How do I get an airline transport pilot certificate

Airline transport pilot requirements

Airline transport pilot certification training program

What is a Commercial Pilot License? Privileges, Requirements, and Eligibility

What is a commercial pilot license? 

 

‘“I was lucky, I only just passed my ATPL Test”.

If those were your words after only just passing your Airline Transport Pilot License Test (ATPL), then you have not prepared enough for the test, you are not really interested in your work, and you are not being a professional pilot. A career in aviation takes dedication and hard work.

The thing we call “Luck” should be professionalism and attention to detail, it is your awareness of everything that is going on around you, it is how well you understand your airplane and your own limitations. “Luck” is the total of your abilities as a pilot or better still, an “Aviator”.

Now, from your previous flight training, and pilot experience, you should know that flying requires a continuous series of decisions. SO! If you are at your best, you should be able to plan effectively and safely handle most of the situations that occur during a flight.

The Airline Transport Pilot Licence or Commercial Pilot Licence

You are now entering a totally different realm where, as the pilot in command, you will often have to rely exclusively on:

 

  • Your avionics
  • Your instrumentation
  • Charts
  • Air Traffic control
  • Your co-pilot

 

All of these are components requiring you to process more information, you must consider the instructions and suggestions of others during every flight, whether you are the Pilot in Command, or flying as the First Officer.

Transitioning from a private pilot or recreational pilot to a commercial pilot or airline pilot, you will now be flying faster, bigger, and more complex aircraft, and much of the time you will be required to fly these aircraft under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) and sometimes stressful conditions.

“”Always be professional and prepared.”

How should you prepare for your ATPL flight examination?

During the preparation for your ATPL, you should consider studying the following elements, as part of your study time and study material, that must be applied when flying an aircraft. You can be sure you will be assessed on these types of questions, subject matter, and on your ability on all these principles during your theoretical examination as well as a practical flight exam.

Human Element Insets:

Human Element Insets explore in detail human factors that apply to each phase of flight and should deepen your understanding of the principles that apply, are reviewed, and introduced in the following sections.

Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM):

Aeronautical decision-making is a systematic approach to the mental process used by pilots to consistently determine the best course of action in response to a given set of circumstances. “Pilot Error Inability” is the description given to an action or decision made by a pilot that caused or contributed to an accident. However, Human factors-related more accurately describes these accidents. Rarely does a single action or event cause an accident, rather a series or chain of events. For example

 

  • Misunderstanding of charts,
  • Failure to understand ATC Clearances,
  • Inability to use the avionics equipment (eg, EFIS) or an incorrect/insufficient flight plan
  • Pilot Error, (Could also be the result of poor ergonomics or integration of people and the equipment they use)
  • Lack of coordination among crew members.

 

Crew Resource Management (CRM)

Why CRM?

Several Human Factors accidents motivated the aviation industry to implement CRM training for flight crews. Therefore, the focus of CRM is for crews to effectively use ALL available resources, human resources, hardware, and information.
Talk to each other and discuss problems with your crew especially under complex situations (eg, Severe weather conditions, or mechanical failure).

The Decision-Making Process

Before anyone can make an effective decision, a pilot needs the motivation to select the correct course of action, then select the best course of action. You can elect to either act on that decision or do nothing. However, your choice must be within social norms for it to be deemed suitable. Flying involves decisions that are far more involved than most daily concerns, therefore your motivation and attitude as you make these decisions are Pilot-in-Command Responsibility (PIC).
As a pilot in command of an aircraft, YOU are the final authority in the aircraft you are flying whether Single Pilot or Multi-crew, however, each pilot’s responsibilities must be defined before the flight.
Within the cockpit, ONE person is in Command, and the other serves to assist the PIC. Therefore, a pilot-in-command responsibility is to establish and open communication in the cockpit to ensure that suggestions and specific concerns of the co-pilot and/or other crew members are considered carefully.
  • Keep all communication with ATC or communication with other aircraft pilot’s professionals specifically under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) conditions.
  • A flight in an IFR environment requires you to rely on resources beyond those used in flight and is the most important part of your ATPL studies and Test.
  • Effective workload management directly impacts safety by ensuring that you are prepared for the busy segments of your flight through proper use of quiet times.

Situational Awareness (SA)

This is the MOST Important aspect of your flying and specifically in your test. Know where you are ALL the time. A failure in this aspect is a failure of the total test, no matter how well you conducted the rest of the test, SO, BEWARE!
ALWAYS know where you are
Study the IF test forms 61.11.4 and 61.07.4 JEPPESEN LOW AND HIGH AIRWAYS CHARTS Before opening your Jeppesen Charts. Have a good look at all detail written on the front and back cover pages as follows:
1. Commencing with the top of the page you will see numbers and an arrow on the top left and top right in large BOLD numbering and small letters indicating the location that the map covers eg:(6.1sa(LO) Jeppesen sa (LO)2), either the map on the front or on the reverse side of the chart.

2. Then the main heading:

“Low Altitude Enroute Charts” Effective Date and Time: 1 Jan .09.01Z Revision 23 Dec.
Consult current NOTAMs for the latest information.

3. The main Map with the areas covered being Blocked and Noted with map number (5.1 or 5.2).

4. Changes:

The above is just an example of where to start with a chart (Map) 5. Know all the symbols annotated on the charts, for example:

5.Weather operations. Know the interpretation of weather forecasts, Aerodrome Forecast (TAF), METAR’s SPECI coding sequences.

(You can download “Meteorological Aviation Codes” AIC 43.1 (02-08-15) from the SACAA Website for all necessary information.

CATS and CAR, AIP, SUPPLEMENTS, AIC’s, Maps, and Charts.
SIDs, STARs, Approach Charts, Aircraft Performance, and Navigation Log (Graphs).
6. Know your aircraft technical backward – This might save you and your aircraft one day.

 

  • Initial Approach Segment/Fix (IAF),
  • Intermediate Approach Segment/Fix (IF),
  • Final Approach Fix (FAF),
  • Final Approach Point (FAP),
  • Missed Approach Point (MAP),
  • Minimum Safe Altitude (MSA),
  • Touchdown Zone Elevation (TDZE),
  • Height Above Airport (HAA),
  • Threshold Crossing Height (TCH),
  • Visual Descent Point (VDP),
  • Decision Height (DH),
  • Decision Altitude (DA),
  • Minimum Descent Altitude (Height) MDA(H),
  • Airport Reference Point (ARP)

 

Preparing for The Approach

Preparing for the Approach during your IFR planning, you should examine the Approach charts for your destination to review procedures and the symbology.

PLAN EARLY! Do NOT leave briefing and planning too late thereby getting yourself and your crew in a panic state.

During the approach to your destination, the type of approach to expect will be provided by the controller OR could be broadcast on the ATIS frequency. The purpose of the ATIS information is to help you plan your arrival actions, however, IT IS NOT an ATC Clearance or commitment and could be subject to change.

The Sequence of Approach Chart Review

Once you have confirmation of the approach to expect, you should conduct a thorough approach chart review to familiarise yourself with the specific procedures in the following order:

 

  • Procedure Title,
  • Communication Frequencies,
  • Primary Navaid Frequency,
  • Inbound Course, (FAF or FP, GS intercept altitudes)
  • DA(H) or MDA(H),
  • Airport Elevation,
  • Touchdown Zone Elevation,
  • Missed Approach Instructions,
  • Any special Notes/Procedures.

 

Beware of Approaches with COURSE REVERSALS!

There could be several situations that require executing a “Circling Approach” Beware!

 

  • Each aircraft category has a published Circling Approach Limitation.
  • The circling approach is confined to a defined “Protected Area”, the size of which is published in the AIP or on the Approach Chart. SO! If you remain within this protected area, you are assured of obstacle clearance at the MDA during circling maneuvers.

 

Approach categories are based on 1.3 times the stall speed in the landing configuration. Vs1.3.

Visual Approach Requests

You may NOT ask for a “Visual on Request” unless to have the airport in sight AND are within 25nm from the airport.
NOTE!
The notes above are but a guideline in preparing for your ATPL Test. The test consists mainly of the full instrument rating test, however, there are several general flying aspects that you conduct in visual conditions.

Study hard and prepare yourself well for your test, be professional, and dress smartly for your test. Make a good impression before you even enter the briefing room and make sure of your exam times not to be late. Punctuality is key to professionalism.

Good Luck!

Looking to obtain your ATPL?

Simuflight is one of the leading advanced flight schools within South Africa focusing on licensing from the Commercial Pilot License (CPL) onwards, beyond the recreational pilot certificate and Private Pilot License (PPL). Our expertise lies in training towards a commercial pilot certificate and license using our state-of-the-art flight simulators that are built in-house.

Have a query or question on what we have to offer?

Contact us today for more information or a quote regarding the flight training courses we offer.

Tel: +27 11 314 0152

Email: info@simuflight.co.za

 

Or follow this link:

https://www.simuflight.co.za/pilot-training/licencing/atpl-upgrade/

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