Transitioning Aircraft

At what point does a pilot transition from a propeller powered aircraft to a turbofan powered aircraft? What are the training and certification requirements?

Joe,

Typically a pilot will fly propeller aircraft for the entire time they are building their 1,500 hours for the airlines. Once they are hired at the airlines, they of course then transition to turbofan airplanes. For any turbine powered airplane, the FAA requires a “type rating” which is training that is specific to that aircraft. This is usually several weeks of training, which the airline provides for you. The training typically involves a week or two of systems training, then several weeks in the simulator.

Chris