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a Nugget's question about Ratings ...

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jarhead_av8r

tumbleweed
Joined
Apr 29, 2002
Posts
7
howdy,

i recently got winged in the Corps via the strike flight (TS) program and i'm awaiting orders to a Hornet RAG .... i'm wondering which civilian ratings i am eligible for and what i need to do to get them?

thanks in advance,

Semper Fidelis

Jar
 
jarhead_av8r said:
howdy,

i recently got winged in the Corps via the strike flight (TS) program and i'm awaiting orders to a Hornet RAG .... i'm wondering which civilian ratings i am eligible for and what i need to do to get them?

I'm not sure exactly how it works for the USMC, but newly-winged USAF pilots are eligible for a Commercial, multiengine, instrument rating. For fighter-bound guys, the multiengine rating includes a centerline thrust restriction.

To get this rating, I took the FAA Military Equivalency test, which was being offered by an FAA designated examiner near the UPT base I graduated from. Since this is a "Military" equivalency test, I assume that USN flight school fulfills the same or similar requirements to get the FAA certificate.

All you have to do is pass the test and send the FAA a copy of your flight records, and you have the certificate -- no checkride is required.
 
Mud Eagle is correct - all you have to do is take a FAA equivalency test and send your results to the FAA. However, I think there is a time limit because we had some instructors who did not get their civilian ratings as a student and then had to go back and do a civilian checkride. You will be eligible for single engine land instrument and commercial. As soon as you are done with the Hornet FRS, go ahead and get your multi-engine as well. After 250 hours PIC time (anytime before your wings doesn't count) you can get your ATP. Anyway, get it done, get it done now. Not fast enough, get back.... Bringing back memories yet?

Good Luck and Semper Fi
 
Doh!!!! Forgot about that. :) I was thinking from the perspective as a helo instructor and all of us were trying to get fixed wing ATP's. Most of us are helo bubbas who have 2000+ hours of flight time, we needed to get that 250 hours PIC fixed wing. You are absolutely correct about the 1500 hours of flight time. I stand humbly corrected.
 
Mil Comp and ATP

The Mil Comp is a 50 Question test. You can take it at any place that gives FAA tests.

If you pass the test, you take that piece of paper along with a copy of your Mil flight records and your graduation certificate to the local FSDO and they will give your Commercial Single-Eng Land, Instrument Ticket. Once you finnish F-18 training you can take your flight records showing you have completed Hornet training again to the FSDO and they will add on a Multi-engine (Limited to Center-line thrust) rating. (this Center-line restriction means you can't fly a civ multi-eng aircraft). Pilots who grad from the T-44 or USAF T-1 track don't have this restriction.

Now there is a time limit involved. There is a 1 year limit from when you last flew a type of Aircraft. Example: You wait till you finish F-18 training, and then finally get around to going to the FSDO and it has been more than 1 year since you flew a Single engine Aircraft for the Military. In this case you will still get the Commercial Instrument rating, but it will be only for the Multi-eng catagory.

Yes the ATP is 1500 hours Total Time. Your time in Pilot training counts. The FARs allow for military pilots to take the ATP Test and Checkride without ever having a commercial ticket. When you take the ATP Checkride for Multi-eng, you will do it in a non-centerline thrust aircraft and you will get the Centerline thrust limitation taken off of you ticket.

Now the problem with waiting till you get your ATP to ever get your rating is you will not get the free Single-eng Commercial rating on your ticket.
 

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