What Is ATP and CTP in Aviation? The Pilot's Guide to the Ultimate Rating

ATP: the highest pilot certificate the FAA issues

The Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate is the highest level of pilot certification issued by the FAA, and it's the certificate required to serve as pilot-in-command for a U.S. scheduled airline under Part 121. Earning it means demonstrating not just stick-and-rudder skill, but the judgment and systems knowledge expected of a captain flying transport-category aircraft carrying passengers.

Getting to the ATP certificate isn't a single test — it's a sequence of requirements covering flight experience, a knowledge (written) exam, and a practical test (checkride), with the ATP Certification Training Program built in as a mandatory step along the way.

CTP: the training program every ATP candidate must complete first

CTP stands for the ATP Certification Training Program, and it exists as a direct response to the increased focus on structured, multi-crew jet training industry-wide. Every candidate pursuing the ATP certificate — regardless of their background — must complete ATP-CTP before they're allowed to sit the ATP written exam.

The course runs 6-8 days and totals 42 hours: 32 hours of academic ground instruction covering topics like high-altitude aerodynamics, adverse weather operations, and automation management, followed by 10 hours in a full-flight simulator or approved training device, where pilots apply that material in a multi-crew transport-category setting.

How ATP and CTP connect in the certification path

The relationship is sequential and non-negotiable: ATP-CTP comes first, and its completion certificate is required before the FAA testing system will allow a pilot to register for the ATP written exam. Passing that written exam then opens the door to the remaining ATP requirements — the required flight experience and the ATP practical test in the aircraft or an approved simulator.

This structure means ATP-CTP isn't an optional add-on for pilots without airline experience — it applies universally, whether a candidate is coming from regional airline flying, corporate aviation, military service, or a foreign license conversion.

• Complete ATP-CTP (32 hours ground + 10 hours simulator, 6-8 days total)
• Pass the ATP written exam
• Meet required flight experience for ATP eligibility
• Pass the ATP practical test (checkride)

Who needs to complete ATP-CTP

Any pilot pursuing an FAA ATP certificate needs to complete ATP-CTP, including pilots converting a foreign license and pursuing the ATP as part of that transition. It's a separate requirement from any type rating a pilot may be pursuing — a pilot could complete ATP-CTP and the ATP written exam, then separately pursue a type rating on an aircraft such as the A320, A330, ATR 42/72, B737 NG/MAX, B737 Classic, or B757/767 depending on their career target.

Because ATP-CTP is standardized by the FAA, the core content is consistent across approved training providers, though the specific simulator platforms and scheduling options vary — worth considering when choosing where to complete the course.

Timing considerations pilots should know

The ATP-CTP graduation certificate and the subsequent ATP written exam are meant to be completed close together — pilots shouldn't treat the course as something to bank indefinitely before testing. Once the ATP written exam is passed, that score is valid for 60 calendar months, giving pilots a longer runway to complete any remaining flight experience and the practical test.

Understanding this sequencing early helps pilots plan efficiently, especially when ATP-CTP is being combined with a license conversion or a new type rating as part of a broader career transition.

Where to start

If you're mapping out your path to an ATP certificate, the practical starting point is understanding exactly where ATP-CTP fits relative to your current flight experience and any type rating you're pursuing. An advisor can review your background and lay out the specific sequence of steps that applies to you.