Fellow Pilots,



I took my ATP written last year, (July 2014) and I am not sure if I will be able to acquire 1500TT by July 2016. (Two year mark) I have been doing some research and was told that I might be able to take the ATP check ride once I obtain 1500TT even if my ATP WRITTEN EXPIRES as long as I am working for part 135 operation by the time I take my ATP check ride and it’s up to the Check Ride Examiner ? It seems like this is a gray area because I didn’t find anything related to that on FAR/AIM.
I would not like to take the ATP written again. Even if I can take my ATP SE (with an expired ATP written) and freeze my ATP ME that would be great! Please let me know what do you think? Thank you for your time.


Very Respectfully,
Bob

The answer is YES - IF:

you are employed by either a Part 121 or 135 carrier and complete their approved training program and meet all the rating requirements, you can take the practical test with an expired ATP written. See 61.39 excerpt below:

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a)(1) and (2) of this section, an applicant for an airline transport pilot certificate or an additional rating to an airline transport certificate may take the practical test for that certificate or rating with an expired knowledge test report, provided that the applicant:

(1) Is employed as a flight crewmember by a certificate holder under part 121, 125, or 135 of this chapter at the time of the practical test and has satisfactorily accomplished that operator\'s approved—

(i) Pilot in command aircraft qualification training program that is appropriate to the certificate and rating sought; and

(ii) Qualification training requirements appropriate to the certificate and rating sought

But people being telling be that since I took the ATP written under old rules that I cannot do the ATP check ride with an expired written, even if I am working for a part 121/135 ops.

Those people are correct. Because you took the written BEFORE July 31st, your written is ONLY good for 24 months after you took it for a ME ATP. If you had taken it AFTER July 31st, then it would be good indefinitely once you started working for an air carrier.

What BobSakamano left out of his quote of 61.39 (b) is where it says it only applies if you took the written after July 31 2014. And even if you take the SEL ATP ride you'll still need an ATP CTP to take a MEL ride.

I stand corrected. I hadn't synced my FAR/AIM in the iPad and that was what I had. It wasn't intentionally left out, just outdated by a year.

thusitha1986, if you take the ATP MEL checkride first you would not need to complete a CTP as long as you take the ATP MEL checkride before your current ATP written expires. Then, once you have an ATP MEL you would be eligible to take the ATP SEL checkride as an added SEL class rating on your ATP certificate and without having to take another knowledge test or go through a CTP (the CTP is only a prerequisite for the issuance for an ATP MEL class rating); refer 61.165(e).

Do you think you could pass it again? No one ever asks what your score was. Just pass it again then do the check ride. Once you have the certificate it doesn't matter what you passed the written by.

In to "just pass it again" the OP would have to complete a ~week long/~$5000
CTP.

I am jumping in with a related question. My ATP written expires next month. Do I need to take an MEL ATP check ride or is a SE ride sufficient - even if I plan to fly twin engines? I know someone who is flying for SkyWest who took their ATP check ride in a Cessna 310. ATP is a license not a rating right?