JohnBurke

Interesting; this is new to me and I've never encountered it. Perhaps native to regional ATP programs, then. It used to be that one was expected to show up to the table with one's ATP in hand; the advent of the ATP courses in the wake of Buffalo perhaps, but that wasn't previously the case and I've never seen one, or met anyone that had such a restriction. Fair enough then: apparently it is possible to get a circling limitation on one's pilot certificate.

This does not change the fact that the original poster was issued a type rating without a circle limitation. The original poster then upgraded his pilot certification to the ATP level. The type rating must remain, without further checking, and without the addition of a circle limitation. Upgrading to the ATP does not, and cannot, introduce a circle limitation to the type rating that did not have such a limitation when held at a lower level of pilot certification.

A type rating that lacks a circle limitation, when held by a commercial pilot certificate holder, does not receive a circle limitation when the commercial pilot certificate holder upgrades his pilot certificate to ATP privileges.

rickair7777

Yes I got my ATP at a regional when I upgraded, that was before the SIC ATP rule. The ride was split between sim (not certified for Circ.) and the actual plane. They didn't bother to do the circle to land in the plane since our OPSPEC didn't allow it anyway.

tallpilot

This is correct. He would be legal to circle IMC in the typed aircraft as long as he only needed commercial privileges to conduct the operation.

Getting an ATP for 'free' as part of an approved training program is a nice perk, however it does come with some limitations occasionally.

It would be a pretty easy ride in a Seminole to remove the circling restriction from the ATP in this case.

JohnBurke

Negative. A type rating is conducted to one standard: ATP.

A person who received a type rating without circling limitations, issued to the holder of a commercial pilot certificate, who later upgrades his pilot certificate to ATP, sees his type rating intact, without circling limitations. A type rating is issued without circling limits when circling has been demonstrated as part of the type ride. Simply because that person upgrades pilot certificate privileges to ATP, does NOT mean he must repeat his type ride, or any portion thereof, and he is NOT required to demonstrate circling in that type aircraft. He retains his type rating without a circle limitation.

Specific to your statement, the individual is free to circle in type with commercial privileges, and free to circle in type with ATP privileges. Obtaining ATP certification does not negate the nature of the type rating already issued; it does not take on a circling limitation on that type rating, as an ATP.

trip

Interesting.
We were probably typed there about the same time in the CL65.
My ratings don't show a ATP CIR VMC restriction,
but under Limitations it shows CL65 CIR VMC only.
I was typed in the EMB120 prior to CL65 and given the ATP, we did a circle in the airplane on the type ride, I don't think we had the VMC only rule then under the EMB120 but I can't remember for certain that far back. I did it with ST into OGD middle of the night.
The original poster may have ATP CIR VMC only because the CIRC was not accomplished under an airline training program?

tallpilot

That's what I said. The type applied to the commercial license will migrate to the ATP without limitation. However the ATP itself will have the limitation if a circle was not examined during the ride. It's a curious edge case.

rickair7777

I got it on the Bro, but we weren't doing FAR circle to land at that point.

Check ride in the airplane with the Terminator himself in the middle of the night, good times.