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Transitioning from Rotor ATP to Commercial multi engine instrument

Asked by: 2623 views General Aviation, Helicopter, Instrument Rating

Hi, I am currently Rotor EMS pilot with ATP rating. I am planing my transitioning to fixed wing world as soon as I know what steps to take.

The goal is to work for airlines, like many of us running away from under pay :) I have Privet pilot fix wing and about 180 hours, 100 plus hours solo  X/C.

Can you please help me with correct steps  for my add on ratings.

Commercial first then commercial multi then multi Instrument add on?

Or Instrument first step, them multi

Thank You

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3 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    Bryan on May 04, 2023

    You can legally add the ratings in any order you wish. Likely the more cost-effective option for an experienced pilot like you will be instrument, multi-commercial, single-commercial add-on. That will give you the ratings you seek with the fewest plane hours (lowest cost) where your aeronautical experience hours under 61.129 are going to be very easy to meet.

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  2. LTCTerry on May 04, 2023

    I just did this for an Army Blackhawk pilot. He had Private ASEL from before he joined the Army 25 years ago. 1500 hours total time.

    The only thing he was missing for airplane ATP was Commercial ME/IFR and 250 hours PIC time (and some sub details). So, our sequence was:

    Start training in the Seminole. Private AMEL checkride* the moment he’d be able to pass it. Then go work on the 61.129 Commercial requirements logging all the training as PIC.

    The instrument rating requires 15 hours of airplane hood time. The Commercial rating requires ten hours of hood time, including five in a ME airplane. (Much of that had been meet years before ASEL.)

    He took the Commercial checkride w/o IFR and as soon as that paperwork was done he did the IFR checkride. That way he only had to fly one SE approach under the hood and saved some money.

    33.5 hours total for for all three; 23 hours of it was PIC. We flew at night any time it was possible/made sense. We flew the “long cross country” out and the night 100nm 2-hour trip back after sunset.

    Every single flight had a specific FAR training requirement to meet. No wasted money. Even the one-hour trip home from the Private checkride turned into a two-hour 100nm XC for the Commercial. We had lots of planning discussions about “dual” and PDPIC” to make sure everything was logged correctly.

    Started in January and finished in April, worked around my 7 on/off SIC gig.

    *We scheduled the checkride before we started the training.

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  3. Viktoriya on May 09, 2023

    Thank you so much, since I need minimum 25 hours of AMEL to be hired by Skywest or Envoy its probably good Idea to do my instrument and then AMEL on multi engine to build the hours at the same time.

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