I have 1460TT, 100ME, and all the other Part 135 IFR minimums. I took the ATPw in July 2014, therefore I am a proud member of the "old system", provided I take the ATP Practical by the end of July this year. I am trying to figure out what the most cost effective way to do this would be. It seems one option would be to fork out $4500 to go tool around in a 172 for 40 more hours, boning up on instrument skills in the process. Then apply to a 121 carrier, with the assumption that I'd have the ATP-multi and a type rating before July 2016.

The other way to do it would be to go fly Part 91 somewhere (maybe even Part 135 like Ameriflight), and in my "spare time" do the ATP training Part 61 in a single, then transition to a twin right at the end and take the practical. I'm not sure if that would end up being more expensive than the first option, as twin time is NEVER affordable.

Any suggestions?

I would apply right now. You can count 25 hours of your sim time towards the ATP requirements per the regs and several companies will hire you on that basis. No need to fork out money to do an ATP ahead of time. Get hired and you'll get an ATP with a type rating. All you need to get between now and your class date is 15 hours.

OK, but I keep seeing the 1500TT rule required by just about any 121 regional I've looked at. Unless of course there's the implication there that I can count those 25 hours of sim time.

The regionals are so desperate right now they're offering jobs to those with less than 1500 hours provided they gain the time within a certain number of months. Several are allowing the sim time inclusion as well, I know mine is.

Also, I was wrong. It's a max of 25 hours if you lack 50 hours of multi, but up to 100 hours of sim time can be counted towards the 1500 hour total time requirement, so you could get hired today. Most airlines are running 40+ hours of sim.

The big question is if you meet all the other time requirements for an ATP like the cross-country, night, PIC, PIC x-country etc etc.

The only place I'm short is on the 500 x-c, (I have about 370), though I expect that wouldn't be an issue because I'd still be eligible for the R-ATP which only requires 200 hours...correct?

You are correct.

Do it now! get a few extra hours if you can and ask if the regional you are interested has different allowances for the sim towards total time. you need to get into a class soon so the written doesn't expire before your class is finishes.

What Tippy said. If you don't get in soon, you don't get into a class soon, you might not make it in time.


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