. You don't hold one any more.
You can add single engine land to your pilot certificate, but you don't need to add it at the ATP level, if you don't want to. You can test to the private pilot level and receive private pilot privileges on your pilot certificate, for single engine. It's up to you.
Testing at the ATP level is neither easier nor less expensive.