FAA-Approved Type Ratings, ATP-CTP & Full-Flight Simulator Training
Boeing737Type Rating Training
Learn to fly the Boeing 737 with airline-standard training that combines ground school, full-motion simulator sessions, and expert instruction to prepare you for real airline operations.
Table Of Contents
Everything about the Boeing 737 narrow-body jet type rating program in one place. Click any section below to jump straight to what you need.
Program Overview
What the initial Boeing 737 type rating covers and how the narrow-body jet course is built.
Who Needs This Rating
First qualification candidates, airline-bound pilots, and 737 vs A320 career planners.
What This Prepares You For
B737 line operations, global SOP and CRM integration, and automation management.
Key Training Features
Level D Boeing 737 simulation, airline SOP alignment, and instructor-led briefings.
Built Around The Checkride
Ground school, simulator hours, and the checkride coordinated as one program.
Program Structure
The four phases from ground knowledge and systems through checkride preparation.
Related Programs
Other fleets, B737 simulator time, ATP-CTP, and FAA license conversion.
From The Blog
737 vs A320 career ROI, when a type rating is required, and shortened-course eligibility.
Entry Requirements
Licenses, experience, medical, language, and MCC/UPRT prerequisites.
FAQs
Duration, NG vs MAX training, MCC, career prospects, and international recognition.
The Boeing 737 Type Rating
Begin your jet-flying career with Simulator Center Training's Boeing 737 Type Rating program — a course designed to prepare pilots for real-world airline operations. Through structured ground school, full-motion simulator sessions, and expert instructor guidance, you'll build the skills, confidence, and operational knowledge required to safely and professionally operate the Boeing 737.
What This Program Includes
- Comprehensive Boeing 737 ground school and jet systems instruction
- Level D full-motion simulator sessions flown as a two-pilot crew
- Airline-standard SOP, CRM, and MCC integration
- NG/MAX flight deck, automation, and FMS management training
- Check ride preparation and final standards evaluation
Training Outcome
- Initial Boeing 737 narrow-body jet type qualification
- Command of B737 systems, automation, and FMS management
- Confident normal, abnormal, and emergency procedure management
- Multi-crew line performance to published airline standards
- Readiness to present for the type rating check ride
Who Needs This Rating
The Boeing 737 is the most widely operated narrow-body in the US — no other type rating puts more airline seats, carriers, and new-hire classes within reach of a single qualification.
CPL/ATPL Holders Seeking Initial Qualification
First type qualification
Pilots with ATPL theory or an Airline Transport Pilot License pursuing their first type qualification on one of the most widely flown commercial jets in the world.
Career Entry
Airline-Bound Pilots
NG/MAX fleet candidates
Candidates targeting carriers operating B737 NG/MAX fleets — the most common new-hire assignment among major and low-cost US carriers.
Airline Track
Pilots Comparing 737 vs A320 Career Paths
Fleet choice & flexibility
Candidates weighing fleet choice for long-term career flexibility given how many carriers operate both types.
Career Planning
International License Holders
DGCA, EASA, FAA & ICAO
DGCA, EASA, FAA, or other ICAO-licensed pilots pursuing a B737 qualification recognized across global carriers.
ConversionWhat This Program
Prepares You For
Every block below is taught in ground school and then flown in the Level D B737 simulator until it is second nature on the flight deck.
High-Fidelity B737 Line Operations
Fly realistic B737 line profiles — departures, climb, cruise, descent, and approach — in a Level D full-motion simulator until flows and callouts are second nature.
Global SOP & CRM Integration
Operate to airline-standard SOPs with the pilot flying / pilot monitoring coordination and crew resource management that B737 operators worldwide expect from day one.
Advanced Automation & FMS Management
Master the B737 mode control panel, flight management computer programming, and mode awareness across normal and non-normal flight profiles.
Complex Operational Decision-Making
Manage weather, malfunctions, and operational pressure with structured airline decision-making — the judgment examiners and airlines both test for.
Key Training Features
Elite training features and technology — the equipment, instruction, and standards that produce airline-ready Boeing 737 crews.
Level D Full-Motion Boeing 737 Simulation
Training in a Level D full-motion simulator that replicates B737 handling, flight deck layout, and systems behavior with the fidelity airlines use for their own crews.
Airline SOP & Workflow Alignment
Every session is flown to published airline SOPs and standard callouts so procedural discipline becomes habit, not memorization.
Systems Integration Training
Engines, hydraulics, electrics, pneumatics, and flight controls taught as one integrated aircraft — the way the checkride and the line both examine it.
Briefing & Debriefing with Airline Instructors
Structured pre-flight briefs and detailed debriefs led by instructors with real airline experience on Boeing fleets.
Built Around The Checkride
Every hour of the course is aimed at one outcome: presenting for the Boeing 737 type rating check ride flying to airline standards, with systems knowledge, SOPs, and crew performance already proven in the simulator.
Ground School, Simulator & Check Ride
Academic instruction, simulator sessions, and check ride preparation are coordinated as one program so nothing stalls between phases.
Boeing 737 Type Rating Program Structure
Four phases, 95–105 training hours, 28–35 days. Every candidate follows the same sequence from ground knowledge and systems training through check ride preparation.
Phase 01
Ground Knowledge & Systems Training
Duration: 60–70 Hours · Format: Classroom Instruction + Guided Study
The program opens with an in-depth academic phase covering the Boeing 737 airframe, jet systems, and narrow-body operating philosophy. The objective is complete technical understanding of the aircraft before you ever sit in the simulator.
This Phase Includes
- Aircraft Systems: Engines, hydraulics, electrics, pneumatics, fuel, and flight controls in full operational detail.
- Powerplant & Performance: CFM56/LEAP engine operation, thrust management, and takeoff and landing performance planning.
- Automation & FMS: Mode control panel operation, flight management programming, and mode awareness through all phases of flight.
- Limitations & Memory Items: B737 operating limitations and the immediate-action items every rated pilot must command.
- Normal & Abnormal Procedures: Checklist discipline, flows, and airline-standard non-normal handling.
Outcome: You enter the simulator phase with complete B737 systems knowledge and a working command of procedures and limitations.
Phase 02
Full-Motion Simulator Training
Training Device: Level D Full-Motion Simulator · Duration: 32–36 Hours
The simulator phase converts academic knowledge into flight deck performance. Sessions are flown as a two-pilot crew to airline SOPs, progressing from basic handling through complex failure management on realistic narrow-body line profiles.
This Phase Includes
- Normal Operations: Departures, climb, cruise, descent, approach, and landing flown to SOP on realistic B737 sectors.
- Abnormal & Emergency Handling: Engine failures, system degradations, rapid depressurization, and single-engine operations.
- Multi-Crew Cooperation: Task sharing, callouts, and cross-verification as pilot flying and pilot monitoring.
- Raw-Data & Manual Flight: Hand-flown departures, approaches, and landings without automation to build genuine aircraft feel.
- Line-Oriented Scenarios: Weather, MEL items, and real-world operational pressure managed as an airline crew.
Outcome: You demonstrate consistent, airline-standard B737 handling and crew performance across normal and non-normal operations.
Phase 03
Check Ride Preparation & Qualification
Focus: Final Certification Readiness
The final phase targets the checkride itself. Instructors run standards-focused sessions until your performance is repeatable to the published test criteria.
This Phase Includes
- Standards Review: Every maneuver measured against the practical test tolerances.
- Mock Check Rides: Full-profile evaluations flown under test conditions.
- Oral Exam Preparation: Systems and procedure questioning in the format the examiner uses.
- Targeted Remediation: Extra work on any area that is not yet consistent.
Outcome: You present for the checkride prepared, current, and evaluated to the same standard the examiner applies.
Phase 04
Expected Duration & Training Hours
The schedule is intensive but realistic — enough time to build genuine command of the aircraft without unnecessary downtime between phases.
Related Programs
One of the most widely flown narrow-body jets in the world — here's how it compares to other fleets and pathways.
From The Blog
Reading that matters before you commit to a B737 rating — the 737 vs A320 career question, when a type rating is legally required, and whether a shortened course is realistic for you.
Entry Requirements
Have these ready when you contact Simulator Center Training and your Boeing 737 start date can be confirmed quickly.
Valid Pilot License
- Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL)
- FAA, EASA, DGCA, or other ICAO-compliant authority
- License valid and unrestricted at the time of enrollment
Flight Experience
- Documented total time and recent flying experience
- Prior jet or multi-crew experience is an advantage, not a requirement
- Logbook reviewed during the eligibility assessment
Multi-Engine & Instrument Ratings
- Current multi-engine (ME) rating
- Current instrument (IR) rating
- Instrument currency reviewed before the simulator phase
Medical Certification
- Class 1 medical certificate recommended for airline-bound candidates
- Class 2 accepted for training purposes where permitted
- Physically fit for extended full-motion simulator sessions
English Language Proficiency
- ICAO Level 4 English or higher
- Required for briefings, radio communication, and crew coordination
- All ground school and simulator instruction is delivered in English
MCC & UPRT
- MCC is mandatory for EASA pilots before starting the type rating
- Recommended for DGCA and FAA candidates — multi-crew work is built into the simulator phase
- Upset prevention and recovery training integrated into the course
Boeing 737 Type Rating FAQs
The questions pilots ask most about the B737 rating — duration, NG versus MAX training, MCC, career prospects against the A320, and international recognition.