Military Helicopter Pilot to Airline Captain: Your Guide to Earning an FAA ATP-AMEL Certificate

So, you’re a helicopter pilot looking to transition to the airplane side to land the job you’ve always wanted—congratulations! To qualify for airline employment, you’ll need some additional training and ratings.

The most common scenario: you’re a military rotary-wing pilot aiming for a Part 121 airline job. You likely already hold an FAA Commercial Rotorcraft-Helicopter and Instrument-Helicopter certificate. If you don't, take a look at our guide on how to get your FAA pilot certificates as a military pilot: Military Pilot FAA Certification Process. To be eligible for hire, you must also qualify for an FAA Airline Transport Pilot - Airplane Multiengine Land (ATP-AMEL) certificate.

To take the ATP-AMEL practical checkride, you must first complete ATP-CTP training and pass the ATP-AMEL written exam (read more here: What is the ATP-CTP Course? A Comprehensive Guide). However, many airlines allow you to complete your ATP checkride alongside your final airline checkride in the simulator. Some airlines that offer this option include:

• SkyWest

• GoJet

• Frontier

Before starting training, it's crucial to understand the requirements for your rating. Below is a chart outlining the necessary steps to meet ATP-AMEL eligibility.

Commercial Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land Certificate
Training Type	Hours	Reference
Dual	22	§61.129(a)(3)
Solo	50	§61.129(a)(2)(i)
Checkride	2
Instrument - Airplane Pilot Certificate
Training Type	Hours	Reference
Dual	15	§61.65(d)(2)
Time with a safety pilot	25	§61.65(d)(2)
Checkride	2
Airplane Multiengine Land Class Addon
Training Type	Hours	Reference
Dual	Varies but on average 10	§61.63(b)
Checkride	2

NOTE: These training requirements are tailored towards an applicant who already has their FAA Commercial Rotorcraft - Helicopter, Instrument - Helicopter pilot certificate, and a minimum of 178 total flight hours as a pilot.

Some flight schools may suggest obtaining your Private Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate before your Commercial Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate, arguing it allows you to log 250 hours of airplane PIC time sooner for ATP eligibility. However, our cost-benefit analysis, outlined below, shows this approach would result in additional time-building on the back end and higher overall costs.

Here is the cost breakdown to get your Private Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate first before getting your Commercial Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate:

And here is the cost breakdown if you were to get your Commercial Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate first:

According to our analysis, getting your Private Pilot Airplane Single-Engine Land certificate first would actually require 1 additional hour of time building and would cost roughly $2,400 more.

Once you’ve obtained the necessary pilot certificates, your final step is meeting the aeronautical experience requirements for the Airline Transport Pilot - Airplane Multiengine Land (ATP-AMEL) practical checkride. Assuming you’re a military rotary-wing pilot, you may qualify for a restricted ATP certificate at 750 total flight hours under §61.160(a).

To be eligible for the ATP-AMEL practical test, you must meet the following §61.159 requirements:

• 750 total flight hours

• 500 hours cross-country

• 100 hours night flight

• 50 hours in class (airplane multiengine land) for the rating sought

• 75 hours instrument flight time (actual or simulated)

• 250 hours PIC or SIC (under PIC supervision), including:

  • 100 hours cross-country

  • 25 hours night flight

Once these requirements are met, you can take the ATP-AMEL practical test and become eligible for airline employment.