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7 Answers

FAA ATP light aircraft flying question

Asked by: 2005 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, Private Pilot

Hi.

I have an FAA ATP AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND and would now like to get back into some private flying in a C172. Does my license allow me to do this? I only ask as I converted my U.K. ATPL to the FAA ATP so never actually had an FAA PPL (I obviously had a U.K. PPL to progress to the other licenses). I got a license verification letter from the FAA/U.K. CAA proving my U.K. PPL, CPL and ATPL before completing an ATP-CTP course and ATP checkride resulting in getting an FAA ATP. Thank you for any help with this slightly unusual question. I hope it makes sense! 

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7 Answers



  1. Russ Roslewski on Jan 25, 2020

    If you do not have a Single Engine Land rating on your pilot certificate, you cannot fly a 172 as PIC, or any other Single Engine Land airplane. A Multiengine Land rating does NOT automatically convert single engine privileges.

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  2. KDS on Jan 26, 2020

    Foreign license questions always make me want to bang my head on the desk, so don’t take what I’m going to write as the absolute gospel truth. However, if you have a current U.K. single-engine rating on your license, I believe you can obtain a U.S. private pilot certificate that is based upon the foreign license and only good while the foreign license is good.

    Personally, if I were in that position, I would just get the recommendation from a CFI and then take the practical test to add private pilot to your U.S. certificate. It will involve a little expense, but not that much and it will be less headache.

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  3. Richard Eastman on Jan 27, 2020

    I think the answer to your question is in 14 CFR 61.75. It says that a foreign pilot may convert his license to an FAA private pilot certificate and that all ratings listed on the foreign license will also transfer. It implies that there is no testing involved to get a private certificate; i.e. a commercial or ATP certificate will only transfer without testing to the private pilot if I read 61.75 correctly. However, since you already have the higher rating approvals, they may also transfer accordingly. That’s a question for your local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office).

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  4. KDS on Jan 27, 2020

    61.75 is the regulation, but to get the process, you have to go into FAA Order 8900.1. It is really more convoluted.

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  5. FLYDAN3717 on Jan 28, 2020

    Thanks for your help everyone. I have contacted the FSDO to see if they can shed some light on it. I’m aware I should be able to get a PPL simply by getting a license verification letter from the FAA/U.K. CAA but I think the fact I now have my FAA ATP complicates matters as there’s a not about this process not being applicable if you already have a certificate in the US. I know I definitely need a few lessons with an instructor to bring my skills back up to standard but it is looking increasingly likely that I shall also have to take another yet checkride. Seems bizarre when it was actually in the USA (Florida) where I got my U.K. PPL 13 years ago!

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  6. KDS on Jan 28, 2020

    You’re actually better off than many foreign licensed pilots. A lot of the countries won’t send verification letters to the FAA. The U.K. is definitely better about that.

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  7. LTCTerry on Jan 30, 2020

    Dan – did you actually go to the FSDO and get a piece of paper? I know EASA ATP to FAA ATP is different than PPL to Private Pilot Certificate.

    IF you did visit the FSDO and your validation from the CAA included your SEP, perhaps you can say, “I know I only mentioned my ATP before, but SEP is in the letter, wish I had asked about ASEL when we met. Is it too late…?”

    If the above doesn’t apply, you do have light sport privileges, so at that level not much is required. Assuming you really want Private Pilot or higher, you can get current with an instructor and take a private or commercial checkride w/o a written.

    I googled about “single engine ATP add on” and it looks like that requires a written test as well as a practical test.

    Does your certificate include “instrument rating?” I realize instrument abilities are part of ATP, but wondered if the FAA ATP checkride process gave you that in writing, too. Commercial ASEL requires an instrument rating or there will be limitations on the certificate.

    Maybe you’ll luck out and get ASEL through the paperwork you’ve already done. If not, since you will need a checkride any way, you might as well do commercial. The dual for that won’t be too much more onerous than just getting current/checkride ready. If this doesn’t give you instrument privileges, consider SE ATP…

    Good luck!

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